Backyard Firepit built into a hill

The solution is moderation.

When faced with a hill like this one, many clients want to dig all the way in to a hill or build a wall all the way to the highest point to gain flat ground suitable for a fire pit area. But those options both increase the chance for problems and increase cost. Sometimes, and in this situation, the most cost effective solution is also the most structurally sound solution.

We chose to dig the top side out halfway down to the low side then build the low side halfway up to patio grade. This solution saved machine time and material cost and made this a more stable construction. The reason is that building a single 4′ tall wall requires geo-grid and engineering to build, but 2 walls that are both 2′ tall reduce the load and eliminate the need for railings. They also happen to be a great seat height for built in seating around the fire pit.

We used drainage tile and vents along with soil re enforcement on the low side since the wall on the bottom would need to support the load of the patio and fire pit.

Building a raised patio requires special considerations to avoid settling and this patio has stayed solid for 2 years and running. In other words, don’t try this at home.