Orland Park Retaining Wall Installation
Bret-Mar Landscape provides Orland Park retaining wall installation that turns sloped backyards into terraced, usable levels for patios, lawns, and garden beds. Instead of one tall wall fighting the whole slope, we step the yard into different levels you can actually use.
With over 40 years of experience, our second-generation, family-owned firm brings careful planning and proper installation to every retaining wall project. We work with Orland Park homeowners and the surrounding southwest suburbs, with crews based nearby in Homer Glen.
Why Sloped Orland Park Backyards Go Unused
A backyard that slopes away from the house, or down toward the lowest point of the lot, often ends up as a strip of patio and a hill nobody uses. Terracing changes that, but only when each level is planned for the soil and water behind it. These are the conditions we plan around on sloping yards:
Grade changes that limit the yard. A steep drop leaves little flat ground for a patio, play space, or garden beds.
Soil erosion and heavy rainfall. Bare or planted slopes wash out after heavy rainfall, carrying soil toward the lowest point of the yard.
Clay soils that hold water. The soil type common across the area holds water, and water trapped behind a wall builds hydrostatic pressure that pushes the wall outward.
Freeze-thaw cycles. Saturated soil freezes and expands every winter, testing the structural integrity of each course.
One wall doing too much. A single tall wall carries the full load of the slope. Shorter walls stepped into terraces spread that load and give you more usable outdoor spaces.
Good terracing starts with a site assessment of these soil conditions before any wall type or material selection is made.
What Our Orland Park Retaining Wall Installation Includes
Every terrace starts with onsite consultations to walk the slope, check water flow, and note where the property line and existing features sit. From there, we plan the wall height and the number of levels the yard needs.
What We Build:
Terraced backyards. Two or more shorter walls that step a slope into flat, usable levels.
Patio terraces. A level built to hold a new patio or outdoor seating area.
Garden terraces. Raised levels for planting beds, with soil held in place for erosion control.
Seating walls. Walls at the edge of a terrace that double as built-in seating.
Replacement walls. New wall construction where an older wall has lost its structural stability.
We build with stone, masonry, and custom block wall systems, including natural stone, and help you choose the best material for both the load and the look. For more wall styles, see our retaining walls.
How Our Orland Park Terracing Projects Come Together
Our construction methods follow three steps, and the wall design is set before the first block goes in.
Steps:
Plan the levels first. Our licensed landscape architects, Ashley, Kurt, and Sharon, map the grade changes, water flow, and how you want to use each level before choosing the type of wall and the structural support each level needs.
Build from the base up. Each wall starts with proper base preparation and proper drainage, so the first course sits level and every one of the subsequent courses has proper support. Water is given a path through and away from the wall instead of building up behind it.
Finish each level. Our own team handles the wall installation services from the first course to the cap, then makes minor adjustments and adds the finishing touches so every terrace is ready for planting or a patio. Working with one team keeps it a stress-free experience.
Stepped levels, a solid base, and walls built for long-term stability.
What Terraced Retaining Walls Give Orland Park Homeowners
An attractive retaining wall does more than hold back a hill. Terracing turns sloped areas into different levels for living, gardening, and gathering, and it often becomes the starting point for larger landscape redesign projects. If you are still gathering design ideas, our Orland Park landscaping team can plan the planting around each level.
Visual Benefits
Stepped walls in stone, masonry, or block add depth and structure, turning a plain slope into the focal point of the yard.
More Usable Space
Each terrace adds flat ground you can use for a patio, a lawn, or garden beds, where before there was only a hill.
Increased
Property Value
High quality hardscapes contribute long-term value to your property, and walls that control erosion protect the landscape around them.
Built for
Longevity
Every hardscape is backed by our two-year hardscape warranty, so you can count on your terraces holding their shape.
Meet the Team
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![A man with a beard and a blue button-up shirt sitting outdoors next to tall green grass, with a red building in the background, wearing a black cap with 'BRET MAR LANDSCAPE' embroidered on it.]()
Adam
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Adam was raised in the landscape industry and developed an early fascination with heavy equipment and hands-on construction. From a young age, he was drawn to understanding how things work—spending hours building and rebuilding projects with Legos, which naturally evolved into a passion for operating equipment and constructing outdoor spaces. He joined the family business after studying Agriculture and Soil Science at South Dakota State University, where he was also a member of the FarmHouse Fraternity. Adam oversees the operations side of the business, managing project construction and field execution. Outside of work, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys spending time with his dog, Charlie, and ice fishing.
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![A woman with long brown hair wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans standing outdoors next to a small brown dog with black markings, in front of a garden with pink and green hydrangea flowers.]()
Ashley
PRESIDENT
Ashley grew up in the landscape industry and studied Landscape Architecture and Business at South Dakota State University, where she was also a NCAA Division I equestrian athlete. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Landscape Illinois and is a past president of the organization. Ashley is passionate about landscape design and the ability to thoughtfully design outdoor spaces to enrich people’s lives—creating environments that encourage gathering and reflect pride of ownership. Outside of work, Ashley and her husband, Tim, enjoy spending time outdoors with their three dogs, hiking and fishing. She also competes in jumper competitions with her horse, Stella.
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![A smiling older man with white hair and a mustache wearing a light green button-up shirt stands outdoors in front of lush green foliage and blooming hydrangea flowers.]()
Kurt
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
An avid outdoorsman, Kurt developed an early passion for land management. He studied Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he met his wife, Sharon. Kurt leads the development and care of the nursery grounds at Bret-Mar, taking great pride in growing and nurturing plants that go on to thrive in clients’ landscapes. Outside of work, he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family on fishing trips.
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![A woman with glasses and shoulder-length blonde hair sitting outdoors with a white dog. The woman is smiling, wearing a blue plaid shirt and white pants. The setting is a garden with green trees, purple flowers, and rocks.]()
Sharon
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
From an early age, Sharon knew she wanted to pursue a career in the landscape industry. Her first job, while in high school, was at a garden center, where she developed a strong passion for plants and horticulture. She studied Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she also met her husband, Kurt. The landscape industry remains a lifelong passion for Sharon, and she enjoys spending time in her garden harvesting vegetables and cut flowers alongside her dog, Elly.
Start Your Orland Park Retaining Wall Project
From one wall that levels a patio area to a fully terraced backyard, Bret-Mar Landscape builds retaining walls for Orland Park homes and properties across Chicago's southwest suburbs. Tell us about your slope and we'll help you plan the next step.