When you work in the hilly terrain of Birmingham, you begin to realize that flat land is of a premium here. Many home sites have been cut into the hillside in order to gain a level footing for which ...

Dear James: I’m planning a veggie garden on my sloping lot so I need a retaining wall. I have used timbers before, but blocks might hold up better. Which method do you prefer? -- Steve W. Dear Steve: ...

In the yard, a retaining wall serves a very simple purpose: to hold soil back to better utilize the terrain. From foot-high garden borders to towering walls that enclose an entire property, retaining ...

Last week I wrote about my recent trip to Southern California. I was fortunate to spend time with a dear friend and his wife. I don’t know that I’ve ever met a person who’s more in love with a home ...

Retaining walls were first created to perform the simple and necessary task of holding back earth. And with good reason: Erosion is a natural process, but when it means soil being washed off your ...

So I'm in the market for buying a new house. I see one that I like (nice neighborhood and a private backyard). The house borders a ravine with a stream (hence the privacy), but there is a 4m high ...

Q: When we bought our 1942 house nine years ago, it came with a brick retaining wall 35 feet long and 4½-to-5½ feet tall. Holding up the stairs to our front door, it was already leaning to one side, ...

Members of Newton’s Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) proposed changing the requirements for retaining walls in a meeting Monday night. The proposed changes would require a permit for walls four ...