Retaining Walls · Barrhaven, ON
Retaining walls in Barrhaven
Retaining walls for Barrhaven yards, from Old Barrhaven and Longfields to Chapman Mills, Stonebridge and Half Moon Bay: low block walls around raised beds and patios, walls where a back yard steps down to the next lot, and failed walls rebuilt. Each one is planned for the clay under it and the water that reaches it.
- Segmental wall block
- Drainage stone
- Drain pipe
- Compacted base
- Filter fabric
The local picture
Retaining Walls in Barrhaven
Barrhaven yards are mostly flat, so its walls tend to be low: a raised bed along the house, the edge of a raised patio, or a step in grade between two back yards. Low walls hold wet clay too, and each one gets drainage stone and a pipe behind the block.
A back yard that steps down to the next lot sends its water across that step. The wall sits at the elevations of the grading plan, and the ground above it is shaped so runoff reaches the swale at the end of the wall, the lot’s intended drainage point.
Retaining walls for Barrhaven yards
Old Barrhaven, Longfields, Chapman Mills, Stonebridge and Half Moon Bay
Korvex Construction builds segmental block retaining walls across Barrhaven, along with the interlock, steps and drainage they connect to, and rebuilds sections that have leaned. A few photos by text, or a call to 613-880-7679, books the free estimate at your house, and the written scope and price follow it.
Newer Barrhaven phases were built to a lot grading plan, and the City lets owners review the original plan through an Access to Building Permit Records request; where none is on record, grading questions go to 3-1-1. A wall planned against that plan starts from the elevations the lot was built to.
Walls near the Jock River
Where the conservation authority takes over
The City’s Site Alteration By-law does not apply on land regulated under section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act, such as a flood plain or a significant wetland. Along the Jock River that land is the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s to regulate.
Under Ontario Regulation 41/24, development in a regulated area covers the construction or placing of a structure of any kind, site grading, and placing or removing material. A block wall and the fill behind it are both on that list, so on a regulated lot the RVCA permit comes before anything is built. The RVCA’s Map a Property tool shows whether an address may be regulated.
At the site visit
What we check on a lot in Barrhaven
- 01
The grading plan, if one is on record
- 02
Height of the step between your yard and the next
- 03
Where runoff reaches the wall today
- 04
Clay along the base line, and any soft spots
- 05
Whether the lot shows on the RVCA’s Map a Property tool
- 06
The walk, steps and porch the wall will meet
What we plan around
Local conditions in Barrhaven
Each point links to the public source it was checked against. At the site visit we check how it applies to your lot.
- Deep clay plain
Along the Jock River the clay layer runs about 8 to 10 m deep over limestone and dolostone. Base thickness, compaction and slope are set for that soil.
- Jock River floodplain
The Jock River through south Barrhaven has a mapped 100-year floodplain, and part of it north of the river was cut and filled in 2019–2020 for a new subdivision.
How we build it
What holds a retaining wall up
A wall moves when its base settles or water builds up behind it. Both risks are dealt with before the first block is placed.
- First course
The bottom row sets the line for the whole wall and gets the most time with a level.
- Drainage behind
Stone and fabric behind the block keep water from building up.
- Grade above and below
Ground at the top is shaped so runoff is carried around the wall.
- Tie-ins
Levels and drainage are planned with any steps, patio or fence the wall meets.
- Wall blockEach course checked for level and line as the wall goes up.Set course by course
- Drainage stone behind the wallGives water in the soil a way down, so it stops pressing on the blocks.Open and free-draining
- Drain pipe at the baseCarries collected water out past the end of the wall where the site allows.Laid to fall
- Compacted baseLevel, compacted pad with the first course set partly below grade.Placed in lifts
- Native soilExcavated back far enough to fit drainage stone behind the wall.To firm ground
“Vlad and his crew installed my patio in 2 days. Did excellent work and vlad answered any and all questions I asked. I highly recommend Korvex Development for any job you may require.”
Joe Ayoub · Patio installed
“Did awesome work! had them repair a leany fence and they were on time, cheap and super professional”
Josh Cohen-Collier · Leaning fence repaired
FAQ
Retaining Walls in Barrhaven: common questions
Does a retaining wall near the Jock River need a conservation authority permit?
It can. On land the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority regulates, Ontario Regulation 41/24 counts placing a structure of any kind, site grading and placing fill as development that needs its permit, and the City’s site alteration rules give way to it there. The RVCA’s Map a Property tool shows whether your address may be regulated, and we check it before planning.
How do I get the grading plan for my Barrhaven lot?
The City makes the original lot grading plan available through an Access to Building Permit Records request. If none is on record, 3-1-1 handles grading questions. Bring it to the site visit if you have it; the wall and the slope above it are planned against those elevations.
Can a low wall around a raised bed in Barrhaven lean?
It can, if water collects behind it and freezes. Clay holds water longer, so even a low wall here goes on a compacted base with drainage stone behind the block. A wall around a bed along the house also keeps the soil sloping away from the foundation. The scope is set at the free site visit and the price is sent in writing.
Why does water sit on my lawn after rain?
Barrhaven sits on clay, which drains slowly, and a yard that has lost its slope holds water near the surface. City of Ottawa guidance asks residents to call 3-1-1 if water is still there after 48 hours. We look at slope, swales and downspouts and check what applies to your property before proposing a fix.
Book a free retaining wall estimate in Barrhaven
Tell us what you want built and send a few photos. We come out, look at what sits under the job, and give you the scope and the price in writing.