This front yard in View Royal had great potential, but it wasn’t doing the home any favors. The slope was awkward, water was pooling near the foundation, and the existing steps were uneven and deteriorating. The homeowners wanted a fresh, functional look with real structural integrity. Our job was to make it all work together, drainage, hardscaping, and planting, in a tight space with elevation challenges.
The first step was excavation, but that came with its own obstacle: limited space and poor drainage meant we had to be extremely precise. There wasn’t room to bring in large machinery, so much of the digging was done by hand. We also discovered that the existing soil didn’t drain well, and the slope sent water directly toward the house.
To resolve this, we installed a custom retaining wall complete with drain tile behind it, which we then connected into the existing downspouts. This wasn’t just cosmetic, it was a structural fix that would protect the home’s foundation long-term. Getting the drainage right was critical, and required coordination with the home’s existing system, which we carefully tied into during the install.
With the wall in place, we built new front and side steps using pressure-treated timbers, filled with compacted gravel and topped with fresh topsoil. Each step had to be adjusted to align with the existing concrete driveway and house foundation, a detail that took time but made all the difference in the final look.
Finally, we reshaped the planting beds, added edging, and seeded the newly graded lawn areas. Despite the technical challenges, the outcome was clean, functional, and well-integrated with the home’s character.
This project is a great example of how solving water and slope issues can go hand-in-hand with improving curb appeal.
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