Patios & Retaining Walls
Freeze-thaw finds every shortcut in a base
Hardscape here fails in a predictable way. Water gets into an under-built base, freezes, lifts the stone, and by the third spring the patio is a hazard and the wall is leaning. None of that is visible on the day it is finished, which is exactly why it keeps getting built wrong.
What's included
- Base depth cut for this climate, not the depth that works at sea level
- Drainage behind every retaining wall, which is the thing that actually holds it
- Boulder and flagstone set by hand, sourced regionally so it matches the granite here
- Fire rings and seat walls that stay outside your zone 0 setback
- Hardscape used deliberately near the house, since stone and gravel are also defensible space
Worth asking anyone who bids this
Ask how deep the base is and what goes behind the wall. If the answer is vague, you will find out in about three winters.
★★★★★
“Our old patio heaved so badly we stopped using it. This one has been through four winters and has not moved a stone.”
Photographed, zone by zone, for your insurer
Every defensible space job gets photographed before and after in each zone, with the work listed against the requirement it satisfies. You get that packet as a PDF. When your carrier asks for proof, you send it instead of scheduling another inspection.
Thinking about patios & retaining walls?
We walk the property with you and send a written assessment in two business days. Free, whether or not you hire us.