You’re watching soil slide down your slope after every storm. Mulch disappears. Water pools where it shouldn’t. Your yard looks worse every season, and you’re wondering how much damage is happening underneath.
A retaining wall in Matthews, NC stops that. It holds back soil, redirects water, and turns problem slopes into level ground you can actually use. No more erosion eating away at your landscaping. No more wondering if your foundation is next.
You get stable ground, better drainage, and outdoor space that doesn’t require constant repair. The right wall doesn’t just hold dirt—it protects your property value and gives you room to build the yard you actually want.
We’re Union Landscaping and Hardscape S Corp, a family-owned company based in Monroe, serving Matthews, NC and the surrounding area. We’ve been installing retaining walls and hardscape services for homeowners who need real solutions, not quick fixes.
Matthews sits on rolling terrain with clay-heavy soil that expands and contracts. That means your retaining wall needs proper grading, drainage, and reinforcement—or it won’t hold. We assess your property first, design around your specific slope and soil conditions, and install walls using concrete retaining wall blocks, natural stone, or poured concrete depending on what your yard needs.
You’re not getting a cookie-cutter wall. You’re getting a structure built to handle North Carolina weather and Matthews topography.
First, we come out and assess your property. We look at the slope, check drainage patterns, and test soil conditions. If your wall needs to be over four feet, we bring in a licensed civil engineer to make sure it meets North Carolina building codes.
Next, we design the wall. You’ll see material options—retaining wall blocks, natural stone, or poured concrete—and we’ll explain what works best for your yard. We talk through placement, height, and how we’ll handle water runoff so your wall doesn’t just hold soil, it redirects water away from problem areas.
Then we build it. We excavate, grade the base, install proper drainage, and construct the wall with attention to reinforcement and stability. For taller walls or complex slopes, we add geogrid or additional support. When we’re done, you have a wall that’s engineered to last and a yard that finally holds together.
Ready to get started?
You get a full site assessment before we touch a shovel. We measure slopes, evaluate soil type, and identify drainage issues specific to Matthews properties. Clay soil here can shift and settle, so we plan for that upfront.
You get material options that fit your budget and your yard. Concrete retaining wall blocks offer strength and customization. Natural stone gives you a high-end look that blends with the landscape. Poured concrete works for taller walls that need maximum support. We walk you through what each option costs and what it delivers.
You get proper drainage built into the wall. We don’t just stack blocks—we install gravel backfill, weep holes, and drainage pipe to keep water from building up behind the wall. That’s what prevents bulging, cracking, and failure down the road. In Matthews, where heavy rains are common, drainage isn’t optional.
You also get compliance with local codes. Walls over four feet require permits in Mecklenburg County, and we handle that process. We work with engineers when needed and make sure your wall is built to code so you don’t have issues later.
Most retaining wall installation in Matthews, NC runs between $35 and $65 per square foot, depending on materials, height, and site conditions. A typical project for a homeowner dealing with a sloped backyard might cost anywhere from $3,500 to $9,400. Larger or more complex walls can go higher.
Concrete retaining wall blocks are usually the most affordable option and offer good durability. Natural stone costs more—typically $25 to $40 per square foot—but gives you a premium look. Poured concrete sits around $30 to $40 per square foot and works well for taller walls that need extra strength.
Your final cost depends on how much soil we’re retaining, how steep the slope is, and whether we need to bring in engineering or handle tricky drainage. We give you a clear estimate after we assess your property so there’s no guessing.
In Mecklenburg County, you need a permit if your wall is four feet or taller. Walls under four feet typically don’t require one, but it’s always smart to check with local building codes before you start.
If your wall is close to a property line or near a steep drop, you might also need a permit regardless of height. The county looks at horizontal distance and vertical drop—if the horizontal distance is 50 feet or less and the vertical space is five feet or more, a permit is required.
We handle the permit process when it’s needed. For walls over four feet, we work with a licensed civil engineer to make sure the design meets structural standards and passes inspection. You don’t have to navigate that yourself.
It depends on your slope, your budget, and what you want the wall to look like. Retaining wall blocks are the most common choice in Matthews, NC because they’re strong, affordable, and come in different styles. They’re modular, so we can customize the design to fit your yard.
Natural stone is the best option if you want a high-end, timeless look. It blends well with landscaping and holds up for decades. It costs more upfront, but it adds serious curb appeal and value to your property.
Poured concrete works best for taller walls or areas where you need maximum strength. It’s not as customizable visually, but it’s incredibly durable and handles heavy loads well. If you’re dealing with a steep slope or significant soil pressure, poured concrete is often the right call. We’ll recommend what makes sense after we see your property.
Most retaining wall projects in Matthews, NC take anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on size and complexity. A straightforward wall that’s under four feet and runs 20 to 30 feet long might take three to five days. Larger walls or projects that require engineering and permits take longer.
Site prep is usually the most time-consuming part. We have to excavate, grade the base, and install drainage before we start stacking blocks or pouring concrete. If your yard has access issues or tough soil conditions, that can add time.
We’ll give you a timeline upfront so you know what to expect. We also keep the site clean and stay on schedule so you’re not dealing with a torn-up yard for weeks.
A properly built retaining wall helps with drainage, but it’s not a cure-all. If water is pooling in your yard or running toward your foundation, a retaining wall can redirect that water and prevent erosion. But the wall itself needs drainage built into it, or you’ll just move the problem.
We install gravel backfill, weep holes, and drainage pipe behind every wall we build. That lets water escape instead of building up pressure behind the wall. Without proper drainage, even a well-built wall can bulge, crack, or fail over time.
In Matthews, where clay soil doesn’t absorb water quickly and storms can dump heavy rain, drainage is critical. We assess your yard’s water flow during the site visit and design the wall to handle it. If you have serious drainage issues beyond what a retaining wall can solve, we’ll tell you upfront and recommend additional solutions.
Yes. If your existing wall is leaning, cracking, or falling apart, we can tear it out and rebuild it correctly. A lot of older walls in Matthews, NC were built with railroad ties or stacked stone without proper drainage, and they don’t hold up.
We start by removing the old wall and evaluating what caused the failure. Usually it’s poor drainage, inadequate base prep, or soil pressure that wasn’t accounted for. We fix those issues during the rebuild so the new wall doesn’t fail for the same reasons.
Replacing a failing wall usually costs about the same as installing a new one, but you avoid the damage that comes from letting a bad wall get worse. If your wall is starting to lean or you’re seeing cracks, it’s worth getting it looked at before it collapses.
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