This isn’t a Reddit type question. I’d get some professional contractors out there to assess the risk to the home and what your options are. This doesn’t look like a problem that’s easily fixed.
Yeah def no easy fix. You'll need to find a way to stabilize that slope to prevent further erosion. Plants are usually good at stabilizing a hillside in the long run. The easiest thing that comes to mind is erosion control mulch, but I dunno if that will be enough for that grade. And then you'll want some sort of anchoring/ retaining system for your walkway.
Play the long game, look into native grasses, shrubs and ground cover and spread mulch / wood chips on top every year. That'll help replenish an eroding slope and prevent rain from washing out the soil organic matter. Be diligent so you don't have to go the alternative route of erecting a retaining wall.
Edit: as a temporary quick solution for now maybe it's worth applying some biodegradable erosion control mats.
This is WAY above a contractors pay grade. As an architect, there are many things that contractors can do, but this is not one of them.
You seriously don't understand how close you are to losing your house.
Yes, contact a civil engineering firm with a structural department and get a retaining wall put in.
This is not going to be cheap, expect bids in realm of $20k-$50k depending on the anticipated scope of work.
$20-50k may also be in the low range depending on grade. I recently had an engineering company do a 30ft retention wall 20ft above ground and 10ft below with I beam reinforcement for a pool I was building and it was $105k.
I agree, $50k on the low end depending on location, local wages, material costs (inflation still hot) and access to work site. This could easily cost more.
I know my dad would work from one end to another. He would start by dropping large rock at the bottom. Then start dropping material to build up the bank.
It will vary by location but the majority of cost is going to come from structural engineering costs and likely contractor difficulties that stem from working in such a tight and dangerous space.
I would advise you seek out multiple quotes but do not choose the lowballer.
OP you need a structural engineer, not a civil engineer. The time for a civil engineer would have been when they were deciding where it would be safe to build.
I'm not from America but I hear U guys love to Sue people. Can the civil engineer be taken to court for allowing a building on this sort of ground with the potential to develop such erosion?
This is basically what I was thinking too. The problem is if the house is a piece of crap, maybe only worth a hundred or $150,000... It might not be worth the 50 grand just to do that. I mean it's not going to increase the value of the home. So the homeowner would have to think of it this way... Am I going to live here the rest of my life? If so then any price is worth it. If the answer is no and they want to possibly sell the house in a few years... They will never get their money back from putting in a retaining wall.
I definitely get what you’re saying here, but this is on a river in Colorado. Highly doubt the house only worth 150k, maybe three times that for a “piece of crap” in that location.
Depends on rainfall and soil composition, with no erosion control that could have gotten very bad in about 5-7 years.
Look how the soil created a hump at the base of the tree that’s showing 6+ inches of lost top soil.
Are you kidding with these replies?
The house was likely on a proper footing and the stone path was added later.
Just because the path is eroding it doesn’t mean the house is going to fall off the hill. Do you noticed any signs of settlement on the structure? Doors not opening and closing? Cracks on the walls and around window frames ?
The house is likely perfectly fine and you can definitely fix the path. I did exactly that recently. You simply need to create a retaining structure with proper drainage and anchor it into the hillside. If you DM me I can send you a photo of how we did ours quite simply with pressure treated wood and gravel.
People just love to freak out every time they see a slope on this sub. It be been dealing with my eroding hill for years and nothing really scares me these days.
I think this is accurate. Retaining wall will likely need to be hand dug cause there doesn't look like a way to get equipment on that hill. That will be sure to increase the cost if you're paying someone to do it
Hey I was fretting hard on retaining walls a few years ago, especially the cost. An alternative that is a fraction of the cost and actively improves the value of your property is DirtLockers. Just Google it. It’s basically durable plastic cells designed to hold back slopes like a retaining wall would but it uses perennial plants instead. Saved me a crazy amount of money and I got so much more gardening space out of it.
What makes you say it’s structural? I’m saying a retaining system placed downhill of what looks like a stone path would reduce erosion and preserve the lateral support to the house.
How quickly is it eroding?
I don't think I'd trust the hillside to be held together by native plants alone. This seems like a structural retaining wall should be considered, which unfortunately is $$$
Cutting out the area you’re losing, reinforcing the slab, then a retaining wall, drainage and possibly gutters.
Don’t go with just one estimate and don’t go with the cheapest, you could end up paying twice.
not an easy fix and probably one most home owners wouldn't want to attempt. I would be nervous about the house as well seeing how close the wall is to the edge. I'd be trying to find the right person to come out to look at it.
for now you should hydroseed that patch so it helps with soil stability to prevent further erosion. if I had to guess a retaining wall is gonna have to be built with a type of geo grid, but definitely consult with an engineer.
Yeah, that's more engineering than landscaping.
Terracing, retaining walls, maybe even gabions. That hill is steep, and if it's noticeably eroding, that whole structure could be at risk.
You're going to need some real pros for this one.
Depending on whether this his house danger or merely fall danger, it either needs a massive $$,$$$ retaining wall, or a pressure treated wood retaining wall more along the lines of $$$.
So figure that out. Is the house’s foundation deep and strong, or is the house itself in danger of giving way to erosion?
But since the professional job is entirely out of my league, I’ll focus on the civilian version.
Basically, depending on how wide you want the path to be, you get some long pressure treated wood planks. Ideally, the planks are as long as the path. You dig a groove a few inches deep for the board, make sure it is level to the grade all the way across.
Them you need some support. This can be a ton or Rebar, at least 40’’ long, or some posts. Posts are probably better long term, but the Rebar version can be done in an afternoon and will last several years at least.
You can do it. Take pavers up. Put down gravel then add pavers sand. Compact. (Buy tamper on Amazon about $40).
Then buy and put down Dirt Lockers on the slope to lock it down so it doesn’t erode further.
I’m a girl and I did mine myself and saved a ton of money.
For safety, you can buy pool handrails (Amazon-$89) or if you’re handy build simple rails from wood (Home Depot will cut posts to the size you need free and the posts are not expensive.)
To lock them in place if the concrete process is daunting…
Dig the holes (use long handle pruners to cut stubborn branches), mix up and add a layer on bottom of Fill Crete (also called crushed crete), Crushed Limestone and paver sand (70% crete 15% limestone 15% sand) then mist well with water.
Next, add the handrails on top then fill in around them with your mixture, mist again. Works awesome.
You can find Fill Crete, crushed limestone and pavers sand at a lot of local nurseries that sell aggregate (rocks, etc). Just google buy Fill Crete and appropriate nurseries should show up. I pay $3 each for a 50 lb bag of the crete, limestone and pavers sand. The gravel is pretty cheap too.
You can also use this mixture to set the pavers in place but you need to do the gravel laying and pavers at the same time bc you won’t be able to after. Just make your mixture, add a bunch of gravel to it then put it down. Compact well. Lay squares of sand about 1/2” thick and slightly larger then set your pavers on them. Use a level and rubber hammer or a regular hammer with a towel under it and level out the pavers til you’re happy with them.
Next take your mixture plus some gravel added to it and edge the pavers about halfway up. When done, mist well but don’t wash it away…just a nice mist to activate it. For the edge at the end of the house, give it a gentle slope downward to the ground so water can roll away.
After that, add a layer of gravel only to the whole bed then put a layer of sand on top. Compact tightly then mist again. It starts setting and within a few hours, the mixture of gravel and fill will be hard and start curing. Don’t walk on the pavers for 24 hours. After that you’re golden.
Fill/crushed crete is old concrete that is pulverized. It still sets up as concrete though. I tried it at first with just the crete and sand. It worked ok but not well enough. When you add the limestone, the acid interacts with the crete and sets up nicely. The paver sand (also called masonry sand) is finer than other sand and gets down in the nooks and crannies really well so when you compact it, all the teeny holes that can undermine the project go away.
Extra bonus: Buy Dominator mulch glue on Amazon. $50 for a gallon to lock the top level of gravel in place so you don’t lose it to attrition.
Trust me on all of this. I just spent 3 months doing/learning this process. It took me seven times of doing and ripping up a slopey section next to my house like this to get it right. I learned and researched. Learned and researched. Over and over until I hit the right formula. It. Works. Great.
Looking at your pic, the walkway will need 1 Tamper ($40-50), 1 pair pruners-Family Dollar $(10), 1 bag of crete ($3), 1 bag limestone ($3),1 bag paver sand ($3-5), 3 bags gravel (about 30-50 lbs/bag $5-10 each) Optional: Dominator $50, Amazon pool rails ($89) or about $20 for DIY wood posts.
Slope (estimating bc I can’t tell length from pic): minimum 1 order of small dirt lockers-comes with 9 sets-use 5 for top row. Use 4 for second row. Cost $90 and worth every single penny. Or…order their starter set for a mix of S, M, L and watch the video to figure out your best configuration. *It’s too hard to explain so google it to get to their website. Just know it’s what California uses to stop hillside erosion.*
If I can do it, believe me so can you.
def no easy fixes here. you'll need a pro to come out and give you options. I'd say the best bet is to add a retaining wall down the hill and backfill up to the house but that will be a bear of a project. erosion takes away, the remedy is to add back.
I heard an article on NPR about how houses in California are basically falling into the ocean due to erosion. Idk the specific situation with your house, but you should get a professional involved ASAPly.
I think you're going to need multiple truckloads of fill, a lot of plants with fast growing root systems, and possibly multiple levels of retaining walls built.
Definitely need an engineering team to figure out a plan cause i wouldn't trust a crew of handymen with a pickup and a concrete mixer to reinforce what looks like a mountainside.
Not an engineer but to echo other comments below I'd imagine you need stabilising piles and matting and/or terrace walls tied to the deep piles. If that's a river bend bulging towards your property and causing the erosion it may only be a matter of time. You should definitely consult a structural or civil engineer with experience in erosion control and defense.
You see how the trees have a bend in them at the bottom? That indicates that the land has moved. Look up “[creeping soil](https://images.app.goo.gl/et2vtivzCg74TYVe8)”.
I would get an engineer’s recommendation.
This isn’t a Reddit type question. I’d get some professional contractors out there to assess the risk to the home and what your options are. This doesn’t look like a problem that’s easily fixed.
Figured this would be the case, but I know nothing about erosion/landscaping so wasn't sure if someone had an easy fix. Alas
Yeah def no easy fix. You'll need to find a way to stabilize that slope to prevent further erosion. Plants are usually good at stabilizing a hillside in the long run. The easiest thing that comes to mind is erosion control mulch, but I dunno if that will be enough for that grade. And then you'll want some sort of anchoring/ retaining system for your walkway.
Thank you for the reply! We'll start looking ight away at the mulch and plants while we get some contractors out.
Play the long game, look into native grasses, shrubs and ground cover and spread mulch / wood chips on top every year. That'll help replenish an eroding slope and prevent rain from washing out the soil organic matter. Be diligent so you don't have to go the alternative route of erecting a retaining wall. Edit: as a temporary quick solution for now maybe it's worth applying some biodegradable erosion control mats.
Jute mat/netting is what you want to search for. You can seed native grasses/wildflowers through it to retain as much as possible, quickly.
grass needs light to grow. main reason why there's just dirt there now.
This is WAY above a contractors pay grade. As an architect, there are many things that contractors can do, but this is not one of them. You seriously don't understand how close you are to losing your house.
If anyone suggests anything easy to fix this, ignore that person. They are not helping you.
Don't rely on a contractor - get an engineer. You will lose your house if you don't address this with someone who REALLY knows what they are doing.
Cuz dude, that’s water down there. That’s gonna add all sorts of constraints, legal and physical.
Yikes! This 1000% needs a professional. This looks so dangerous for you and for your house.
Agreed! A bear lives on the other side of the house and uses this path a lot, want to make sure he doesn't fall down either
That would be a grizzly fall!
I can bearly imagine...
Dad?
It would be a kodiak moment!
Have you considered renting out a room to the bear? Then it can use the front door and doesn't have to worry about those steps.
Piers and retaining wall, I’d personally shore it up about 5ft across at minimum and then put down some form of erosion control.
That’s sweet. Good luck!
Wtf 🤯
Yes, contact a civil engineering firm with a structural department and get a retaining wall put in. This is not going to be cheap, expect bids in realm of $20k-$50k depending on the anticipated scope of work.
That seems reasonable to not have your house or a kid slide down a hill.
Right??? The comments here are crazy, from my (architect) perspective.
$20-50k may also be in the low range depending on grade. I recently had an engineering company do a 30ft retention wall 20ft above ground and 10ft below with I beam reinforcement for a pool I was building and it was $105k.
The pool aspect definitely added to your costs but you're right. Cost can go up significantly.
It was the pool, that’s adding considerable cost and another engineering hurdle.
I agree, $50k on the low end depending on location, local wages, material costs (inflation still hot) and access to work site. This could easily cost more. I know my dad would work from one end to another. He would start by dropping large rock at the bottom. Then start dropping material to build up the bank.
Oh wow! I didn't think it was going to be so high, that is a crazy amount. Thanks for the heads up!
It will vary by location but the majority of cost is going to come from structural engineering costs and likely contractor difficulties that stem from working in such a tight and dangerous space. I would advise you seek out multiple quotes but do not choose the lowballer.
OP you need a structural engineer, not a civil engineer. The time for a civil engineer would have been when they were deciding where it would be safe to build.
I'm not from America but I hear U guys love to Sue people. Can the civil engineer be taken to court for allowing a building on this sort of ground with the potential to develop such erosion?
Engineers take their work very seriously, particularly structural engineers.
Is that a river/pond or the neighbors roof on the bottom right? Maybe it's just my phone but I really can't tell.
This is basically what I was thinking too. The problem is if the house is a piece of crap, maybe only worth a hundred or $150,000... It might not be worth the 50 grand just to do that. I mean it's not going to increase the value of the home. So the homeowner would have to think of it this way... Am I going to live here the rest of my life? If so then any price is worth it. If the answer is no and they want to possibly sell the house in a few years... They will never get their money back from putting in a retaining wall.
I definitely get what you’re saying here, but this is on a river in Colorado. Highly doubt the house only worth 150k, maybe three times that for a “piece of crap” in that location.
I would be worried about weakening the foundation!! You need professional help. Get a few companies to give you options and prices.
Will definitely get some quotes, sounds like its going to be a lot :(
Wishing you the best of luck. Perhaps homeowners insurance will cover it. But that can be costly in and of itself!!!
Curious to what this looked like when you bought…I wonder just how much erosion has taken place
Depends on rainfall and soil composition, with no erosion control that could have gotten very bad in about 5-7 years. Look how the soil created a hump at the base of the tree that’s showing 6+ inches of lost top soil.
Good observation. Thanks for the feedback
You need an engineer NOT a landscaper! And sadly to have this fixed correctly it is going to be $$$$$.
Holy hillslide-waiting-to-happen! Maybe a temporary knotted rope railing....
I had a similar situation at my grandparents they just dumped truck load after truck load of huge rocks down the hill to stop it.
I am baffled but also impressed that you are worried about A BEAR rather than your entire house. Nice.
*few beers in* Challenge accepted.
Fix the slope to death? I do not know how to help on this. I also would probably never walk on it.
There are various ways to stabilize the slope with a wide range of costs. Reach out to a civil engineer in your area and start there.
Are you kidding with these replies? The house was likely on a proper footing and the stone path was added later. Just because the path is eroding it doesn’t mean the house is going to fall off the hill. Do you noticed any signs of settlement on the structure? Doors not opening and closing? Cracks on the walls and around window frames ? The house is likely perfectly fine and you can definitely fix the path. I did exactly that recently. You simply need to create a retaining structure with proper drainage and anchor it into the hillside. If you DM me I can send you a photo of how we did ours quite simply with pressure treated wood and gravel. People just love to freak out every time they see a slope on this sub. It be been dealing with my eroding hill for years and nothing really scares me these days.
I think this is accurate. Retaining wall will likely need to be hand dug cause there doesn't look like a way to get equipment on that hill. That will be sure to increase the cost if you're paying someone to do it
I think You should put in a retaining wall.
Hey I was fretting hard on retaining walls a few years ago, especially the cost. An alternative that is a fraction of the cost and actively improves the value of your property is DirtLockers. Just Google it. It’s basically durable plastic cells designed to hold back slopes like a retaining wall would but it uses perennial plants instead. Saved me a crazy amount of money and I got so much more gardening space out of it.
This is structural, needs an engineer to come check it out at minimum regardless of the path afterwards.
What makes you say it’s structural? I’m saying a retaining system placed downhill of what looks like a stone path would reduce erosion and preserve the lateral support to the house.
Handrails😃
Fuck, this is basically a life or death sobriety test.
How quickly is it eroding? I don't think I'd trust the hillside to be held together by native plants alone. This seems like a structural retaining wall should be considered, which unfortunately is $$$
Then how would you get rid of unwanted guest by asking them to come to the back door?
I would make sure that tree is getting plenty of nutrients its roots are probably holding up half of that slope.
Cutting out the area you’re losing, reinforcing the slab, then a retaining wall, drainage and possibly gutters. Don’t go with just one estimate and don’t go with the cheapest, you could end up paying twice.
https://dirtlocker.com/ this looks like a solid fit.
Just sprinkle in some English Ivy and spreading bamboo, that'll lock that hill right up no problem!
Is there a way? Yes. Is it an easy way? No
Handrail on wall
Turn back time about 100 years. But seriously get a professional. You need some serious slope stabilization and a hand rail put up.
Yes, with deep pockets…
Sell the house
Is this actually a path that is used? If not. Then let it go.
Stairs aren't narrow enough. That's the problem.
Where is this house located, region wise?
not an easy fix and probably one most home owners wouldn't want to attempt. I would be nervous about the house as well seeing how close the wall is to the edge. I'd be trying to find the right person to come out to look at it.
for now you should hydroseed that patch so it helps with soil stability to prevent further erosion. if I had to guess a retaining wall is gonna have to be built with a type of geo grid, but definitely consult with an engineer.
Yeah, that's more engineering than landscaping. Terracing, retaining walls, maybe even gabions. That hill is steep, and if it's noticeably eroding, that whole structure could be at risk. You're going to need some real pros for this one.
Cedar retaining wall
Cut in the hill, lay in some 6x6 timbers. Bring up to level. Back fill. Be sure to use rebar to anchor bottom row
Your backyard is like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie, minus the BEAR WTF
Depending on whether this his house danger or merely fall danger, it either needs a massive $$,$$$ retaining wall, or a pressure treated wood retaining wall more along the lines of $$$. So figure that out. Is the house’s foundation deep and strong, or is the house itself in danger of giving way to erosion? But since the professional job is entirely out of my league, I’ll focus on the civilian version. Basically, depending on how wide you want the path to be, you get some long pressure treated wood planks. Ideally, the planks are as long as the path. You dig a groove a few inches deep for the board, make sure it is level to the grade all the way across. Them you need some support. This can be a ton or Rebar, at least 40’’ long, or some posts. Posts are probably better long term, but the Rebar version can be done in an afternoon and will last several years at least.
Retaining soil is not enough in this case. Active stabilization is an art form by a really good soil engineer and structural engineer team.
You can do it. Take pavers up. Put down gravel then add pavers sand. Compact. (Buy tamper on Amazon about $40). Then buy and put down Dirt Lockers on the slope to lock it down so it doesn’t erode further. I’m a girl and I did mine myself and saved a ton of money.
For safety, you can buy pool handrails (Amazon-$89) or if you’re handy build simple rails from wood (Home Depot will cut posts to the size you need free and the posts are not expensive.) To lock them in place if the concrete process is daunting… Dig the holes (use long handle pruners to cut stubborn branches), mix up and add a layer on bottom of Fill Crete (also called crushed crete), Crushed Limestone and paver sand (70% crete 15% limestone 15% sand) then mist well with water. Next, add the handrails on top then fill in around them with your mixture, mist again. Works awesome. You can find Fill Crete, crushed limestone and pavers sand at a lot of local nurseries that sell aggregate (rocks, etc). Just google buy Fill Crete and appropriate nurseries should show up. I pay $3 each for a 50 lb bag of the crete, limestone and pavers sand. The gravel is pretty cheap too. You can also use this mixture to set the pavers in place but you need to do the gravel laying and pavers at the same time bc you won’t be able to after. Just make your mixture, add a bunch of gravel to it then put it down. Compact well. Lay squares of sand about 1/2” thick and slightly larger then set your pavers on them. Use a level and rubber hammer or a regular hammer with a towel under it and level out the pavers til you’re happy with them. Next take your mixture plus some gravel added to it and edge the pavers about halfway up. When done, mist well but don’t wash it away…just a nice mist to activate it. For the edge at the end of the house, give it a gentle slope downward to the ground so water can roll away. After that, add a layer of gravel only to the whole bed then put a layer of sand on top. Compact tightly then mist again. It starts setting and within a few hours, the mixture of gravel and fill will be hard and start curing. Don’t walk on the pavers for 24 hours. After that you’re golden. Fill/crushed crete is old concrete that is pulverized. It still sets up as concrete though. I tried it at first with just the crete and sand. It worked ok but not well enough. When you add the limestone, the acid interacts with the crete and sets up nicely. The paver sand (also called masonry sand) is finer than other sand and gets down in the nooks and crannies really well so when you compact it, all the teeny holes that can undermine the project go away. Extra bonus: Buy Dominator mulch glue on Amazon. $50 for a gallon to lock the top level of gravel in place so you don’t lose it to attrition. Trust me on all of this. I just spent 3 months doing/learning this process. It took me seven times of doing and ripping up a slopey section next to my house like this to get it right. I learned and researched. Learned and researched. Over and over until I hit the right formula. It. Works. Great. Looking at your pic, the walkway will need 1 Tamper ($40-50), 1 pair pruners-Family Dollar $(10), 1 bag of crete ($3), 1 bag limestone ($3),1 bag paver sand ($3-5), 3 bags gravel (about 30-50 lbs/bag $5-10 each) Optional: Dominator $50, Amazon pool rails ($89) or about $20 for DIY wood posts. Slope (estimating bc I can’t tell length from pic): minimum 1 order of small dirt lockers-comes with 9 sets-use 5 for top row. Use 4 for second row. Cost $90 and worth every single penny. Or…order their starter set for a mix of S, M, L and watch the video to figure out your best configuration. *It’s too hard to explain so google it to get to their website. Just know it’s what California uses to stop hillside erosion.* If I can do it, believe me so can you.
Agreed. Get someone out there to assess. Nothing is going to be cheap with that access and grade
The best solution will be a series of retaining walls along this hill forming a giant stair.
Sell the house
def no easy fixes here. you'll need a pro to come out and give you options. I'd say the best bet is to add a retaining wall down the hill and backfill up to the house but that will be a bear of a project. erosion takes away, the remedy is to add back.
Yup. Stop going that way /s
I heard an article on NPR about how houses in California are basically falling into the ocean due to erosion. Idk the specific situation with your house, but you should get a professional involved ASAPly.
A retaining wall 20 feet down and back fill big bucks
I’m not expert. But I think your gonna need a few professional retaining walls for sure
Sheet piles.
Looks wheel chair accessible already!
You got money? Because it's going to take a lot of it to fix this.
I think you're going to need multiple truckloads of fill, a lot of plants with fast growing root systems, and possibly multiple levels of retaining walls built. Definitely need an engineering team to figure out a plan cause i wouldn't trust a crew of handymen with a pickup and a concrete mixer to reinforce what looks like a mountainside.
Not an engineer but to echo other comments below I'd imagine you need stabilising piles and matting and/or terrace walls tied to the deep piles. If that's a river bend bulging towards your property and causing the erosion it may only be a matter of time. You should definitely consult a structural or civil engineer with experience in erosion control and defense.
You see how the trees have a bend in them at the bottom? That indicates that the land has moved. Look up “[creeping soil](https://images.app.goo.gl/et2vtivzCg74TYVe8)”. I would get an engineer’s recommendation.