ACROSS THE POND

unknown

I have a landscape project ongoing and needed to purchase some stone for the current phase. I asked question pertaining to my plan and recieved the assistance I needed.

If you have need of a structural retaining wall (greater than 4 ft high), this review is for you. When I purchased my home 17 years ago, it had a railroad tie retaining wall holding up one side of my front yard. I knew it was something that would eventually have to be replaced. It was a neighborhood eyesore, and over the years began to bow out. For the past 8 years I have been reading up on wall design, and examining any walls under construction that I came across. I had gotten several estimates on the work a few years ago, and was shocked at the bids I received. I interviewed each of the contractors I considered, and looked at examples of their work, but was unable to get the work done due to the cost. This year I was better prepared financially, and decided to try again. I began by looking at blocks at Across the Pond, who referred me to Adam Ragland, of Ragland Topsoil and Landscaping. Adam gave me a photo book of the walls he had done previously, and took me on a lengthy tour of walls he built in the Huntsville area. I was VERY impressed. Adam's work was far more advanced than the previous contractors I had considered, and his construction technique fell right in line with the techniques I had studied and observed over the years. His bid, fell in the range of the previous bids I had received, but I was far more confident in his ability to execute the job. This wall, at 8 feet max height, required (by City of Huntsville) a civil engineer to be engaged to develop the plan and monitor the construction. Adam referred me to Bill Kennard of GEO Solutions. Bill submitted a set of engineering plans, which again met my expectations in terms of the design based on my years of research on the subject. I submitted my bulding permit request to the City of Huntsville and upon receipt of my permit, the work began. Adam Ragland does not work multiple jobs simultaneously. He brings his crew to your jobsite and they work YOUR job until they are done. Adam leads the work and is present from start to finish. This was very important to me, as it was on the basis of HIS skill that I made my decision to award the contract to his company. Another point that bears saying. Although he does not advertise this, Adam and his workers are Christian men, and conduct themselves accordingly. No profanity, no drinking, etc., and always respecful to my wife, daughter, and myself. A group of hard working men who have worked together for years and know how to do the job. They show up on time and work hard. Adam and his crew began by tearing down the old wall in a controlled manner. They then constructed the new wall in accordance with the plans provided by GEO Solutions, however, it was obvious that Adam knew how the wall was to be built based on his previous experience. The entire job including teardown and construction took 6 days, and was inspected by GEO Solutions during the construction process. The blocks used were provided by Huntsville Hardscapes, which is now a subsidiary of Across the Pond, where I originally began my inquires. These were 60 lb blocks, which are filled with gravel and tied back into the gravel backfill using a geogrid. This technique results in an integrated wall and backfill which is stable and solid. If you observed any of the overpass construction on the Parkway at Weatherly and Whitesburg a year or so ago, a similar technique was used. The overall contact for my job included resodding my front yard and the area at the base of the wall. Adam delivered a truckload of beautiful topsoil, but installation of the sod was delayed due to rain and inability to cut the sod at the sod farm. I have taken advantage of the delay by installing a sprinkler system in my front yard myself, something I have done before. I am looking forward to getting the sod down and finishing this project. So if you are in need of a retaining wall contractor for an engineered wall ( or landscaping for that matter), I heartily recommend Ragland Topsoil and Landscaping and also give a hearty THANK YOU to Trevor at Across the Pond for referring me to Adam Ragland.

Knowledgeable personnel and quality materials - I'll definitely use Across the Pond in the future.

Great service and wonderful workers.