UKC

One side of my new home is made by a tall and blank wall (no windows), about 9 meters high, and 3 to 4m wide. I am thinking to set up an outdoor climbing wall on it, but clearly the endeavour is out of reach for a DIY project (too tall, risky and complex).

I know it would be fairly expensive to get a company design and build it, but how much expensive? I really can't figure out any numbers, my estimate of 30 square meters per 500£ makes final price at 15000£, but is it realistic or completely off?

Can't find any hints in the forum, so sorry if it's there and I missed many thanks!

In reply to odari:

What's the wall made out of?

Is that plan to just drill and bolt are are you wanting resin panels putting up?

A cheaper option than resin is plywood, but it needs to be very good quality with a lot of emphasis on waterproofing for it to last.

In reply to odari:

It would all depend on what kind of wall you wanted.

You can fix holds directly to the brickwork, you would however need a spreader plate if you wanted a lower off.

If outside normal plywood wouldn't last long-term as so well coated marine plywood or fibreglass would be best options.

It would be a good fit project but if you felt it was something you couldn't do then agreed a big company would be expensive. However Strata, climbing wall company, renegade would be likely more cost effective.

One thing to consider would be, is it worth it? It would be a limited size, often people realize that their attempts at route setting aren't as good as what you get in a centre, it takes a bit off upkeep and you generally won't use it over winter and when it's raining.

From the figure you came to it could easily be done however so could a lifetime membership at your local centre with good coffee and cake.

So not trying to put you off, if it's the way you want to go you could make something very personalised.

But worth saying up all options.

In reply to odari:

Here are some numbers for a DIY approach from my experience.

My wall is free standing.

4m tall. A bit more what 4m width.

Plywood construction.

Rough cost from memory.

Timber - £1000 (Inc plywood, which I think was £300).

Holds - £500 (I could easily spend more here)

Sealing and floor paints - £300

Fixings - £300 (so my screws and t-bolts)

Roof - £200 - cheap corrugated plastic thing.

So that's £2300 for materials only. Hopefully I've rounded up on a few things there as it seems pricy all added up.

It's been built a few years now and holding up to the weather really well. It has a few interesting faces, overhangs at different angles etc.

But.

I've probably spent more time at the climbing gym than on my wall.

You get a bit bored of it and fed up of changing the routes.

There's also the issue with it being right there so you can always use it later, which becomes tomorrow which becomes next week, etc 

Then there's weather. The gym is just a nicer place to be.

When I climb elsewhere I plan it. Therefore I'm damn well going to go.

Others may have different experiences but this was my unexpected experience.

In reply to montyjohn:

I guess if I asked a company they would choose resin for my case, or some special plywood for outdoors... I don't want to drill holds directly in the wall

In reply to stuartholmes:

Interesting, something I didn't think about, ending up not using it that much.

However, I have three children, time to go to the gym is non-existent, unless with them (sure it would be nice, but hard to park them altogether and still have my own time to climb), and anyway there are no indoors nearby or worth driving the miles (wife not a climber). So, if any of the kids gets involved with climbing then perhaps would be relatively cost effective... For me it means available at any hour/day, even for half a hour session. But maybe for that, a smaller bouldering wall could suffice...

In reply to odari:

Someone asked a similar question to this some time ago and one thing that emerged from that particular thread was that you might need planning permission for such a project otherwise you might find yourself in conflict with your neighbours and the council.

In reply to odari:

Yeah as I said, not intended to put you off in anyway. Just know the practicality of it. A small wall with lots of holds can work just as well and circuits can still work on your endurance.

You can then make up loads of problems without resetting.

In reply to odari:  You will soon get bored on a 3m wide vertical wall if you think that when you're alone you'll traverse around and do circuits.  Spend the money on something like an overhanging system board

In reply to odari:

There's a big climbing wall on the side of a house near me in Altrincham. Probably about 8m tall, and 4 or 5 wide. 

I've walked or cycled past it numerous times and never seen anyone using it. It has a very sparse collection of holds on it and is deeply uninspiring and redundant.

Looks like he spent a lot of money on it in similar circumstances  to you....

In reply to odari:

If you want to climb for fun at home build a bouldering cave, design in lots of adjustability to make best use of the space and so you don't get bored of it.

If you're not convinced, just think through the logistics of exactly how and when you would use a 9m high (roped presumably) wall out in the weather on the side of your house. It's just about the worst of all worlds IMO.

If I were going to do it (I wouldn't) I'd go quite minimalist. I'd glue a grid of stainless threaded inserts into the bricks (recessed so easy enough to make good with dyed cement once you're bored of it). How feasible the whole thing is does depend on the condition and make-up of your wall.

jk

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I know the one, the guy who owns it does lots of outdoor education for pupil referral units so uses it during the daytime with these groups.

In reply to odari:

Your profile says you are located in the Alps. I suggest therefore that you spend you money on getting outside doing the sport you love. There really isn't any point in a exterior home wall if you have crags all around you 

In reply to mutt:

It seems to be a time and accessability thing.

In reply to stuartholmes:

Interesting. I thought someone might have seem it. It looks blummin hard  for occasional student use.

Good to hear that it is used.

In reply to odari:

I built a 1.5 storey vertical wall on the side of my house - A timber frame fixed into the brickwork, then treated ply fixed to this. 

Usage dropped off after a couple of years, mostly as regularly setting hard-but-not-too-hard wall/slab routes is HARD (but fun!).

My kids used it more than I did during lockdown, which was great, but with hindsight I wish I'd built a smaller standalone overhanging wall - as for training purposes, this would have been much more beneficial.