Best (easiest?) way to setup a level area on a sloping block?

[mugget]

Hi folks, this seems like the most appropriate subform to post this, so here I go:

I am soon to own a long wheelbase van, and plan to do a lot of my own work. The problem comes to having a nice level area where I can jack up the van to actually do the work.

I basically have no level ground to speak of. The garage has been built up to level with bessa block retaining walls, but of course the van is high roof as well, so no chance it will fit in there!

I have an area I'd like to use, but it currently has a downward slope with roughly a 1m drop.

Just wondering what you would do to level that off? And more importantly what it's easy to do with minimal fuss for a regular kind of guy?

I think it's going to need some fill obviously, I can hire a Dingo and fix that easy. But not sure about what to use for the wall? Or how high is safe for a DIY job?

Just looking around for options and came across Versawall. The webpage says that you can use them to build unreinforced retaining walls up to 800mm without engineering advice? (I checked the Brisbane Council website and it's okay to build up to 2m without a development application. Then they also say that building approval is required if the wall is closer than 1.5m to an existing building... and it would be ideal to join up just below the existing garage level... oh boy...)

Would it cost a bunch less to use those big old timber sleepers, if they can still be found? Or is that not such a great choice because of termites?

Let me know your thoughts. :2tsup:

[whitewood]

I extended a path on a slope beside my rural house to result in an open deck. I used interlocking concrete blocks to build up a wall just over a metre high and filled the area with cracker dust. I filled in about 6" at a time and watered and tamped it down as I went. The wall hasn't moved and the cracker dust only dropped a few mm's in over 5 years. The bottom course was only set in the earth a few inches. I used the same blocks to make it rectangular but that was a nightmare judging the bottom course to allow for the inward slope and the blocks are not designed to interlock at the corners. You wouldn't have this trouble, at least at on end, as you would need to allow for a 'ramp' to gain access for your van.
Whitewood

[BlackbuttWA]

When faced with a sloping block most guys round here (WA) use the "Cut & Fill" method.

Start about half way up the slope & working towards the slope. It's like taking a wedge of cheese & flipping it over.
My block wasn't too bad, I ended up with a natural bank of 2 m at the back & a drop of about a 1m at the front.
As this is one a 5acre block it doesn't really notice that much.

Hope I have explained this enough for you.

Col