Now’s the time to add value to your property and complete your backyard area. If you’ve recently finished your gardening or landscaping, adding a retaining wall is a great way to add an aesthetic appeal to your outdoor space. From brick retaining walls, to steel, limestone and more, the options and choices are endless.
A garden retaining wall is a structure built to hold back soil so you can create level ground where the land would otherwise slope. It takes the load out of the bank behind it and gives you a defined edge to plant against, sit on or build up to.
Most Perth blocks are not flat, and once you cut into a slope to make a flat area, that cut face needs holding. Retaining is one of the most effective ways to turn ground you cannot use into usable garden. Low garden edging and decorative feature walls hold almost nothing, which is why DIY retaining walls are fine at that scale and risky above it.
Structural retaining walls carry the weight of the soil, the water in it, and anything sitting on top such as a driveway or a paved entertaining area, so they need the right footing, the right wall system for the height, and drainage designed in from the start.
For more than 30 years, we have been building retaining walls in Perth for residential projects right across the metro area, from a single low garden wall to a fully terraced backyard.
As design-and-build wall builders, we keep the whole job with one team: site assessment, engineering drawings where they are required, material selection, retaining wall construction, and the landscaping around it.
Brick is the traditional yet contemporary choice and stays popular right across Perth. It can be matched to your home’s existing finish and colours, which makes it the ideal choice for a front garden or anywhere the wall is on show, and it lets us tie the wall into a brick boundary fence or piers so the frontage reads as one piece of construction.
Reconstituted limestone blocks are a blend of cement and crushed limestone, and they are the workhorse of Perth retaining walls. Limestone blocks are durable, heat-resistant, and offer natural resistance to fire, and a well-installed limestone retaining wall can last over 50 years.
We use limestone walls most often for load-bearing and higher walls, with finishes from a smooth face through to split and rock face, so you can push the natural appearance either way.
Steel comes in a range of finishes, from shiny to rustic, and can be powder coated in a range of colours to suit the house. It ages well and is a strong, durable option where you want a slim wall that takes up very little of the garden.
Concrete retaining walls in a panel and post system are prefabricated and reinforced with galvanised steel, with concrete panel sections fitted between the posts. It installs fast, which keeps the price down, and it suits sites with limited access, so it is one of the most cost-effective retaining wall solutions we build.
Panel and post walls can retain soil up to 3m high, so it is our go-to for the bigger level changes and for structures carrying real load.
| Material | Best For | Lifespan | Worth Knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limestone | Load-bearing and taller walls | Over 50 years | Durable, heat resistant and fire resistant. Finishes run from a smooth face through to split and rock face |
| Brick | Front gardens and anywhere the wall is on show | Life of the house | Picks up your existing finish and colours, and ties into piers or a brick boundary fence |
| Concrete Sleeper and Post | Tight access and fast installation | 30 to 50 years | Termite proof, rot resistant, almost no maintenance, and performs particularly well on sandy terrain |
| Steel | Narrow side returns and tight boundaries | Ages well | Slim profile that saves space, and can be powder coated to match the house |
Once the wall type is settled, the design is where the value sits. These are the ideas we come back to most often on Perth blocks.
Terracing turns a slope into flat, usable levels for planting, a small lawn or a seating area. Two lower walls are often simpler to build, and easier to get approved, than a single high one carrying everything.
Build the top course wide enough, or keep the wall low enough, and it becomes casual bench seating. Run it around a patio, a fire pit or the edge of a lawn and you get permanent seating with nothing to drag out or store.
A low wall makes an excellent raised bed. Framing a vegetable patch or feature planting at waist height gives you better soil, sharper lines and far less bending.
Leave pockets for cascading succulents, dichondra or native ground covers and let them spill over the face of the wall. Drought-tolerant planting softens hard stone and concrete edges and asks very little once established.
Recessed LED cap lights add safety on steps and level changes, and turn the wall into a feature after dark. Pair them with a cap rock or capping course to close off the top edge cleanly.
The most expensive-looking walls are usually just the best matched ones. Tie the material, colour and capping into your existing brickwork, paving or fencing so the outdoor area reads as one considered space.
It depends on the size and complexity of the project. A straightforward panel and post retaining wall goes in quickly. A high limestone wall needing engineering and council approval takes longer, and the approval stage usually sets the timeline rather than the build.
At Landscape by Design, we will give you an estimated completion date once the design is finalised.
Of the four systems we build, concrete panel and post is usually the most cost-effective, because it is prefabricated and quick to install. Limestone is next. Timber and sleeper walls are cheaper again, but we do not build them: treated pine and hardwood need ongoing treatment to prevent decay in Western Australia.
The bigger cost drivers are wall height, site access, excavation, drainage and whether engineering certification is needed.
Most Perth metropolitan councils require a building permit for retaining walls over 500mm in height, and a wall within 1m of a property boundary may trigger approval requirements even if it is lower than that. Walls exceeding 1m typically require structural engineering certification, as do walls carrying a driveway or other high-traffic load.
We arrange the engineering drawings where they are needed and support you on the council approvals as part of the job.
Absolutely! Our experienced team specialises in designing and building retaining walls that complement and enhance your existing garden landscape.
We work closely with you to understand your style preferences and functional requirements to create a retaining wall that seamlessly integrates with your outdoor space.
While retaining walls significantly enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden, they also serve several functional purposes.
They provide structural support to prevent soil erosion, manage water runoff, create levelled gardening spaces, and can even improve drainage in your garden area.
Yes, we offer no-obligation quotes for garden retaining walls. You can request a quote to understand the potential costs involved in your project.
This quote will give you a detailed overview of the expenses without any requirement to commit to the project.
Certainly! Besides specialising in garden retaining walls, we also offer comprehensive landscaping design services.
Whether you need a complete landscaping overhaul or just some minor improvements, our team can assist you with both the design and the implementation of your landscaping project.
Looking to find out more? Contact us for more information and to ask any questions regarding our Perth landscape design service. Thank you for your interest.