[Terre]

Have a client, doing an addition on the side and rear of their home. My job is to design the landscape plan, so that any necessary modifications are done, before the addition eliminates access by anything bigger than a wheelbarrow.

The home backs to open space, on the side of a hill/mountain. The addition design calls for multiple retaining walls, since the L shaped addition will require some excavation into the side of the hill, and the current design calls for a courtyard 12-15ft further back into the side of the hill.

I would be the favorite person, if I could come up with a design that reduced the current estimate of $15 to 20K for removal of soil and rock. My idea, not even really a design yet, is to make a two level courtyard, instead of having to remove a 15 x 20 area of ground 10 ft deep. I'd use retaining walls, two level, semicircular on right rear of the addition, the possibly made out of the material from Hercules Mfg, creating a green, living wall.

Is this even feasible?

[agla]

The picture is too small for me to read and too distorted when I blow it up to see what the grades are.

You could see if the architect will work with you by doing a foundation design that will allow you to fill, or not have to cut, up against the house depending on whether or not there is to be a door there.

[Terre]

Can't figure out how to edit the pdf file and make it readable. However, the grades are 100.0 in the lower left, 105 in the lower right corner. Each succeeding grade line adds 5ft. Finished floor height on the addition is 116.66

[agnieszkahurst]

Terre, I might be able to help with editing the PDF file. PM me if you're interested.