Treated-timber and railroad-tie walls were the standard way to hold a Minnesota slope for decades, and most of them are now past their life: rotting at the base, bowing out at the middle, with stairs pulling away and soil washing through. We demolish and haul the old wall, fix the drainage that killed it, and rebuild in block, natural stone or boulders that will hold the grade for the next owner too.
Demolition and Haul-Off · Drainage Done Right · Block, Stone or Boulder · Engineered Over 4 Feet
Wood walls fail from the inside. Water sits behind the timbers, the ties rot where they touch the soil, the deadmen that tie the wall back give up, and the wall starts to lean. Once that starts there is no repair that lasts; the fix is a new wall built the way the old one should have been, with drainage rock and drain tile behind it, geogrid or a proper batter for the height, and a material that does not rot. Old railroad ties are creosote-treated and have to be hauled and disposed of properly, which is in our price.
The projects on this page show the three materials we rebuild in. Tiered natural stone on a steep lake lot in <a href="/projects/birchwood-village-lakefront/">Birchwood Village</a>, boulder walls with stone steps in <a href="/projects/dellwood-retreat/">Dellwood</a>, and tiered block walls that double as planters in <a href="/projects/shakopee-sustainable-modern/">Shakopee</a>. The review below is from a western Wisconsin lake home where we demolished and replaced the stairs and the old wood walls in one project.
Natural stone, boulders and block. Tap any photo to see it full size.
A member of the Schifsky design team will reach out within one business day.
Prefer to talk now? Call 651-439-0603A timber wall usually has no drainage behind it, so every spring the soil behind it is saturated and heavy, and every winter that water freezes and pushes. The wood rots at the soil line, the deadmen rot with it, and the wall bows. A block, stone or boulder wall built with drainage rock, drain tile and geogrid gets rid of the water instead of holding it, and the material itself does not rot or lose strength. Build it that way and the wall outlasts the house.
How tall, how long, what it is holding, where the water comes from, and whether the stairs, fence or patio above it have to come out too.
Material, height and tiering decided in the design. Walls over about 4 feet get an engineered design and a permit; we handle both.
The old timbers or ties come out and go to proper disposal. We protect what stays, the lawn, trees and the house, during demolition.
Compacted base, the first course set level, drainage rock and drain tile behind, geogrid where specified, then the wall, with stairs built in as we go.
Backfill, grading so water runs where it should, railings, plantings and lawn, and a walkthrough.
The right material depends on the height, the look of the house and the budget. All three are built with the same drainage.
Engineered concrete block in a wide range of colors and textures, the most common replacement and the one that handles height best. Runs $85 to $120 per square foot of face.
Stacked limestone or cut stone for a timeless look, like the White Bear Lake terraces above. $120 and up per square foot of face.
Natural fieldstone boulders for a softer, more organic wall on wooded and lake lots, like Dellwood. $65 to $85 per square foot of face.
Two or three shorter terraces with planting beds between them often cost less than one engineered tall wall and look better.
Stone or block steps with landings, and cable or aluminum railings where the drop requires them.
Block walls that double as planters, the way the Shakopee pool walls were done with hydrangeas and grasses.
Block, natural stone and boulder walls, with what they cost per square foot of face.
Learn more →Shoreline terraces, stairs to the water, walls and plantings that work within shoreland rules.
Learn more →Standing water, wet basements and washouts solved with grading, drain tile and dry creeks.
Learn more →Measured per square foot of visible wall face (height times length), boulder walls run $65 to $85, segmental block $85 to $120, and stacked natural stone $120 and up, installed. Most residential wall projects land between $15,000 and $60,000. Demolition and haul-off of the old wall is priced on top, and so are new stairs and railings.
Walls over about 4 feet typically need an engineered design and a permit, which adds roughly $2,500 to $5,000. Large tiered lake walls like Terraced on White Bear Lake run well beyond the typical range as part of a full property transformation.
We desperately needed an entire demolition and makeover of our stairs and ancient wood Retaining walls at our Western Wisc lake home. We got 3 bids and primarily picked Schifsky because of Brandon. … The workers were amazing and put the plan together perfectly. We have had several of our neighbors on the lake stop by to say how great it looks!
We had a wonderful experience with Schifsy Landscaping. They were professional, timely and flexible throughout the project. The final product exceeded our expectations. From the lighting to the stone to the plant choices, we are thrilled. Brandon was always available when we called even in the evening. When we couldn't figure out the irrigation, he patiently walked us through each step. We did some uplighting and he came by to ensure that it was right. Brandon is a true professional. His communication with us (daily) really made the work go smoothly. We highly recommend Schifsy and especially Brandon!
Family-owned for 37+ years, we design and build your project with one accountable team, so the people who plan it are the people who build it, start to finish.
Get a Free QuoteA member of the Schifsky design team will reach out within one business day.
Prefer to talk now? Call 651-439-0603
