Landscape Retaining Walls

I learned the hard way to never hire a landscaper to build a retaining wall over five feet in height. Well-intentioned, but unqualified landscapers specialize in non-foundational or aesthetic retaining walls under four feet in height. Non-foundational retaining walls, or landscaping walls are constructed without an engineer’s plan or building permit. Such walls are built without a functional drainage system and a solid footing become unstable during heavy rainfall, leading to an inevitably shortened lifespan at best, or a collapse at worse.

On the other hand, foundational retaining walls last and increase the value of your property when engineered with a site plan for grading and a functional drainage system and constructed by a professional retaining wall contractor.

What I learned the hard way is that without the retaining wall certification, the property owner is legally liable for all damage caused by the failed retaining wall. I’m not as eager as others on the site to tell my self-condemning story. I’ll just say that it was a very sobering and an expensive lesson to learn the hard way! Do your research, learn the facts, and above all, trust no one.