NO MORE EROSION - SETTLEMENT AT POWHATAN CREEK

Type: Drainage & Hardscape
Time Frame: 2 days
Budget: ~$7,000
Materials: Stone, Wall Block, Soil, Drainage Parts, Seed, Erosion Mat
The patio on this property was starting to settle. When looking at the fence along the outside of the yard, it was easy to tell that there was an erosion issue, and it was starting to jeopardize their backyard.
After discussing a few options with our client, they decided a small retaining wall would best suite their needs. However, their back fence was built directly on the buffer zone line in James City County. We also wanted to adjust the downspouts to exit through the wall into the buffer zone. Because of this we had to get approval from James City County and the HOA for the wall and drainage upgrades.
Picture
Wall Sketch
Once we presented the issue to them, they understood and approved our project with no hesitation. ​​
We started by removing a portion of the fence, and got right to work setting in our foundation for the retention block. Normally, we would only use one course of wall block below grade, but because the slope here fell off so quickly we decided to put two entire courses of block below grade. This ensured we had a stronghold on the slope.
We incorporated two downspouts into the wall, and also installed a french drain inside the base of the retaining wall to prevent any moisture buildup. The drain, tile, and gravel around the back of the wall were encased in geo-textile fabric to ensure that sediment and debris did not collect in the pipe. 
With the wall now complete, we reset the pavers, leveling the patio and installing new polymeric sand. We had to adjust the angle of the existing fence to match the corner of the wall. We also added a bit more Delaware River Rock to fill in the new gap between the wall and fence.
Erosion issue solved! The total cost for this fix came in at just over $7,000.