This is the layout of your property showing the house and how it sits in relation to the property lines. The survey should show any easements or setbacks along with any solid structures like a separate garage, an existing retaining wall, and/or a driveway. A true survey will show all these things and include dimensions. In addition, it will be signed and stamped by a certified Georgia company. Each municipality is different. For example, unincorporated Cobb County will accept a GIS picture of the property from their website compared to the City of Sandy Springs, which requires a stamped survey showing structures, property lines, topographic lines, and all specimen trees with their critical root zones and ARC calculations. This type of survey usually costs a minimum of $2,500 depending on the size of the property. The process of obtaining a survey of your property will take approximately 2-3 weeks. A survey is not included in our quote.

If the wall is over 4’ tall, it will require that a certified Georgia engineer create drawings that are specific to the site and retaining wall. To do this, any engineer will need a copy of the survey. This part of the process will take approximately 2 weeks to complete. When it is completed, you will have several pages of the bird’s eye view of the site showing existing (if any) retaining walls and the proposed retaining wall along with elevation drawings showing the front view of the wall when it is completed. There will be design information and requirements as to how the wall should be built and with what materials including footing and backfill behind the wall. Your engineered drawings will also include design calculations. Maurer Co includes engineered drawings if they are required.

After the engineered drawings are completed, a permit can be applied for. Each municipality requires a different number of copies, so it is best to call first. In most cases, you will take your engineered drawings that include your survey, the specific application, and fees. Fees can range from $75 in Cobb County to $1,200 in Johns Creek. Also, some municipalities require indemnification forms to be signed by the property owner and engineer and some require other various items such as a driver’s license, pictures of the material that you plan to use, or a form signed stating that you will not harm any trees. The permit process can take as little as 45 minutes in Cobb County to 3-4 months in Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Brookhaven, or Atlanta, respectively. Maurer Co includes permits in our quote.

Each municipality requires that you post the permit on site before and during construction. Often, you must install siltation control and/or safety fencing or tree protection and call for an inspection before you move any dirt. When you are given the go-ahead to begin, inspections should be called in accordingly. If an engineered drawing is required, an independent inspector will inspect the wall and an engineered certification letter will be issued upon completion and final payment.

#811 Utilities Locate will come and mark the utilities on your property. Please let us know if you notice kids or anyone else moving or tampering with the flags or markings. It is possible that your phone or cable line could be accidentally cut during construction. If this occurs, it should be repaired within a day or so.

Mobilizing and starting your job will be done as quickly and as soon as possible. Everything that we touch is extremely heavy and hard to move. We will do our best to keep you updated on materials, equipment, and crews moving to your home, but within the week of mobilizing your job, it will be difficult to give exact times of arrival. Please be patient with us.

We will make every effort to minimize the mess and disturbance to your property and neighborhood.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the office or Pete directly. Please do not stop the crews from working. They are very experienced and have been given directions to follow the project scope. Do not ask the crews to do any additional work or change the scope at all. Any changes to the scope of work will only be done via a Change Order generated by the office. 

The grass and landscaping within our 10’ access path and construction area are going to be damaged. The disturbed areas will be graded and replaced with seed and straw unless a Change Order is requested. 

As with any construction project of this type, your yard may be muddy and have rock piles and other large pallets of materials. We will consolidate our trash and materials and sweep the construction area often.

Our crews will always be courteous and respectful; we will minimize and park smart on the street.

Heavy rain events can impact our project schedule as much as 3 days per rain event.

During or after heavy rain events, we may deem that it is unsafe and/or unproductive for us to work and may not conduct activities. However, we will secure the job site to minimize rain delays.

As with any excavation activity, there is a risk of “unforeseen conditions” such as large deposits of rock underground, utilities, or unsuitable soils. We will contact you immediately with any issues that may arise. Irrigation repair is the responsibility of the homeowner. If unsuitable soils are found within the construction area, you will be notified, and an independent engineer will be called to the site to inspect the soils. If the engineer and inspector deem the soil to be unsuitable to use as a base for the wall or as backfill for the wall, they will require that the unsuitable soil be removed and good soil be replaced before moving forward. The removal and replacement will be a change order and the costs will be the responsibility of the homeowner. This is rare but entirely possible.

Your cable line may be cut. It is marked but often only buried a few inches. Please let the office know if your cable/internet is out. The office will contact 811 but the fastest way to have your cable restored is for the homeowner to call and request that it be fixed.

Please do not let children play on or around our equipment and/or materials. It is unsafe to walk on top of the wall, especially before the cap has been glued down. Gluing will be one of the last things that we do. 

During your project, there may be times when open trenches, holes, or pits may exist. Please take extra caution keeping kids and pets at a safe distance from the site.

The dust that is created from cutting blocks and pavers is not safe to breathe. We ask that you keep your doors and windows closed and keep yourself and others away from the cutting activities.