Retaining Walls
Reclaim sloped ground and turn it into usable, terraced space.
Sloped lots are common around our lakes — and they often leave homeowners with steep, unusable ground. A properly engineered retaining wall turns that slope into level, functional space while keeping soil, drainage, and your foundation under control.
We design boulder retaining walls that do real structural work: holding back grade, managing the water that runs downhill toward your home and shoreline, and creating terraces you can actually plant, walk, and relax on. Every wall starts with drainage — gravel backfill and weep paths — because water, not weight, is what fails a retaining wall over time.
For lakefront and hillside properties in East Bethel, Ham Lake, Andover, and the Forest Lake area, we tier taller grades into a series of natural stone terraces. The result is more usable yard, cleaner drainage away from your house, and a landscape that looks like it grew out of the Minnesota bedrock instead of being bolted on.
From a single garden-height course to multi-tier terraced systems, we build retaining walls that carry the load and still look like they belong on the lake.
Why it matters
Engineered for load
Keyed, battered courses and proper backfill so the wall holds grade for the long term.
Drainage first
Gravel backfill and weep paths move water away from your foundation and shoreline.
Terraced living space
Steep, wasted slopes become level terraces you can plant and enjoy.
Our approach, step by step
Grade & drainage review
We map how water moves across your lot and where the slope needs to be held.
Excavate & base
We cut the bench, compact the base, and set the first course dead level.
Build & backfill
Courses are stepped back and backfilled with drainage rock as we rise.
Terrace & plant-ready
We finish grade the terraces so they're ready for lawn or landscaping.
Retaining Walls questions, answered
Still wondering about your shoreline? Call or text 612-834-3955 — we're happy to talk it through.
How tall can a boulder retaining wall be?
Single walls can go surprisingly tall with the right base and batter, and taller grades are best handled as tiered terraces. We'll recommend the safest, best-looking approach for your slope.
Will a retaining wall fix my drainage problems?
A wall built with proper gravel backfill and weep paths does double duty — holding grade and redirecting water away from your home and shoreline. Drainage is built into every wall we install.
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Ready to transform your lakeshore?
Call or text for a free, no-pressure estimate. We respond to calls & texts within 24 hours.