Some projects update a house. This one rebuilt a whole property. Tan and Sem hired us for a full front yard transformation at their historic cottage in Austin, TX 78703, and it became one of our favorite hardscaping in Austin jobs of the year. We tore out the old walkways and failing retaining walls, rebuilt everything with new pressure treated retaining walls and a French drain, laid a Belgard paver walkway, added a new front porch deck with stairs, and repainted the entire exterior. Here is how it all came together.
Hardscaping in Austin: Project Overview
The cottage sits on a sloped lot just west of downtown, so drainage and grade drove the whole design. The old front yard had cracked concrete paths, 88 feet of failing retaining walls, and Colorado river rock scattered across the front and back. Tan and Sem wanted a clean, functional yard that handled water properly and matched the charm of the house. We planned this hardscaping in Austin project as one connected system, from demolition and drainage to the finished pavers and paint. Here is the project at a glance.
| Project Detail | Specification |
| Location | Austin, TX 78703 |
| Retaining Walls | 88 linear feet of pressure treated walls in three sections |
| Drainage | French drain behind the walls and across the front of the house |
| Walkway | Approx. 285 sq ft of Belgard pavers with a concrete border and polymeric sand |
| Porch | New front porch deck, concrete steps, and a wood stair extension |
| Exterior | Full repaint, one coat of primer plus two coats of Sherwin-Williams |
| Clients | Tan and Sem |
Before: A Dated Front Yard and Tired Exterior
Here is where we started. The cottage had wonderful historic character, but the front yard had seen better days. The concrete walkway was cracked and uneven, the retaining walls were failing, and river rock had spread across the front and back. The paint was faded, and the grade let water run the wrong way toward the house. It was a lot to fix, but it also meant we could design the entire yard as one clean system instead of patching pieces.
Before: a cracked concrete walkway and a tired front yard.Demolition and Regrading
Every good hardscape starts with a clean slate. We excavated the entire front yard, stripped and removed the top layer of soil and grass, and demolished the old concrete walkways and all 88 feet of the existing retaining walls. We cleaned up and hauled off the Colorado river rock from both the front and back, then loaded and properly disposed of every bit of debris, soil, concrete, rock, and old wall. With the area cleared, we rough graded the whole yard to a clean, level surface ready for the new build. Handling the tear out ourselves keeps a project like this on schedule, and it is the same care we bring to every demolition job.
Pressure Treated Retaining Walls and a French Drain
The backbone of this hardscaping in Austin project is the retaining walls. We rebuilt all 88 linear feet in three sections using pressure treated lumber. First we dug footing trenches and poured 4000 PSI concrete footings with embedded rebar, then set pressure treated posts every two feet and built the walls up with 2×12 pressure treated lumber, exactly as we laid out with Tan and Sem during the site meeting. Because the lot slopes toward the house, we ran a French drain behind all of the retaining walls and across the front to carry water away from the foundation. Good drainage is what keeps a retaining wall standing and a yard usable, so we never treat it as an afterthought.
The new pressure treated retaining wall with a French drain behind it.A Belgard Paver Walkway Built to Last
The new walkway is about 285 square feet of Belgard pavers, and it is built to hold up for decades. After marking the layout for final confirmation, we excavated and graded the path, treated the subgrade with professional grade weed control, and mechanically compacted a base to create a smooth, stable foundation. We laid two layers of commercial grade weed barrier, set the Belgard pavers in the pattern the owners chose, and locked everything in with a continuous reinforced concrete border so nothing shifts over time. Polymeric joint sand went in last to lock the pavers together and hold weeds down, and we tied a linear drain into the French drain system so water always has somewhere to go.
The new Belgard paver walkway wrapping the porch, with a poured concrete border.A New Front Porch Deck and Stairs
With the drainage and pavers in, we turned to the porch. We built a new front porch deck and extended the existing wood stairs about five feet out from the new post supporting the porch, then added concrete steps to tie the entry cleanly into the new walkway. The result is a front porch that feels solid and welcoming and flows right onto the pavers. If you want to see more of our deck work, take a look at our deck building page.
A new front porch deck, wood steps, and the paver walkway below.Full Exterior Painting
To finish the transformation, we repainted the entire house. We power washed the whole exterior, porch, and railings, replaced rotten wood, and re nailed or secured any loose boards, siding, and trim. Then we scraped and sanded, sealed and caulked around every window, door, and connection, and covered anything we wanted to protect. One coat of primer and two coats of Sherwin-Williams paint in the color Tan and Sem picked brought the cottage back to life in a cheerful yellow with crisp white trim. You can read more about our full exterior painting services.
The Finished Front Yard Transformation
Put it all together and Tan and Sem have a front yard that works as hard as it looks. The retaining walls hold the slope, the French drain moves the water, the Belgard walkway leads right up to a fresh porch, and the whole cottage looks sharp in its new paint. It is exactly the kind of complete hardscaping in Austin project that turns an aging property into a standout on the block.
The finished project from above, with new retaining walls, deck, and a regraded yard.Why Austin Homeowners Choose Brentwood Homecraft
With more than 4,000 completed projects and over twelve years serving Austin and the surrounding Hill Country, we handle demolition, drainage, hardscaping, carpentry, and paint all under one roof, so a big project like this stays coordinated from the first day to the last. As a team that takes on hardscaping in Austin along with full exterior remodels, we make sure every part works together. Browse our exterior remodeling work or read what neighbors are saying in our client reviews.
Ready to rebuild your front yard?
Tell us about your slope, your drainage, and the look you want, and we will help you plan a hardscaping in Austin project that lasts for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best material for a retaining wall in Austin?
It depends on the height, the load, and the look you are after. Pressure treated wood on poured concrete footings with posts every two feet is strong, cost effective, and fast to build, and we also build stone and block walls. Whatever the material, proper drainage behind the wall matters more than almost anything else.
Why do I need a French drain behind a retaining wall?
Water pressure building up behind a wall is the number one reason retaining walls fail. A French drain relieves that pressure and carries water away, which is especially important on a sloped Austin lot. We install it behind the wall and tie it into the walkway drains so everything moves water in the same direction.
How long does a Belgard paver walkway last?
With a properly compacted base, a reinforced concrete border, and polymeric sand, a Belgard paver walkway lasts for decades. Individual pavers can also be lifted and reset if you ever need to, which is a real advantage over poured concrete that cracks and has to be broken out.
