Timber, block and gabion retaining walls built for North Shore clay and slopes, with drainage done properly from day one. Timber walls from $325 per metre.
“Service always, Relationship Forever.”
Xtra Landscaping builds timber, block and gabion retaining walls on Auckland’s North Shore, designed for clay soil and slopes, with the drainage behind the wall done properly. As a guide, timber walls start from $325 per metre, block from $425 and gabion from $495, including drainage, backfill, labour and GST. Walls over 1.5 m or near driveways usually need an engineer and building consent, which we coordinate. We’re fully insured and every wall has a 2-year workmanship warranty.
Most North Shore sections have two things in common: a slope, and heavy clay that holds water. A retaining wall turns that slope into flat, usable space for a lawn, a patio, a driveway or a garden. Built badly, it leans, bulges or fails after a few wet winters. Built well, it lasts decades. The difference is almost never the face of the wall. It is the footings, the posts and, above all, the drainage behind it.
We design and build retaining walls for homeowners, landlords and builders from Devonport and Takapuna up to Browns Bay, Long Bay, Greenhithe, Silverdale and Whangaparāoa. Every job starts with a free site visit, where we look at the height, the soil, where the water goes and what the wall needs to hold up.
Fully insured, with a 2-year workmanship warranty and 65+ five-star Google reviews. For a full price breakdown, read our retaining wall cost guide, and check when you need consent in our retaining wall consent guide.
Every wall gets a drainage pipe, free-draining aggregate and filter cloth, because water pressure is what makes walls fail.
H5 posts set in concrete or solid block footings, with depth and spacing matched to the wall height and soil.
Fully insured, Site Safe members and backed by our Good Work Guarantee and 65+ five-star Google reviews.
Prices are per linear metre for small, low walls, including drainage, backfill, labour and GST. Taller walls cost more per metre.
Concrete masonry or interlocking block walls are the strongest and longest-lasting option. They suit driveways, boundaries and higher walls, with a clean, modern finish that can be plastered, painted or left natural. No timber to rot and very little maintenance.
The most popular choice for garden terraces and sloping backyards. We use H5-treated posts set in concrete and H4-treated sleepers, with post depth and spacing matched to the wall height and soil. Quick to build, great on tight sites and natural once planted.
Galvanised steel baskets filled with rock. Heavy, flexible and naturally free-draining, which makes them a great fit for Auckland clay and coastal sections, and they look striking in a modern front yard. They need a little more width at the base.
Walls beside driveways, over 1.5 m, or holding up a building need deeper footings, stronger construction and usually engineering and consent. We coordinate the structural engineer and Auckland Council, and include it in your quote so you know the full cost up front.
North Shore clay soaks up winter rain and swells. With nowhere to go, that water pushes against the back of the wall, and that pressure is what makes walls lean, crack and bulge.
Drainage is the part you never see once the wall is finished, so it’s the easiest place for a cheaper quote to cut corners. Ask any builder exactly what goes behind the wall and where the water ends up.
A perforated pipe with a filter sock at the base, and free-draining aggregate behind the wall instead of clay backfill.
A fall to a proper outlet, connected to stormwater where it is required.
Stops silt clogging the drain over time, so it keeps working for the life of the wall.
Usually exempt from building consent. It still has to be built properly.
Needs engineering design and building consent.
Usually needs engineering and consent at any height. We confirm this at the site visit.
We combine structural expertise with local knowledge to deliver retaining walls that exceed expectations.
Footings, posts and drainage matched to your wall height and soil, so your wall stays straight for decades.
We know North Shore clay, slopes and wet winters, and plan for where the water goes before we build.
Every wall is covered by our 2-year workmanship warranty and Good Work Guarantee. We are fully insured and Site Safe members.
From initial consultation to project completion, we keep you informed every step of the way. Clear quotes, realistic timelines, and honest advice you can trust.
65+ five-star Google reviews from homeowners across the North Shore.
We coordinate the engineer and consent when needed, then build, backfill and tidy. We can add a fence, deck, paving or lawn on the levelled area too.
We’ll look at the height, soil, access and drainage, and recommend the right wall for your site. Free site visit and written quote.
Real retaining walls we have built on the North Shore.
Gabion wall and slat fence
Retaining and level lawn for a play area
Timber retaining, steps and drainage
Deck and retaining wall
Painted timber retaining wall renovation
Timber retaining wall with new deck
Real Google reviews from our clients.
“Really happy with our new front yard. Thanks team for your communication, hardwork, and listening to our needs and creating whole new living space. Highly recommend.”
— Amanda M.
“So happy with Xtra Landscaping. They did such an awesome job, great communication, very professional. No hesitation in recommending.”
— Jo H.
“Jake, Lian and Luke are a hardworking and honest team. Great communicators, and nothing is too hard to handle. I highly recommend them!”
— Helen S.
We build retaining walls right across the North Shore, from Devonport to Whangaparāoa.
Don’t see your suburb? Contact us to discuss your project—we service many additional areas.
As a guide, small timber retaining walls start from $325 per linear metre, block from $425 per metre and gabion from $495 per metre, including drainage, backfill, labour and GST. Taller walls cost more per metre. See our retaining wall cost guide, or get a fixed written quote after a free site visit.
Usually not if the wall retains 1.5 m or less of ground and has no extra load on top, such as a driveway, building, fence or slope. Walls over 1.5 m, and most walls with a driveway or building above them, need engineering and building consent. Read our retaining wall consent guide.
Timber is the most affordable and suits garden walls under 1.5 m. Block is the strongest and longest-lasting, ideal for driveways and higher walls. Gabion is free-draining and suits modern or coastal designs. The best choice depends on height, what the wall holds up, your budget and the look you want.
A well-built, well-drained timber wall using H5 posts typically lasts 20 to 30 years. Block and gabion walls can last 40 to 50 years or more. Poor drainage is the main reason walls fail early.
North Shore clay holds water. Without drainage, water builds up behind the wall and pushes against it, causing leaning, cracking and bulging. A drainage pipe at the base, free-draining aggregate and filter cloth relieve that pressure and carry the water to a proper outlet.
Yes. Driveway retaining walls carry the weight of vehicles, so they need deeper footings, stronger construction and usually engineering design, even under 1.5 m. Block is generally the best option. We coordinate the engineer and consent if required.
Height, soil, access and drainage checked
Workmanship warranty and Good Work Guarantee
Block from $425/m, gabion from $495/m
“Service always, Relationship Forever.”
