Retainiing walls, hills, and a home

[Bubblegun]

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are about buying a property with a retaining wall, especially on a hill side.

We have been introduced to a couple of homes that haven't been put on the market yet and appear within budget, and they are what we were looking for but I can't get my head around being close to a hill, and having a retaining wall. Earthquakes, rain etc etc.

I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge, views, or experience on this, rather unique Japanese approach to building.

[captainspoke]

Rebuilding may be difficult or impossible, since building codes/regulations may have been updated, and the same plot with the same retaining wall(s) (or a similar new one) that was once buildable, may no longer be, or only at great expense. This is why for some places, doing a total reform (taking it down to the most basic skeleton), is done--it's a reform of what's there, and allowed, vs what counts as a new build.

This is hard to get a quick answer on, since the city may have to come look, and maybe see what the plans are, before being able to give a 'yes' or 'no'. Still, some folks do have enough experience with this that they could give a yes, no, or with difficulty type of answer.

[Tsumitate Wrestler]

If it is on the property, typically walls over 2m had to be inspected, and will come with a certificate. Walls under 2 meters do not, and can often be suspect.

I have been refused the right to have a retaining wall inspected before purchase, and walked away. I have seen a house that by law could not be rebuilt as anything but a reinforced concrete structure due to its proximity to a retaining wall.

There are professional inspection companies that will even drill a sample and give you a full report.

[Bubblegun]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. While this is not thee wall. It is of simiar construction and has a slopping hill about a 100 or so feet.( or it might as well be Mount Fuji)
Anyway opinions are certainly welcome, and anyone with knowledge or experience please feel free to share anything.

I keep trying to attach a pic of a similar wall, but it says

Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.

[Beaglehound]

I would be checking the hazard zoning of the land too. Some hazardous land is designated as red (in danger, presumably from landslip or flash floods), others as yellow (less in danger). Your agent should be able to inform though there are publicly available maps too.

[Bubblegun]

I would be checking the hazard zoning of the land too. Some hazardous land is designated as red (in danger, presumably from landslip or flash floods), others as yellow (less in danger). Your agent should be able to inform though there are publicly available maps too.

Thank you for that. I will have a look for that. Something I never considered. I considered flooding, as our area has a flood map but not that. I will check that out. I guess Kuyakusho 区役所でwill also have something.

[captainspoke]

...
I keep trying to attach a pic of a similar wall, but it says

Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.

You have to be aware of bb code workings, and choose the right link, but the solution is to upload your pic to imgr.com and then add the link to your post: ((if you quote this post, you'll see the coding used for the image below))

[Bubblegun]

...
I keep trying to attach a pic of a similar wall, but it says

Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.

You have to be aware of bb code workings, and choose the right link, but the solution is to upload your pic to imgr.com and then add the link to your post: ((if you quote this post, you'll see the coding used for the image below))

Thanks for letting me know. It appears to have worked when a dragged and dropped the picture.

So this is a very similar wall design to the one we are looking at. I found the engineering logic of the brick pattern interesting and compelling compared to the brickwork we are used to.