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Retaining Wall Installation in Burlington

By Riaad, Owner & Project Manager · ICPI Certified Installer · Last updated May 19, 2026

If you are looking for a retaining wall company in Burlington, you need more than a decorative wall. We build retaining wall installations that manage slope, drainage, and long-term structural load for Burlington homes, with options for armor stone, block, and natural stone construction.

Get a Free Quote +1 (289) 700-0312

Quick answer: Seven Stones Landscape installs retaining walls across Burlington — Aldershot, Tyandaga, Roseland, Shoreacres and nearby — for $375 to $950 per linear foot installed (2026), built on a compacted, drainage-first base. ICPI-certified, $5M insured, 5-year workmanship warranty.

What This Page Covers

  • Retaining wall installation in Burlington for sloped backyards and tiered layouts
  • Retaining wall rebuilds where drainage failure or movement has caused leaning
  • Armor stone, structural block, and natural stone retaining wall options

Why Burlington Homeowners Hire a Retaining Wall Contractor

Retaining walls are often needed when a yard has elevation changes, unstable slopes, or outdoor spaces that need a stronger layout. In Burlington, the right wall can create usable patio zones, hold grade safely, and improve drainage around the property.

Our process starts with excavation, base preparation, wall geometry, and drainage detail. We do not treat retaining walls like simple garden edging. Structural performance below the surface is what prevents leaning, washout, and early failure after freeze-thaw cycles.

Material choice depends on the project. Armor stone creates bold natural structure, pre-cast block supports engineered stability with a cleaner modular look, and natural stone gives a more custom architectural finish.

Segmental block retaining wall with horizontal cedar privacy fence above a paver patio Built-in stone bench and seating wall on a paver patio with perennial gardens

Local Expertise in Burlington

  • Project Stats: 25+ retaining wall and grade-related projects completed in the Burlington area.
  • Local Review: "Our old wall was starting to fail and they rebuilt it properly with drainage behind it. The difference was obvious right away." - Homeowner, Burlington
  • Tony's Pro Tip: A retaining wall should be quoted with drainage detail, not just facing material. Water pressure is usually the real problem.

Retaining Wall Installation Cost in Burlington (2026)

Installed pricing on Burlington's mixed soils, with full drainage detail included in every wall type below.

OptionTypical range (installed)What's included
Segmental block wall (under 1 metre)$375-$525 per linear footUnilock / Techo-Bloc / Allan Block, 12x6-inch compacted footing, drainage detail
Engineered wall (1-2 metres, geogrid)$575-$950 per linear footAllan Block AB with Mirafi/Raugrid geogrid, 18x10-inch footing, full drainage chimney
Armour stone wall (4 feet)$525-$900 per linear foot4-6 ton natural limestone, compacted base, perforated sock-pipe drainage
Roseland / Shoreacres estate wall20-40% above base ratesNatural stone veneer or custom copings, Indiana limestone caps

Why Burlington Homeowners Choose Seven Stones for Retaining Walls

Choosing a retaining wall contractor in Burlington comes down to who actually understands the ground you build on. On Escarpment-back lots in Aldershot and Tyandaga, walls have to satisfy the Niagara Escarpment Commission and sit honestly against limestone bedrock; on Halton Till clay in Alton Village and Millcroft, the real work is drainage that survives our freeze-thaw winters. As an ICPI-certified retaining wall company established in 2013, and an authorized Unilock & Techo-Bloc installer, we engineer the base and drainage chimney first so the wall holds grade for decades, not seasons.

You also get the protection serious projects deserve: $5M liability coverage, a 5-year workmanship warranty, and a fixed written quote with no surprise line items mid-build. If you want a retaining wall installer who treats your slope, your neighbour relationship, and your budget with the same care, book a free on-site Burlington consultation. Call (289) 700-0312 or request a quote online and we will review the grade with you.

Burlington Retaining Wall FAQ

Yes. The City of Burlington requires a building permit for any retaining wall over 1 metre exposed height, with engineered drawings stamped by an Ontario Professional Engineer. Walls on NEC-regulated parcels (Aldershot, Tyandaga, Mount Nemo, along the brow from Kerns Road) need a Niagara Escarpment Commission development permit in addition. We manage permit applications and engineer coordination.
Segmental block walls under 1 metre run $375 to $525 per linear foot installed on Burlington's mixed soils. Engineered walls 1 to 2 metres with geogrid reinforcement run $575 to $950 per linear foot. Armour stone at 4 feet runs $525 to $900 per linear foot. Roseland and Shoreacres estate walls with natural stone veneer or custom copings run 20 to 40% higher. All pricing includes full drainage detail.
For short residential walls we use Unilock Pisa2, Unilock Lineo Dimensional Stone, Techo-Bloc Mini-Creta, or Allan Block Classic. For engineered 1 to 2.5 metre walls we use Allan Block AB Stones or AB Classic with Mirafi or Raugrid geogrid. Aldershot and Tyandaga Escarpment-back properties often use armour stone (4 to 6 ton) that reads more natural against limestone bedrock. Lakefront terraces sometimes use Indiana limestone wet-cast caps.
Our Burlington standard is 12-inch wide by 6-inch deep compacted 3/4-clear limestone footing under walls to 1 metre, stepping up to 18-inch wide by 10-inch deep under engineered walls 1 to 2 metres. Non-woven geotextile separates the footing from clay subgrade on Alton Village, Orchard, and Millcroft newer-subdivision lots. Drainage chimney of 3/4-clear stone runs the full wall height with 4-inch perforated sock pipe at the base.
Escarpment-back properties in Aldershot, Tyandaga, Mount Nemo and along Kerns Road. Lakefront terraces in Roseland and Shoreacres dealing with bluff erosion or grade to the lake. Sloped ravine lots in LaSalle and parts of Headon Forest. Any Burlington lot where the backyard drops more than 24 inches across the usable area typically benefits from terracing.
A 40-foot segmental wall under 1 metre installs in 5 to 8 working days. Engineered walls 1 to 2 metres run 10 to 18 working days including geogrid lifts. Armour stone walls typically run 8 to 14 days. Add 3 to 6 weeks for permit review and potentially 6 to 12 weeks for Conservation Halton or NEC approvals if the property is in a regulated zone.
Yes, free on-site consultation plus free online estimate with 24-hour response. We are ICPI certified, Landscape Ontario members, authorized Unilock & Techo-Bloc installers, $5M liability insured, WSIB-covered. Workmanship warranty is 5 years on wall construction (settlement, leaning, drainage); manufacturer warranties are lifetime limited on Unilock and Techo-Bloc block.
Our 5-year workmanship warranty covers the structural items that actually fail in Burlington: settlement, leaning or bulging, base movement, and drainage backup behind the wall. It does not cover acts of God, third-party damage, or homeowner grading changes that redirect water at the wall. On NEC-permitted Aldershot and Tyandaga walls the engineered drawings carry their own design assurance. Block colour and finish fall under Unilock and Techo-Bloc lifetime limited manufacturer warranties.
Yes, when it is drained correctly. Burlington's freeze-thaw cycles and lakeside moisture push water behind walls, so we build a full 3/4-clear drainage chimney and perforated sock pipe that relieves hydrostatic and frost pressure before it can heave the face. For walls near driveways and municipal roads in Roseland or Aldershot, we use salt-tolerant segmental block and keep de-icing salt off cap surfaces to protect the sealer.
Sometimes. If the footing is sound and only the top courses have shifted, we can reset block and add drainage. But most failing Burlington walls leaned because drainage and base were never built properly, so a full rebuild is the lasting fix. We assess base depth, backfill, and the drainage path on site, then quote an honest repair, partial rebuild, or replacement rather than patching a structural problem.
We grade water away from the structure first, then build to hold it. On Escarpment-back lots in Tyandaga and Mount Nemo we terrace steep grade into shorter benched walls and route runoff with a 4-inch perforated sock pipe to daylight or a catch basin. On Halton Till clay in Alton Village and Millcroft we add geotextile and a drainage chimney so trapped water cannot build pressure behind the wall.
A properly engineered and drained wall in Burlington lasts 40 years or more. Armour stone and natural limestone effectively last a lifetime since the material itself does not degrade. Segmental block walls from Unilock, Techo-Bloc, and Allan Block carry lifetime limited manufacturer warranties. Lifespan is determined almost entirely by the base and drainage beneath the surface, which is why we never quote a wall on facing material alone.
We work on a staged payment schedule rather than full payment up front. A deposit secures your build date and covers material ordering, with progress payments tied to milestones such as excavation and base, wall construction, and final drainage and backfill. The exact schedule is written into your scope before work starts. For larger engineered or estate walls in Roseland and Shoreacres we can discuss a milestone plan during your free on-site quote.
No, you do not need to be on site for the full build. We confirm the layout, grade, and drainage plan with you at the start, then you are free to carry on with your day. We only need access to the work zone, a water source, and clear parking for equipment and material delivery. For walls near a property line in older Burlington neighbourhoods we recommend a quick chat with your neighbour beforehand.

Related Pages

Detailed Local Guidance for Retaining Wall Installation in Burlington

Homeowners comparing retaining wall companies in Burlington should look past surface appearance and confirm exactly how the wall will be built. Good wall performance depends on excavation depth, compaction standards, backfill, geogrid where needed, and a drainage strategy that moves water away from the wall system. Without that foundation, a wall may look finished but still be vulnerable after heavy rain or winter freeze-thaw cycles.

We also recommend comparing quotes by lifecycle value, not just starting price. A lower number may leave out excavation depth, disposal, drainage stone, or tie-in work at stairs, patios, and lawn edges. A clear written scope makes it easier to compare contractors and helps prevent expensive repair work later.

Pergola over a paver patio with a built-in fire feature Inground pool with stacked stone feature wall New stone front steps and masonry planter wall installation

Planning, Pricing, and Long-Term Value

Strong retaining wall projects start with accurate scoping. We assess grade change, access, neighboring hardscape, runoff behavior, and how the wall should connect to patios, steps, or sod areas. That lets us recommend a focused repair, a partial rebuild, or a full wall replacement where the structure needs to be corrected properly.

If your Burlington project includes more than one issue, we can coordinate interlock patios grading and drainage concrete steps and walkways and sod restoration within the same plan.

How to Evaluate Retaining Wall Contractors

Ask how the contractor handles base depth, compaction, drainage, and elevation checks before any stone or block goes in. Ask what happens behind the wall, not just how the face will look. The strongest retaining wall quotes explain both structure and finish clearly.

If you are still comparing options, start with our Burlington landscaping page or request a quote and we can review the grade and scope with you on site.

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