I am new to this forum and dont if this is the correct forum to post this question. Moderator, if it is not, please let me know. I live in the state of Maine. My area of concern is with my second basement foundation wall which is under my attached two car garage addition; lets call it the shop. On the exterior of the northwest corner of the shop abuts a retaining wall (RW) which retains the driveway to the garage above (the shop is a daylight basement). Through the years, the RW appears to be moving into and to the west of the shop wall causing a once hairline crack to become over 1/8-1/4 wide in various places on this northwest corner.
The previous owner told me he had issues with the driveway and retaining wall but the 3 new tiebacks/soil anchors installed resolved the issues. There appears to be weep holes at the bottom of the wall that I have yet to see work. At the top of the RW where it abuts next to my garage, there is a low spot which used to pond water. I drilled a few holes at the top to allow the water to drain through the wall and run down below.
Question: what is the quickest and most economical solution to the moving RW? Should I just simply vertically sawcut off a portion of the RW that abuts the exterior of the shop foundation wall to relieve the pressure? Any other ideas besides digging up the entire driveway, find the perimeter drain to ensure it functions, and re-place the retaining wall with a new one)? If I have to do the latter, should it be tied to the shop foundation wall?
The previous owner told me he had issues with the driveway and retaining wall but the 3 new tiebacks/soil anchors installed resolved the issues. There appears to be weep holes at the bottom of the wall that I have yet to see work. At the top of the RW where it abuts next to my garage, there is a low spot which used to pond water. I drilled a few holes at the top to allow the water to drain through the wall and run down below.
Question: what is the quickest and most economical solution to the moving RW? Should I just simply vertically sawcut off a portion of the RW that abuts the exterior of the shop foundation wall to relieve the pressure? Any other ideas besides digging up the entire driveway, find the perimeter drain to ensure it functions, and re-place the retaining wall with a new one)? If I have to do the latter, should it be tied to the shop foundation wall?