Retaining walls and drainage
Build on the slope you have.
A lasting wall begins behind the block, where the water, base stone, and reinforcement do the work visitors never see.
Why walls fail here
Water trapped in clay pushes everything out of place.
Block set on dirt, missing drain pipe, no stone backfill, or skipped reinforcement can turn one wet winter into a moving wall. We build the drainage into the wall from day one.
Walk your slope with us →
How a Kolbusz wall goes in
Dig below frost
We excavate to a stable depth for the wall and the grade.
Compact the base
A compacted base of 2A modified stone sets the first course true.
Give water a way out
A 4-inch perforated drain pipe runs at the bottom and out to daylight.
Backfill with clean stone
Twelve inches of clean #57 stone relieves pressure behind the block.
Reinforce tall walls
Walls over 3 feet receive reinforcement grid every second course.
Permit the big work
Anything over 4 feet gets an engineer’s stamped design and township permit.
Terrace the hill instead of fighting it
Break one big slope into a few useful levels.
One tall wall has to hold back a lot of earth and water. On most South Hills yards, it makes more sense to step the hill down with two or three shorter walls.
Each wall creates a level slice of ground, with a place for drainage behind it. At the bottom, the slope turns into a flat patio you can actually use. Keeping walls under 4 feet where possible can also keep the plan simpler.
Talk through a terrace plan →
Typical project ranges
Not every wet yard needs a wall
Drainage can stand on its own.
French drains, downspout tie-ins, yard drains, and dry wells can move water away from soggy lawns and wet basements.
“Andy told us the wall was not the problem, the water was. The basement has been dry two springs now.”Frank D., Upper St. Clair
Do you handle permits and utility marking?+
Yes. We prepare the permit path when it is needed, and every job is called into PA One Call before digging begins.
What makes a retaining wall last here?+
The wall needs a compacted base, drainage at the bottom, clean stone behind the block, and reinforcement where the wall height calls for it. The visible block is only one part of the job.
Can you solve water problems without building a wall?+
Yes. French drains, downspout tie-ins, yard drains, and dry wells can address a soggy lawn or wet basement when a wall is not the answer.