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A leaning or bulging retaining wall only gets worse with time when left alone. UltraScape builds armour stone, interlock, and engineered walls across Toronto and the GTA, backed by a 3-year workmanship warranty and lifetime coverage. Get your free quote today.
Google Reviews
4.9/5
Homestars
5/5
(54 reviews)
About UltraScape
A retaining wall that’s leaning, cracking, or letting water pool behind it isn’t a small problem. Left alone long enough, it can affect your soil, your foundation, and even a neighbour’s property. UltraScape has designed and built retaining walls across Toronto and the GTA since 1999, with 25+ years of hands-on experience.
Every retaining wall starts with a real site assessment. We check soil type, slope, and exposed height before recommending armour stone, interlock, poured concrete, or timber. All work comes with a 3-year workmanship warranty and lifetime material coverage.
Taller or more complex walls sometimes call for a licensed engineer, and we know exactly when that line gets crossed. Licensed, insured, and built for Ontario’s climate, our work is why property owners across the GTA trust UltraScape with the structural side of their landscape.
Large, natural armour stone creates an immediate, rugged retaining wall without needing mortar or reinforcement. We set every stone by weight and position, using its own mass to hold back soil for gravity walls that read as landscape features, not just structures.
Segmental retaining wall blocks lock together course by course for a clean, uniform look. Our crew installs these systems with proper base compaction and setback, giving you a wall built for consistent, predictable strength.
For taller or heavily loaded walls, poured concrete offers the strength that engineered projects often require. We form and pour every wall to the design specifications an engineer provides, with reinforcement built in where needed.
Pressure-treated timber remains a practical, lower-cost option for smaller, non-structural applications. We install timber walls with proper anchoring and drainage, best suited to garden borders rather than major grade changes.
A leaning or bulging wall rarely improves on its own. UltraScape removes the failing sections, corrects the drainage and base that caused the problem, and rebuilds a wall that actually holds.
Discover why homeowners continue to choose UltraScape for their landscaping and hardscaping needs.
Posted on Google Janet Bradley Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great experience with Jim and his crew. Excellent work ethic by all, very professional and reliable. Reasonable pricing and on budget. Very pleased with the work would highly recommend. Posted on Google Niko Spanos Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ultrascape Landscaping did an amazing job from start to finish. The team was professional, hardworking, and paid great attention to detail. They completed the work on time, kept everything clean, and the final result exceeded my expectations. The quality of their workmanship is excellent, and they were easy to communicate with throughout the project. I would highly recommend Ultrascape Landscaping to anyone looking for reliable, high-quality landscaping services. Posted on Google Jamie Pietrobon Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Absolutely top shelf professional service. The team was dedicated , courteous, respectful to my home and family. I will advise my friends and family of the talent and great work. Posted on Google Rob Jessup-Ramsay Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our experience with Ultrascape was top notch. No surprises. On time and on budget. The crew was courteous,and hard working. The result was professional and gorgeous. They were especially attentive to the construction of the accessibility ramp. Highly recommend. Posted on Google Jordan Barr Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A solid group of guys with top-notch quality work! Would definitely recommend Ultrascape for any landscape project(s). Posted on Google Martin Prinz Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’m very glad I took my time to find the right company: Ultrascape to complete our project. Jim was very professional, extremely helpful I’m the stone selection for our project. The crew was extremely hard working very fast and early on site every day they were at our home. I’d highly recommend Ultrascape to anyone who’s looking to have work done. Book them early in the season because their time is limited once the season starts. Thank you Ultrascape crew & Jim, we love the work you’ve done. Can’t wait to use my new patio space as a new extra living space Posted on Google Robert Cameron Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The complete replacement of the area around our pool was done extremely well and unbelievably quickly plus he and his crew went above and beyond the contract when after consult us, did extra things to make the whole job be that much better. Great price, great workmanship and great team of workers. Posted on Google Rachel Ruppel Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Easy from start to finish! Jim was a pleasure to work with. His quote was fair, and he was very responsive throughout the process. He delivered exactly as promised, no surprises. His team showed up early in the morning and completed the project in one day and left without a mess. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Jim and his team to family and friends. Posted on Google Quinton McBlain Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thanks Dimitri we love the work you did and enjoy our yard so much more. Also thank you so much for the recent fix up - very much appreciated. Q&A Posted on Google Jim Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Jim and his crew did a fantastic job. Quick, thorough and beautiful work. I can’t say enough about how great our refreshed driveway looks now! I highly recommend you give them a call for your next project! Verified by Trustindex Trustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
A leaning wall, pooling water, or a slope that’s slowly eroding only gets worse with time. UltraScape handles every part of the job, from the first site visit to final construction, so you deal with one crew instead of three. Searching for a retaining wall contractor near me? We’re just a call away. Book your free quote before the next season hits.
01
We visit your property and study the slope, soil type, and exposed height before proposing anything at all. A wall that crosses into engineered-structure territory gets flagged honestly during this same first visit, not after work has already started.
02
You get a design suited to your actual soil and grade, not a generic layout, along with material options and a full written estimate. An engineer’s stamp, when your wall actually needs one, gets coordinated as part of the process, not a surprise later on.
03
Our crew excavates properly, compacts a real base, and builds in drainage behind the wall from the very first course of material. Everything above ground depends on what happens below it, so we never rush the part nobody sees once the wall is finished.
04
We walk the finished wall with you in person and explain exactly what was built and why it was built that way. Every project carries a 3-year workmanship warranty and lifetime material coverage, and we tell you honestly what to watch for as the wall settles.
The right material for a retaining wall depends on height and load, not just appearance. Armour stone relies on sheer weight, interlocking blocks lock together for uniform strength, and poured concrete handles the heaviest, tallest applications.
Timber still has a place for smaller garden walls, though it wears faster than stone or concrete and isn’t suited to major grade changes. For taller or engineered walls, geogrid reinforcement often gets built into the soil behind the wall for added stability.
Every wall gets proper drainage behind it, gravel backfill, and weep holes that let water pass through instead of building up pressure against the face. That drainage does more to determine a wall’s lifespan than the material on the surface.
Ontario’s building code treats any retaining wall over 1.0 metre of exposed height as a designated structure once it sits near public property, a building entrance, or land the public can access. That height is measured from finished grade at the base of the wall to finished grade at the top, not from the buried footing.
Height isn’t the only trigger. A wall supporting a deck, driveway, or structure above it needs engineering regardless of height, and walls attached to a building or sitting near a ravine or watercourse often fall under additional review. Some homeowners try building two shorter walls with a terrace between them to avoid this, but stacked walls that cumulatively retain more than a metre of soil are treated as one structure.
We build every wall knowing exactly where that line sits, and we tell you honestly when your project needs a licensed engineer involved. Requirements vary by municipality and site, so we confirm the specifics for your property before any work begins.
A wall that’s starting to lean or bulge outward is telling you the soil behind it is winning. This usually means the original drainage or base wasn’t built to handle the pressure, and it gets worse the longer it’s left alone.
Standing water behind a retaining wall builds up pressure against the face until something gives. We rebuild drainage with proper gravel backfill and weep holes so water moves through the wall instead of against it.
Cracked or shifted units usually point to a base that wasn’t compacted properly or a footing that sits above the frost line. We rebuild from the base up rather than patching the visible damage.
A wall that’s sinking unevenly along its length often has inconsistent base preparation underneath it. We excavate and re-compact properly so the whole wall settles evenly, or not at all.
Older walls built without a permit or engineering review aren’t automatically unsafe, but they’re worth having assessed, especially if the wall is taller than a metre or supports something above it. We can evaluate an existing wall honestly.
That chalky white residue on concrete or block walls is efflorescence, mineral deposits left behind as water moves through the material. It’s usually cosmetic, but persistent staining can point to a bigger moisture problem behind the wall.
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aToronto’s clay-heavy soil and freeze-thaw winters behave differently than they do almost anywhere else, and we’ve spent 25 years learning exactly how they stress a retaining wall. That means fewer guesses and fewer walls that fail years down the road.
Every retaining wall we build carries a 3-year workmanship warranty and lifetime material coverage, put in writing before any work ever even begins. If something moves or settles because of how we built it, we come back and fix it ourselves at no cost.
Not every wall needs a stamped engineering drawing, but plenty do, and guessing wrong on that call is how walls end up failing later on. We tell you honestly where your project sits and bring in the right professional whenever height or load calls for it.
Retaining walls need heavier equipment and more careful excavation than a typical patio or walkway project ever does. Our licensed crew arrives with machinery sized specifically for the job, not tools better suited to smaller, lighter landscape work.
You get a written estimate explaining exactly what’s being built and why, including whether engineering is required for your specific wall and site conditions. Nothing about a structural project should feel like a mystery, and we work hard to keep it that way.
From excavation to the final course, the same team handles your retaining wall project from start to finish, with no exceptions. We don’t hand off the structural work to a separate subcontractor partway through the project once it’s already underway.
Most homeowners need a retaining wall to manage a sloped yard, create a level patio area, or stop soil erosion along a property line. We design residential walls around how your family actually uses the space, not just the grade change itself.
Commercial properties often need retaining walls for parking areas, loading zones, or managing grade changes across a larger site, situations where engineering requirements come up more often. We handle the permit and design coordination as part of the project, not as a separate hassle.
Residential or commercial, every retaining wall gets the same 3-year workmanship warranty and lifetime material coverage. UltraScape is a trusted choice for structural work across the GTA.
A retaining wall project often pairs naturally with new steps down a terraced slope or a connecting walkway at the top. Explore those services, or our front entrance work, if you’re planning a bigger outdoor upgrade.
A leaning wall, pooling water, or a slope that keeps eroding only gets worse with time. UltraScape handles every part of retaining wall construction across Toronto and the GTA, from the first site visit to final construction, so you deal with one crew instead of three. Ask about booking your free quote today, before the next season hits.
Based in East York, Ultrascape builds custom landscaping and outdoor living spaces for homeowners across the Greater Toronto Area. From interlocking driveways to retaining walls and landscape construction, our crew serves Toronto and surrounding cities. Looking for landscaping services near me? We are just a call away.
Toronto’s ravine system cuts through the city more than almost any other major urban center in North America, following the Don River, the Humber River, and countless smaller creeks and valleys. Properties built along these slopes often depend on retaining walls just to keep usable, stable ground.
Areas near these ravines often fall under Toronto and Region Conservation Authority oversight, adding a layer of review beyond the standard building permit process. A retaining wall project close to a ravine edge needs that checked early, not assumed away partway through design.
UltraScape builds retaining walls across Toronto’s full range of terrain, from steep ravine-adjacent lots to simple backyard grade changes. Every project gets planned around what the specific slope and soil actually require, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
In most cases, yes, once your wall exceeds 1.0 metre of exposed height or sits near public property, a building, or land the public can access. Walls supporting a deck, driveway, or structure above them often need a permit regardless of height. We confirm the exact requirements for your specific property before work begins.
Ontario’s building code generally requires engineered design once a wall’s exposed height passes 1.0 metre, measured from finished grade at the base to finished grade at the top. Some municipalities and site conditions call for engineering even below that threshold, so it’s always worth confirming for your specific project.
Cost depends mainly on wall height and length, material choice, site access, and how much drainage and excavation the project needs. Taller or engineered walls cost more due to added reinforcement, deeper footings, and professional design fees. We provide a detailed written estimate specific to your property.
Armour stone uses large natural boulders that rely on their own weight to hold back soil, giving a rugged, natural look. Interlocking block walls use smaller, uniform segmental units that lock together course by course for a cleaner, more consistent finish. Both can be engineered for taller applications.
A leaning or bulging wall usually means the soil behind it is generating more pressure than the wall, and its drainage system was never built to handle it in the first place. This often comes down to a weak base, missing drainage, or a design that wasn’t suited to the site’s actual soil conditions from the very start.
Proper drainage, gravel backfill, and weep holes let water pass through a wall instead of building up pressure behind it over time and through the seasons. Without it, water saturates the soil, freezes and expands in winter, and pushes against the wall until it eventually leans, cracks, or fails outright.
Yes. We design and build retaining walls for commercial properties across Toronto and the GTA, including parking areas, loading zones, and larger grade changes that often require engineered design work from the outset. We work closely with your business operations to minimize disruption throughout the entire project.
Every UltraScape retaining wall includes a full 3-year workmanship warranty and a genuine lifetime warranty on materials, both confirmed clearly in writing before any work ever starts. If a wall shifts or settles because of our construction, we return and correct it at no additional cost to you whatsoever.
Look for a contractor who genuinely understands when a wall actually needs engineering, not just one who can build it regardless of the risk involved. Ask about their process for permits, drainage, and base preparation. UltraScape has served Toronto since 1999, with a 4.9 rating on Google and 5 out of 5 on HomeStars.
