A retaining wall is a structural problem dressed up as a landscape feature. It is holding back tons of saturated soil that wants to slide downhill, and when one fails it usually fails all at once. The Lower Mainland's rain only makes the loads worse. We build retaining walls knowing that - drainage and base prep are not negotiable shortcuts.
We work in several systems: segmental concrete block (Allan Block, Versa-Lok, and similar), large-format natural and manufactured stone, poured-in-place reinforced concrete, and timber for shorter garden-bed walls. Up to about 4 feet (1.2m) we can usually design and build to standard manufacturer specs. Above 4 feet a geotechnical or structural engineer is required by the BC Building Code, and we coordinate with one on those jobs.
A proper retaining-wall install: excavate below frost line; lay a compacted crushed-stone leveling pad at depth; first course set perfectly level (everything above depends on this); set each course with geogrid reinforcement back into the slope at engineered intervals; install a drainage core and perforated drain pipe behind the wall, daylighted out the end or tied into the storm system; backfill in lifts with free-draining material, not the native clay.
We build retaining walls across Surrey, Coquitlam, and Abbotsford. Often they go in alongside a new patio, lawn, or fence - bundling is usually cheaper. Call and we will come look at the slope.
