Retaining Walls in Gatineau

It depends on the height and location. In Gatineau, a retaining wall above a certain height, or one close to the property line, the street or a watercourse, may require a municipal permit. We check the rules that apply to your lot and walk you through the steps before we start.

We build walls of every height. Above roughly 1.2 metres, a wall has to be engineered to resist soil pressure: geogrid reinforcement, proper drainage and, in some cases, an engineer's plan. We tell you exactly what applies to your project.

Drainage is the key. We install clear-stone backfill, a perforated drain and a geotextile membrane behind the wall to move water out before it freezes and pushes on the structure. A well-compacted base and a slight backward batter finish the system. That's the difference between a wall that lasts and one that bulges after two winters.

Architectural retaining-wall block, natural stone and armour stone, depending on the look, the height being held and the budget. On Gatineau's clay soils we pick the system best suited to the load and drainage, and tie it into your pavers, steps or patio for a finished result.

The price depends on a few things: the wall's height and length, the material (architectural block, natural stone or armour stone), how complex the drainage is, and access to the site. A small garden wall and a large structural retaining wall aren't in the same range. We travel to Gatineau for free to assess your project and give you a fixed, detailed quote with no surprises.

A well-built wall lasts for decades. The key is the base and drainage: a compacted foundation, clear-stone backfill and a drain that moves water out before it freezes. That's what keeps a wall from bulging or leaning over time. Walls that fail early are almost always the ones where drainage was skipped.