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2014/07 – Retaining Walls & Drains

Panorama of retaining wall project drain lines (looking N from deck).

Panorama of retaining wall project drain lines (looking N from deck).

Village Landscape Development of Fenton, Michigan was at our house (off and on) for the entire month of July working on two projects. The larger project was tearing out two stacked block retaining walls by the basement walkout and replacing them with boulder retaining walls. This involved significant regrading of the area and the installation of drain lines for the downspouts from the roof and the sump pump. This gallery post contains a selection of photos that show the highlights of the work from beginning to end.

: The trench for the sump pump and NE downspout drain lines.

: Basement walkout with old retaining walls removed.

: The east slope with old retaining wall removed.

: Clearing out the east slope under the deck.

: The new boulders were dumped just west of the main driveway. The bus is in the pull-through driveway behind.

: The stacking blocks from the old retaining walls. We will use these for garden edging projects.

: Steve worked late one night placing large boulders under the deck so his workers would have something to do the next day.

: The Kobelco excavator unloading boulders and letting them roll down the west slope.

: The excavator at walkout level placing a boulder. Te bucket has a claw that works like an thumb.

: A row of large boulders being formed under the deck on the east slope.

: This is the machine that does the heavy lifting. Some of the boulders weighed 1,000 to 1,500 lbs.

: The trench for the drain lines runs out into the yard 150+ feet from the edge of the lower deck.

: The trench for the NW downspout drain line joins up with the one from the east side and the trench into the yard.

: It’s surprising how much dirt comes out of an 18″ wide, 12″ deep trench.

: The downspout drains get connected. The sump pump drain (left) is separate.

: The drain tile behind the boulders is slotted pipe with a mesh “sock” covering to keep stuff out.

: In order to move he work along the rented a Bobcat for one day to move smaller boulders, egg rock, and topsoil.

: The boulder wall takes shape under the deck on the west slope.

: The east slope under the deck starts to fill in.

: Using the excavator to dig out and re-grade the east slope.

: There was a surprising amount of “junk” used as fill material in the east and west slopes.

: The old tree stump on the top of the west slope proved to be a real challenge to dig out.

: Steve decided to add a row of small boulders at the bottom of the west slope as it was steeper than the east slope.

: The east slope starts to fill in out beyond the deck.

: On the east slope smaller boulders were used below the large ones and egg rock above.

: The west slope nearing completion.

: The upper part of the east slope clearly showing the egg rock.

: Using the excavator to push dirt back into the trench.

: Using the excavator to push and tamp dirt back into the trench.

: The excavator filling the trench (front view looking uphill towards house).

: The end of the line; literally. The drain lines end in elbows to form “bubblers.”

: Two workers spreading topsoil over the re-filled trench and raking it smooth.

: The area west of the main driveway was used to stage material and pile up debris. Extra soil was put here to fill in low areas and topsoil was added to help the grass seed.

: While there were here they installed some short (10 ft) drains to get water away from the other corners of the house. This is the SW corner of the garage.

: This drain comes off the SE corner of the house.

: Oops. After connecting the sump pump discharge line to the drain line a small lake formed near the Y connector. Something is amiss.

: No choice but to dig it up and find the cause of the leak.

: They ran water into the lines to make sure it came out the bubblers (grates removed).

: This is what the bubblers normally look like; grates at ground level.

: The problem was in this area. They found 30+ feet of drain pipe that was crushed from driving the excavator here after it was installed.

: The drain pipe has been replaced and covered. The “pond” is almost gone.

: Not part of the original project, we had them place egg rock around the east end of the deck to match the west end of the deck.

: View of the finished retaining walls from atop the east slope (looking west).

: The stairs from the east end of the deck showing the egg rock on both sides and around the end.

: The finished retaining walls from atop the west slope (looking east).

: The egg rock at the NE corner of the deck (looking south).

: The egg rock at the NW corner of the deck surrounds the weeping dwarf Norway spruce (looking SW).

: The low contour has pockets that fill with water and does not slope as steeply as it should. The drain lines should have been buried in pea gravel to form a “French drain.”