retaining wall issue

[alex.cordero]

Hello all -- I need some ideas...

I'm planning a 160sq ft retaining wall that will not go higher than three feet. My wife found the stone that she wants at RCP block--a local brick and stone vendor.

RCP wants $850 to deliver the stones and I think that's outrageous. But ok, if I rent a truck and pallet jack, will it cost the same? I don't know...

Home Depot only charges $60 to deliver but they don't carry any of the stones that my wife likes. That's what they charged me to also deliver 1500 sq ft of sod from the sod farm.

Any ideas as to how I can transport these stones? A pick-up truck will not do. They're extremely heavy.

[tmurf.1]

Do you have U HAUL in your area? They have flatbeds and other types of trucks.

[PeterD]

Sure a pickup truck will do... Use a 1 ton rated truck, say a Dodge

3500, and make a few trips. Were I to do this, I'd put some in the bed (about 3,500 lb) and some on my large flatbed equipment trailer (another 2000 lb or so). Bet it would only take two or three trips max...

Post a link to the stone you are using if you can.

BTW you can rent virtually any kind of truck if you want. A larger truck will carry about 20,000 lb (and still be under the non-CDL limit of 27K) and make the job even easier.

However, don't underestimate the issues of unloading (and perhaps loading) this stuff!

Also, you say 'sq ft' but are you talking 3 ft high by 50+ ft, 160 ft long by 3 ft, or what?

[CWatters]

If we said 160 cubic feet I make it about 15,000 lbs (used typical figure for density of crushed stone).

[RicodJour]

I think it'd be more like 24,000 pounds. 160 CF x roughly 150 #/CF and depending on the stone it could be more than that.

I think the $850 for delivery has to be a mistake. Maybe the OP means _shipping_ as in interstate of something, or maybe he lives in the boonies with no regular mail service. Since the OP said a local vendor, that can't be the case, so it's just plain odd. Around here delivery is a flat fee of 50 or 100 bucks regardless of order size.

R

[PeterD]

Perhaps 5 trips in a 1 ton PU, or three with a trailer... (Thanks for the weight estimate...)

sure beats paying the quoted price!

BTW, my local lumber yard will lease out their big trucks when not in use for deliveries. They have cranes or lift booms, can easily handle

15000 lb, and I paid about $75 and hour last summer. I know this year it will be more (wonder how I know that!) but even still, that may be an easy and viable alternative to hand unloading that much stuff.