
For homes in Foster, Bond Head and the streets west of North Street, The Setting Stone Company builds a new retaining wall or replaces a failing one in Newcastle, Ontario.
Two things set the job apart here. The village sits in the Wilmot and Graham Creek watersheds, where Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) worked with Clarington on updated floodplain mapping, so GRCA is the place to ask about grading near a valley slope. And the ranch bungalows west of North Street went up in the 1960s and 1970s, so any wall from that time has had decades of frost and water working on it.
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Old timber deserves care. The Ontario Building Code asks for pressure-treated structural wood where a wall is over 1.2 m high or supports ground critical to a foundation, and its notes warn of sudden collapse if tall wood walls are not protected from decay. So we take the old wall down, look at the soil behind it and start again: excavated and compacted base, gravel drainage layer, perforated pipe, then stone or block, with a backward lean on taller walls.
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This village runs from a heritage main street to lakefront bluffs, so the right wall varies by yard. See our Durham Region retaining wall work for the full range.
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Start with GRCA. Its permit page says it may require a permit for projects near a watercourse, floodplain or valley slope, and it lists site grading and placing or removing fill, dirt or stone. That page speaks of the Ganaraska River Watershed and does not name Newcastle, so check GRCA’s mapping tool or ask GRCA.
Clarington adds its own layer: a site alteration permit under By-law 2024-017, and a 0.6 metre offset from property lines. Under the Ontario Building Code, a wall over 1,000 mm in exposed height beside public property, access to a building or private property the public is admitted to is a designated structure and needs a permit. Rules do get updated, so confirm yours with the Building Division.
The park's trail runs on top of a bluff, and the Official Plan bars new structures of any type in the Regulatory Shoreline Area along the lake.
Foster Creek and Wilmot Creek valleylands form the neighbourhood's east and west edges, so slopes there deserve a closer look before any digging.
Bond Head Park sits on Graham Creek, just north of the lake. GRCA points owners to its mapping tool for regulated areas.
Village Centre heritage dwellings are marked on the plan's Map A. If a designation includes your wall, replacing it may need a heritage permit.
A wall quote needs eyes on the slope, the soil and whatever is failing. That is why we come out first instead of guessing on the phone.
Call or send a message, and we reply within 1 business day. The site visit is free and carries no obligation.
We look at creek distance, property lines and the condition of any old wall, then explain which approvals may apply.
Your clear, itemized quote shows where the work goes, and there is no obligation to go ahead.
Our own crew protects your yard, takes the old wall down, builds the new one, cleans up and walks it with you.
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Tim at Setting Stones rebuilt our slipped stone steps and installed a new retaining wall. Hands down the best contractor we’ve worked with. He was professional, listened closely to our vision, and accommodated every design change without complaint. He kept the site immaculate throughout the project, and the finished stonework speaks for itself. Highly recommend.
Samra M. Google reviewI can’t say enough how impressed we are with Tim’s work ethic, attention to detail and just truly making the effort to deliver an impeccable job in our backyard. Our fencing and landscaping are better than we hoped for…highly recommended!
N. Lynch Google reviewHighly recommend! Honest, reliable, and hardworking. Tim takes a lot of pride in his work and is a true perfectionist when it comes to making sure everything is done properly and looks great. You can tell he genuinely cares about the quality of his work and his customers. If you’re looking for someone dependable who does an amazing job, you won’t be disappointed!
Madison Google reviewHave a project in mind? Contact Us Today
You might, because GRCA may require a permit for projects near a watercourse, floodplain, valley slope, wetland, the Lake Ontario shoreline or hazardous lands, under Ontario Regulation 41/24. Its list includes site grading and placing or removing fill, dirt or stone. GRCA points owners to its mapping tool for regulated areas, so that is the first thing to check.
A tall one can be. The Ontario Building Code's notes say wood walls over 1.2 m may pose a danger of sudden collapse to people nearby if the wood is not protected from decay. If a timber retaining wall in your Newcastle yard is leaning or soft, keep people clear of it and have it looked at.
Along the lake, the rules are strict. Clarington's Official Plan bars new buildings or structures of any type in the Regulatory Shoreline Area along the Lake Ontario waterfront, which it describes as subject to dynamic beaches, flooding and erosion. Near Port of Newcastle, find out where that line falls before planning anything.
A wall the Code treats as a designated structure does. That means a wall over 1,000 mm beside public property, access to a building or private property open to the public, and the Ontario Building Code requires guards on all open sides where the public can reach the open space at the top. For a wall in a private yard, we talk through safety at the site visit, especially where the drop is steep.
The site sets the cost: taking out an old wall, height, length, stone or block, drainage and machine access all count. A low wall beside a bungalow west of North Street won't cost what a long one near the Foster Creek valley does. We don't give ballpark phone numbers. We come out free of charge and send a clear, itemized quote. Winter is a good time to plan, because our crew's schedule fills up in spring and summer.
A rebuilt wall pairs well with reset stone steps or a new driveway. More of our work, around the village and beyond it, is listed here.
Call (905) 922-6684 or send a note. We will book a free visit, look at the wall and follow up with an itemized quote.
Expert interlock, flagstone, driveways, retaining walls, decks, and fences across Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Oshawa, and Clarington.
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Such a great company. Incredibly hardworking, reliable and genuinely takes pride in what they do. You can tell how much care and effort is put in and making sure everything is done properly. Would absolutely recommend The Setting Stone Company!
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