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A contemporary garden on split levels with a retaining wall and wide steps

Retaining walls & steps, built to hold their ground

Brick, block and sleeper walls that manage a slope, and steps that link your levels safely, engineered and drained so they stay put.

Get a free quote Call 07957 229284

30+ years · Free survey · Fully insured · One accountable team

A retaining wall is a structure, not a border

A wall that holds back ground is doing real structural work, and the weight behind it is unforgiving. Build it without the right footing and drainage and it leans, bulges and eventually fails, which is why we engineer retaining walls rather than just lay them.

Retained soil is heavy, and it gets heavier when it's wet. A retaining wall has to resist that constant push, so it needs a proper concrete footing, the right build for the height and, crucially, drainage behind it to relieve the water pressure that quietly destroys walls built without it.

Get those right and a wall doesn't just hold a slope, it makes a garden usable: turning an awkward bank into level terraces for lawn, patio or planting, and turning a scramble up the garden into safe, even steps.

We build in brick, block, natural stone and timber sleepers, and match the steps to them: generous, evenly-going flights with sound foundations and slip-resistant treads. It all sits on the same groundwork discipline that runs through everything we do, from the footing up.

A transformed garden with terraced levels linked by wide, solid steps

Why our walls and steps last

What separates a retaining wall that holds for decades from one that leans within a few winters.

Engineered for the load

Built on a proper concrete footing and specified for its height, so it resists the real weight of the ground behind it.

Drained behind

Backfill and drainage relieve water pressure, the hidden force that pushes poorly-built walls out of true.

Turns slopes into space

Terracing a bank creates flat, usable ground for lawn, patio, beds or a garden room.

Safe, even steps

Generous, consistent going and solid foundations, with slip-resistant treads for confident footing in all weather.

Materials to match

Brick, block, natural stone or timber sleepers, chosen to suit the garden and tie in with existing hardscaping.

One accountable team

Footings, walls and steps built by our own crew, on the same groundwork discipline as the rest of the job.

Retaining walls & steps FAQs

Do retaining walls need drainage?
Yes, and it is the part most often skipped. Water building up in the soil behind a wall creates enormous pressure, which is a leading cause of retaining walls bulging and failing. We include backfill and drainage behind the wall to relieve that pressure so the structure stays true.
How high can you build a retaining wall?
It depends on the situation, the ground and the materials, and higher walls need heavier footings and specification. We build a wide range of garden retaining walls; for larger or higher structures we build to an engineered design so it is right for the load it carries. We advise on the survey.
What materials do you use for retaining walls?
Brick, concrete block (often faced), natural stone and timber sleepers. The choice comes down to the height and load, the look you want and how it ties in with the rest of the garden. We will talk you through what suits your project.
Can you build steps into a sloping garden?
Yes. Steps are a large part of what we do on sloping sites, usually alongside terracing and retaining walls. We set them out with a comfortable, consistent going, build them on solid foundations and finish with slip-resistant treads so they are safe in all weather.
Why do some retaining walls lean or crack?
Almost always a footing or drainage problem, not the wall face itself. Built on an inadequate footing, without drainage, or too light for the height it retains, a wall gradually loses to the weight and water behind it. Engineered properly from the base, it holds for decades.

Got a slope, a level change or tired steps?

We'll survey the site, advise on the right build and drainage, and give you a clear written price with no obligation.

07957 229284
  • ✓ Free, no-obligation quote
  • ✓ 30+ years' specialist experience
  • ✓ Fully insured, all projects

What are you planning?

Pick the closest option. We'll refine it on the free survey.

  • ✓ Free, no-obligation quote
  • ✓ 30+ years' specialist experience
  • ✓ Fully insured, all projects

Related services

Groundworks & Drainage

Excavation, footings and drainage: the base every wall needs.

Kerbs & Edging

Edge restraints and kerbs that hold surfaces in line.

Patios, Paving & Slabs

The terraces your new levels are made for.
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