Do we need a retaining wall behind house??

Question

We have some brush/trees on the downslope behind the house (like a mini-forest), but will removing all that make the need for a retaining wall even higher? Is the mini-forest what's keeping things as they currently are? I'd guess the house is built on sand since that's what "moves" down the hill when it's raining a lot. Is my house going to slide down the hill over time since it's < 40 ft. from the edge of said mini-forest?

If we do need a retaining wall, can we do the digging ourselves, and how do we go about doing that? We're in WI (brrrr...)

What about if I edge with lilac bushes? Will that strengthen the edge for having good roots?

Answer 1

I think you could do it your self. Just need ambition and planning.

Here are some web sites with ideas:

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/buildretainingwall
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/lazylandscaping/ht/retaining_wall.htm
http://www.askthebuilder.com/B37_Retaining_Walls_-_Types.shtml

Hope that helps.

Re: Lilacs..they do seem to develop good root systems within the top soil. I will take a while, but they will spread out as the years go by.

Answer 2

i had a mudslide in the back of my house which is like a mini-forest. me and several relatives shoveled mud for weeks. we built a 4 ft high retaining wall with concrete bricks and since the land behind us is owned by the city & county we complained to them and now they come once in awhile to clear a 2 ft deep drainage trench whenever we call them or there is a big storm. im not sure how it is where you live though considering i live over several thousand miles away.