Joseph Meyer<p>Engineering and Landscaping Advice</p><p>I want to replace an old planter made from pressure-treated landscaping timbers, and positioned against the concrete foundation of my home, with a mortarless concrete block retaining wall. The soil in the neighborhood has high clay content and shifts around, which is evident from fractures and waves in the concrete block retaining walls that others have installed as do-it-yourself projects. On the other hand, I have seen commercial retaining walls along streets and in shopping centers that seem to remain in good condition. Now, I’m too old for this project and intend to hire someone to do it for me. My questions:</p><p>1. Are the solid and stable retaining walls I see at commercial locations that way because they have concrete foundations and/or soil that has been adequately compressed with a plate compactor? If so, can I expect to obtain such a result at home without spending a fortune?</p><p>2. How do I find a reputable person to build a retaining wall? What kind of credentials should they have? What questions should I ask them?</p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Engineering" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Engineering</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Landscaping" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Landscaping</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/DoItYourself" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DoItYourself</span></a> <br><a href="https://c.im/tags/RetainingWall" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RetainingWall</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Geology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Geology</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Soil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Soil</span></a></p>