A retaining wall should solve a problem—not create a new one In Saint John and across Northwest Indiana, retaining walls are often installed to manage slope, prevent erosion, create usable yard space, and add structure to landscaping. But the details matter: base prep, drainage, reinforcement, and site grading all determine whether your wall stays straight through freeze/thaw cycles—or starts to lean, crack, or bulge. This guide breaks down what experienced retaining wall builders look for, what homeowners should ask, and how to plan a wall that performs as well as it looks. What a retaining wall really does (and why failures happen) A retaining wall isn’t just decorative block stacked in a line—it’s a structure designed to resist the sideways pressure of soil. That pressure increases when the soil is saturated, when the retained area slopes upward, or when there’s extra weight nearby (like a driveway, patio, shed, or fence). […]