Lower Hutt

Terracing a sloping yard into usable flat areas is one of the most common reasons people call us. For that work we build timber, concrete sleeper, link block and stone walls, stepping the levels to suit the land. Larger or load-bearing terraces get engineered designs where conditions call for it.

Unapproved retaining walls regularly cause grief during property sales, building inspections and insurance claims. The need for approval comes down to the wall’s height, where it sits in relation to boundaries and easements, and your council’s specific rules. We make sure your wall is built on the right side of the regulations.

The assessment we do on site covers the soil behind the proposed wall, the fall of the land, how trucks and machinery will get in and what excavation and drainage the job requires. Combined with height, length, materials and any approvals, that determines the price. A free written no-obligation quote is provided once we have seen it all.

Lead time and build time are two different things, and approvals or engineering can add weeks before we break ground. The actual construction usually wraps up in a few days to about a week for residential walls. We separate the two clearly in your quote so you can plan around both.

Behind almost every leaning wall is trapped water, undersized footings or load the wall was never designed for. Sorting out the cause sometimes saves the wall entirely, through drainage works, anchors or removing surcharge from above. When the damage runs deeper than that, we recommend replacement and stand behind the advice.

For structural work like retaining walls, hiring licensed and insured builders is essential, and that is what we provide on every job. Engineering design and certification are arranged where the wall requires them. We finish each project with the documentation in your hands.

Soil and site conditions in this part of the world are something we know intimately, which translates into retaining walls designed for the ground they sit on. Our focus stays on the local area and surrounding suburbs for exactly that reason. A short call confirms whether we reach you.

Each project follows the same proven path. A site visit captures the measurements, levels, soil conditions, access and drainage needs, and a written quote is issued for your approval. We then arrange any engineering or council approvals, build through excavation, footings, the wall, drainage behind it and backfill, and finish with a spotless site and an owner who was kept in the picture throughout.

Bowing, cracking and leaning are nearly always traced back to water that had nowhere to go. Saturated soil shoves against a wall with multiplied force, and trapped water is the leading reason retaining walls fail. Ag pipe behind the base, free-draining gravel backfill and weep holes let that water escape, which is why drainage goes into every wall we construct.

Durability is designed in long before any guarantee is written down, through correct footings, drainage and compaction. That said, our workmanship is guaranteed, engineered walls are certified, and we come back if a problem appears.