Big boulders!!

[Angie]

Does anyone have a rough idea of the cost of those large boulders that people use on terraced gardens?  The ones I need are the huge ones that need a digger for putting into place.  Several neighbours have them but both suppliers have ceased trading and they can't remember how much they paid!  I think they are sold by weight rather than quantity but a rough idea would be very helpful.  Thank you

[Patf]

Some time ago we enquired about boulders from a quarry near here. To shore up a steep slope. Can't remember how much but they were expensive, also the transport. We made a concrete wall instead.

I suggest you look in your pages jaunes under Carrières, and ask for a devis.

[woolybanana]

Communes often use that kind of thing for roundabouts and to retain slopes. Ask at the Mairie and they may have a lead for you. Alternatively, keep an eye open in the countryside; there may be unwanted piles of the things on his land that a farmer could be paid to transport for you. But be careful of the ghosts of the druids, they don't like being moved!

[dave21478]

The price will vary massively from quarry to quarry - some specialise in selling this sort of thing, some just see them as a byproduct to be disposed of.

Either way, the price of the stone is not the problem, its the loading, transport, unloading and placing that cost the money. The quarry will be able to load them into a lorry, either their own or a transporter of your choosing and the lorry will be able to tip it onto the ground, but moving it from there to its final position....would that be far? uphill? muddy ground? could it be pushed or dragged or require carrying to minimise damage to the ground?

Obviously it depends on size and composition but their weight is generally beyond the capabilities of Farmer John and his tractor with front bucket.

Last job I had required a few large rocks to be shifted, one of which needed placed very precisely. They were from about 80cm up to 1.8m in very rough diameter. I was using a 2.5 ton mini digger and it was a real struggle to shift them.... not just the weight but being able to get a grip on them, or get them balanced on the bucket. A 5 tonner or larger would have been ideal, but that moves up a notch in logistics and expense.

A possible alternative....I have no idea on cost or your application....but I see them more and more often are the wire mesh cubes filled with river pebbles. Easier to position and stack if shoring up a wall, and if access is tricky, possible to transport in small loads and assemble/fill in situ.

[idun]

These wire baskets are called gabions in french and english(I think). Ours had some quite big rocks in them.

[ericd]

[quote user="idun"]These wire baskets are called gabions in french and english(I think). Ours had some quite big rocks in them.
[/quote]

Correct, the word is the same in both languages.