I recently had a backyard project done on our home in Dallas. Backyard was on a decline running down to a creek below our house. They finished the project on Monday. All the land they have filled in within the walls seemed solid. We had a very heavy rain on Thursday, but it has been sunny and dry since. Ever since Thursday, and even today (Sunday) three days later, the land that was filled in within the walls is totally muddy. I cannot walk on it without sinking down below my ankles and a stick or broom handle will pass through the ground with ease.
Is this normal? I wouldn’t think that the land would take this long to dry out. Every where else in my backyard is dry and solid by now and I can’t walk across any of this additional land. I’m going to talk with the contractor tomorrow to make sure they put adequate draining and tamped down the dirt enough. Any advice or tips on things I definitely need to ask the contractor would be greatly appreciated.
by quackboxenthusiast
16 Comments
Not normal, and this might indicate you have other drainage issues that are going to be worse as the rainy season comes into full swing.
Did they install drainage behind the retaining wall before backfilling? Typically a French drain topped with rock of some sort.
Are you certain they actual put in drainage? Was that in the plans?
Freshly excavated soil will be wet. After it settles and compacts water should roll off the top instead of filtering down.
Is it just backfilled with nothing but topsoil? Did they divert the runoff around it? Drains? Lots of questions
mmmm, hydrostatic pressure
Seems they didn’t design/build it for proper drainage
Backfill was not compressed?
It’s normal because it’s bare dirt
Hi professional landscaper here, i cant see any intergraded drainage, there could be some where your standing but best practice is a few spaced throughout. It aslo seems they backfilled with straight dirt and no 3/4 inch clean stone up against the wall to assist in drainage. Wall blowout is possible id give whoever did this a call and ask about the drainage
That’s definitely bad. Hydrostatic pressure is the killer of retaining walls. It should be back filled with clean crushed rock and then a thin layer (6-10”) of well draining lawn soil.
This looks like they just put back the native clay. Absolutely not ok.
Maybe they hit some plumbing when escavating.
Is the water coming off the house being diverted around the wall too ?
OP what part of Dallas? Are you south or north of 635?
Two completely different areas with different soils and rock make up.
Just my amateur opinion, but I’m guessing you are south based on the hills and we had a situation similar where there was a lot of water draining down our hill, through the hill, but it’s because there was a ton of limestone
Did the folks who built the retaining wall put in drainage tile behind it? If so was it done properly (gravel bed? sock drain? depth? slope? outlet?)?
More pictures would be good, so we can see if there are drain openings in the wall, or such things.
Contact the builder of the wall. Ask about drain tile. If they claim there is, ask them to come and show you where it comes out and see if there is water draining. Perhaps the end of the drain got covered up by silt or erosion.
If there is no drainage, it’s not the end of the world, but you will need to spend more money having someone come in, dig a trench, and install drain tile behind the wall or you are for sure going to have problems with this wall down the road.
If you push a stick down is it all soil. No stone whatsoever?
If wall was properly constructed with drainage in mind, then I’m thinking soil has too much clay in it. Especially if you’re in Texas. It’s curious the water hasn’t yet filtered down below retaining wall into hillside. Another indication clay is retaining the water