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Serving Massachusetts, Rhode Island & New Hampshire
Retaining Walls
Straight or curved block walls and natural stone walls, set on a compacted base with drainage stone and a pipe behind them so frost and water do not push them out.
The short answer
A retaining wall in Central Massachusetts has a harder job than it looks. It holds back tons of soil, and every spring that soil is saturated with snowmelt and rain. When water has nowhere to go, it builds pressure behind the wall, freezes, expands and slowly pushes the block forward. That is why most failed walls we see did not fail because of the block. They failed because of what was, or was not, built underneath and behind it.
We build segmental block walls (straight runs and curves) and natural stone walls for sloped yards, driveway cuts, raised planting beds, patios on a grade and basement stairwells. A wall can turn an unusable hillside into a flat lawn, stop a slope from washing onto your driveway, or give a new patio a clean, level edge.
Machado Landscaping & Construction Inc is family-owned and based in Marlborough. We work for homeowners and for builders and general contractors who need a wall done right and a job site left clean. You get a clear estimate first, at no cost.
Segmental concrete block is the most common choice for retaining walls today. The units interlock or use a lip to set back slightly with each course, which helps the wall lean into the hill. Block comes in many colors and textures, handles curves well and gives a clean, finished look next to pavers and patios.
Natural stone (fieldstone or quarried stone) fits older New England homes and properties that already have stone walls on the lot lines. It takes more labor to set, but it ages beautifully. On some jobs we combine the two: a block structure with a stone face or stone steps.
Height matters. Low garden walls are straightforward. Taller walls, or walls holding up a driveway, a pool or a structure, often need an engineered design and a building permit. Your town building department makes that call, and we will tell you honestly during the estimate if your wall is in that range.
Frost heave is the big one. Soil around Marlborough and Worcester County often has a lot of clay and glacial till that holds water. When that wet soil freezes, it expands and lifts whatever sits on it. A wall built on topsoil or a thin base moves every winter until it leans, bulges or cracks.
Water pressure is the second cause. Heavy summer storms and the spring thaw push water toward the wall. With clean drainage stone behind the block and a perforated pipe at the base, that water drains out instead of building pressure. Without it, even a well-stacked wall will eventually tip.
Ledge and big rocks are common here too. When we hit ledge during excavation, we adjust the base and the layout instead of building over a hard spot that settles differently from the rest of the wall.
We mark the wall line and heights, excavate down to firm subsoil, lay and compact a crushed stone base, then set the first course below grade and check it for level along the full length. Each course goes on with the proper setback, with drainage stone placed and compacted behind it as we go up.
Once the wall reaches height, we set the caps, backfill, grade the soil so water moves away from the wall and clean the site. Our crew keeps the work area organized every day, which matters to homeowners living there and to builders who need the lot ready for the next trade.
Call or text a few photos to (508) 663-9401. We reply within 1 hour during business hours, Mon-Sat 8am to 6pm.
We look at the slope, wall length and height, soil, access for equipment and where water goes, then give you a clear written price.
We excavate, set the base, build the wall with drainage behind it, backfill and grade. Then we clean the site and walk the finished wall with you.
Something else? Call (508) 663-9401. We reply within 1 hour during business hours.
It depends on height, length, material, access and how much excavation and drainage the site needs. As a rough market range, block retaining walls in New England often run about $30 to $80 per square foot of wall face, and natural stone usually costs more. Your free estimate gives you the real number for your yard.
Low landscape walls usually do not, but taller walls or walls supporting a driveway, structure or heavy load often need a building permit and sometimes an engineered design. Rules vary by town, so we check what applies to your property and tell you before any work starts.
Sometimes a short section can be taken down and rebuilt on a proper base with drainage. If the whole wall was built without a base or drainage, rebuilding it is usually the lasting fix. We look at it during the free estimate and explain the options.
Yes. Segmental block handles curves well, and we can build steps into the wall or next to it so you can reach a raised lawn, patio or garden.
Yes. We are based in Marlborough, MA and take retaining wall projects in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Call or text photos to (508) 663-9401 and we will reply within 1 hour during business hours.
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