Landscaping and hardscaping failures range from heaved interlock and cracked retaining walls to dead plants and drainage problems that flood your basement every spring. Some failures are immediately obvious; others develop gradually over one or two seasons. Here’s what to do when you discover the work wasn’t done correctly.

“The homeowners who get the best outcomes after a failed hardscape installation are the ones who documented the base preparation at the time — who asked to see the excavation depth, who photographed the granular base before it was covered. Without that documentation, a contractor can always claim the base was adequate and the heaving was caused by unusual frost. With it, the conversation is very different.”

— Nadia Petrov, certified landscape professional and hardscape designer with 21 years of experience in residential landscape and hardscape installation in the local area

Step 1: Document the Problem Thoroughly

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Before contacting anyone, document the failure completely:

  • Photograph everything — heaved or settled interlock, cracked retaining wall, erosion patterns, drainage failures, dead or struggling plants
  • Note when the problem appeared and what preceded it (a hard frost, a heavy rain, the first summer after installation)
  • Gather all records — the original quote, the contract, any warranty documentation, and any photos you took during installation
  • If you have installation photos showing the base depth or soil conditions, locate them now

For hardscape failures in particular, any documentation of the installation conditions — excavation depth, base material, drainage installation — is invaluable. Without it, causation is harder to establish.

Step 2: Identify What Failed and Why

Before contacting the contractor, have a clear understanding of what failed and a reasonable hypothesis about why:

Interlock heaving or settling: Almost always a base preparation failure — inadequate depth, wrong material, inadequate compaction, or poor drainage.

Retaining wall movement or cracking: Base depth, drainage behind the wall, or inadequate geogrid reinforcement.

Drainage problems: Improper slope, inadequate drainage infrastructure, or grade that was changed in ways that redirected water toward structures.

Plant failure: May be a plant guarantee claim (plant died despite proper care), a planting error (wrong plant for the conditions, planted at wrong depth), or a post-installation care failure.

If the cause is unclear, an independent assessment by a landscape professional or engineer will establish it objectively.

Step 3: Contact the Contractor in Writing

Notify the contractor by email. Describe:

  • The specific failure — what it is, where it is, and when you first noticed it
  • Your belief that it falls within the workmanship warranty or plant guarantee
  • Your request for an inspection and remediation

Give the contractor 5–10 business days to respond. Keep all records of communications.

Step 4: Get an Independent Assessment for Significant Failures

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For any significant hardscape failure — particularly retaining wall movement, widespread interlock failure, or drainage problems affecting your foundation — hire an independent landscape professional or civil engineer to assess the cause. Their written assessment is the objective evidence that supports your warranty claim and any legal action.

A a recognized landscaping trade association member contractor or a professional engineer (for structural failures) can provide this assessment. The cost is typically $300–$800 and is well worth it for a project that cost $20,000+.

Step 5: File a Complaint with a recognized landscaping trade association

If the contractor is a a recognized landscaping trade association member, file a formal complaint through the association’s member relations process at landscapeontario.Com. LO can investigate and apply professional pressure that regulatory bodies sometimes can’t.

Also consider:

your local consumer protection office (consumerprotectionontario.Ca): For unfair business practices or failure to deliver the service as represented.

Better Business Bureau: Creates a public record.

Step 6: Municipal Building Department (for Permit Violations)

If the project required a permit that wasn’t obtained — most commonly retaining walls above threshold heights — contact your local municipal building department. They can require the contractor to obtain retroactive permits, which typically involves inspection and potentially remediation to bring the work up to code.

Step 7: Small Claims Court

For unresolved financial disputes within the regional limit (up to $35,000 in many regions), small claims court is an option. You’ll need the original contract, the warranty document, the independent assessment, and evidence of the cost to remediate the failed work.

Prevention

The hardscaping failures that end in disputes almost always showed warning signs at the quoting stage: no base depth specified, price dramatically lower than other quotes, no mention of drainage, no a recognized landscaping trade association membership. Asking the right questions before hiring remains your most effective protection.

See: Questions to Ask a Landscaper or Hardscaping Contractor Before You Hire One

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