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Retaining Wall Builders in Eagan, MN

From low garden walls to tall grade changes, we design each wall and take it through the required permits.

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Low stacked natural stone retaining wall with mulched planting bed and drain opening beside a sidewalk in Eagan, MN

It’s easy to assume a short retaining wall can go in without a permit. In Eagan, that assumption doesn’t hold: walls under four feet need a city zoning permit, and taller walls need a building permit.

Our team of retaining wall builders handles Eagan projects from design through permit and construction, and we treat the permit as part of the job rather than an afterthought. We design the wall, prepare what the city needs to review it, and build it with drainage and a solid base from the bottom course up.

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Satisfied Customers

4.8 ★★★★★
80+ Verified Reviews
Google ★★★★★

We are long time customers of Minnehaha Falls Landscaping. As I sit on my porch watching the monarch butterflies enjoying my pollinator garden I appreciate the service we’ve had over the years. It started with their snow removal service as we decided doing it ourselves was too much. Next up were the pollinator gardens and replacing our lawn with no mow bee gardens. This year we added garden maintenance to the mix so gardening is not a chore but is enjoyable. We recommend them very highly.

– Rebecca S.
Google ★★★★★

Minnehaha Falls landscaping did an amazing job transforming our yard. They added beautiful plantings that made the yard feel fresh and new. The lighting they installed really makes everything shine at night. They were professional, creative and very easy to work with. We have had so many compliments from our neighbors! I highly recommend to anyone!

– Laura J.

Which Eagan Permit Does Your Wall Need?

Eagan sorts retaining walls into two permit types based on height, measured from the bottom of the foundation course. The dividing line falls at four feet.

Walls Under Four Feet: Zoning Permit

Eagan requires a zoning permit for retaining walls under four feet tall. The zoning permit focuses on city code standards such as setbacks, hard surface coverage, and structure height. It’s a lighter review than a building permit, but it still has to be in place before work begins, which is why we build it into the schedule from the first conversation rather than treating it as a formality.

Walls Four Feet and Taller: Building Permit

Once a wall reaches four feet, Eagan requires a building permit instead, with review under the state building code. State rules also call for a permit on a wall of any height that supports a surcharge, meaning extra load above it, such as a driveway or structure. These are the walls where design details matter most, so we plan the base, drainage, and reinforcement together and prepare the drawings the review requires, working with a Minnesota-licensed engineer when the design calls for one.

Retaining Wall Design for Every Height

Whatever the height, every retaining wall installation we do gets the same compacted base and drainage behind the face. What changes are the permit, the reinforcement, and the look, chosen from the materials and wall systems we install.

  • Garden and edging walls. Low walls that frame beds or hold back a gentle slope. They’re easy to assume are permit-free, so we handle the zoning permit and design within the city’s setback and height standards.
  • Walls that level a yard. A taller wall turns a sloping backyard into a flat space for a patio or lawn. Since these walls often reach four feet, we plan the reinforcement, drainage, and building permit together.
  • Walls with built-in steps. Steps set into the wall connect the upper and lower parts of the yard without a separate staircase, so moving between levels feels as easy as crossing the lawn.
  • Walls next to patios and driveways. A wall below a patio or driveway carries that weight too. We design for the load and plan the patio and wall as one layout, since Eagan’s zoning review looks at hard surface coverage.

Our Process

Our retaining wall work follows our general project process, adjusted for Eagan’s permit steps. It comes down to four parts.

  1. Visit and measure. We’ll walk the slope together, measure the height the wall needs, and talk about how you plan to use the area.
  2. Design and estimate. You’ll see the proposed wall on paper, with an itemized estimate and a note on which Eagan permit applies.
  3. Permit and locates. We prepare and submit the zoning or building permit application and have underground utilities marked before excavation. 
  4. Build and follow up. Our crew lays drain tile behind the wall, backfills with clean stone, tidies the site, and follows up twice in the first year.

Why Eagan Homeowners Choose Minnehaha Falls Landscaping

Every wall in Eagan needs a permit of some kind, so the builder you choose should treat paperwork as part of the craft. Behind that approach is a company the Lindgren family founded in 1957 and Russ Henry and Chesney Engquist have led since 2017. 

  • Permits handled as part of the build. Whether your wall needs a zoning permit or a building permit, we prepare it alongside the design so approval and construction stay on schedule.
  • Soil insight before design. Our Certified Soil Life Consultant shapes how the base, drainage, and backfill come together for each wall. 

If the project grows, our other landscaping and hardscape work can be planned right alongside the wall.

Work With a Trusted Retaining Wall Builder in Eagan

You don’t need to know which permit your wall needs before you call. Tell us what’s going on with the slope, and we’ll walk it with you, sort out the permit, and show you the kind of wall your yard calls for. No pressure, just a straight conversation about what will work. Outside Eagan? We also build in every city in our service area.

Eagan Retaining Wall FAQs

Yes. Eagan requires a zoning permit for retaining walls under four feet tall, which checks standards such as setbacks, hard surface coverage, and structure height. The permit needs to be in place before the wall is built.

At four feet or taller, measured from the bottom of the foundation course. A wall of any height also needs a building permit under state rules if there's a driveway, structure, or other surcharge load above it. We'll tell you which permit applies during the estimate.

The zoning permit helps make sure a wall meets city code standards like setbacks and hard surface coverage before it's built. Catching an issue on paper is far easier than moving a finished wall.

It can, so we plan where the water will go before we build. Drain tile and clean stone backfill carry water away from the back of the wall, and we route it so it doesn't end up somewhere new, like against your foundation or in a neighbor's yard.

For walls we build in Eagan, we prepare the permit application and handle the submission, since the city asks the person or contractor doing the work to apply. If the city needs anything from you as the property owner, such as a signature, we'll let you know and walk you through it.

See Our Work

bee-safe-1

As the education and advocacy branch, we work with community partners to create safe places for our pollinators, one garden, yard, business, school, church, conversation at a time. We know that together, we can build the buzz!

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As the construction branch of Minnehaha Falls Landscaping, we build outdoor decks, steps, railings, pergolas, fences, and planters. When it gets colder, we step inside to remodel living spaces with creativity and craftsmanship, including cabinetry.

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As the gardening branch, we work within your landscape to grow plants, flowers, shrubs and woodland gardens that are beautiful, restorative, and safe for birds, people, pets, and pollinators. We also install bee-friendly lawns and do spring and fall clean-up.

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Call us at 612-724-5454 to see what is possible with landscape design and construction, organic gardening, and indoor remodeling.

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