Hello, just got done excavating for our pool. We over-dug by about 4 feet. The high side had to be dug down about 3 feet to get it level. My question is should I build a retaining wall or backfill up to ground level? What other options do I have? Thanks!
Backfill AGP questions
- Thread starter bighendy
- Start date
We just had this same dilemma, and received conflicting advice. Debated for ages and eventually built a retaining wall around 3/4 of the thing. I just knew that if we backfilled I would always worry that it was causing problems I wouldn't see until it was too late.
Same here. I know from experience you want as much of your walls exposed as possible. You don't wanna have to dig it all up if there is a problem. What I am thinking I'm gonna do is just slope the high side a little more with a shovel and build the deck right over it. Just do plastic, french drain pipe, and gravel around the backside (the side into the hill) and leave my walls exposed.
The warranty for my pool allows it to be buried up to 18". I back-filled to that height, then built a retaining wall to hold back the remaining slope. It only took 2 courses of your standard pavestone type block for me to get back to grade. It is soon to be hidden under a pressure treated deck.