Hate Your Sloped Yard? Here's a Game-Changing Solution!

A homeowner in Peachtree City had been fighting her sloped backyard for years. The lot dropped about eight feet from the back of the house to the property line — a 15% grade that made the entire backyard unusable. Every time it rained, water sheeted across the slope, carrying mulch, soil, and grass seed into the neighbor's yard.

When she called us (originally about raccoons under her deck — the slope had created a perfect den site beneath the elevated deck structure), we ended up discussing her yard challenges as well.

The Problems Slopes Create

Erosion. Georgia's 50–55 inches of annual rainfall delivers tremendous water volume to sloped surfaces, carrying soil downhill.

Unusable outdoor space. You can't place a patio, firepit, or play structure on a steep slope.

Drainage problems. Slopes direct water toward whatever is at the bottom. If your home is at the bottom, you're dealing with water intrusion.

Wildlife habitat. Unmanaged slopes create ideal habitat for wildlife. Groundhogs burrow into hillsides. Snakes use rock walls. Raccoons den under elevated decks.

Maintenance difficulty. Mowing slopes over 15% grade is genuinely dangerous.

Solutions for Sloped Yards

Retaining walls are the most transformative solution. Costs: $25–$50 per square face foot for engineered block systems. Walls over 4 feet require engineering and permitting.

French drains and grading address drainage without major structural work. Cost: $25–$50 per linear foot. Typical system: $1,500–$5,000 installed.

Terracing with plantings is a lower-cost alternative to retaining walls for moderate slopes (8–15% grade).

Erosion control matting and hydroseeding provide immediate slope stabilization for newly graded areas.

Dry creek beds provide controlled paths for storm water. Cost: $10–$25 per linear foot.

The Wildlife Connection

• Retaining walls with gaps provide den sites for snakes, chipmunks, and mice
• Elevated decks on slopes create sheltered spaces where raccoons, opossums, and skunks den
• Eroded slopes with exposed roots provide burrow sites for groundhogs
• Overgrown, unmowed slopes attract rodents and their predators (snakes)

When we address wildlife issues at homes with sloped yards, we often recommend landscape modifications as part of the long-term prevention strategy.

If your sloped yard is creating erosion problems, drainage issues, or wildlife habitat — The Outdoors Group can remove the animals, address the entry points, and recommend landscape solutions.

Call (770) 545-4388 or schedule a free wildlife inspection.