Landscaping Company in Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228

Retaining Walls, Drainage, Patios, Fencing & Outdoor Living

In an established community like Mt. Lebanon, improving a yard isn’t always about starting with a blank slate.

Many properties already have mature landscaping, older retaining walls, existing patios, fences, walkways and years of changes made by previous homeowners. Add Western Pennsylvania’s hills and drainage challenges, and a seemingly simple backyard project can require some careful planning.

NLC Landscaping & Design provides professional landscaping services in Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228, helping homeowners improve outdoor spaces with retaining walls, drainage solutions, hardscaping, paver patios, fencing, sod installation, landscape design, excavation and custom decks.

Whether you’re replacing something that’s no longer working or redesigning several areas of the property, our goal is to create an outdoor space that makes sense for your home.

Landscaping for Established Mt. Lebanon Properties

Older neighborhoods can present a different set of landscaping challenges than newer developments.

You may be working around mature trees, existing walls, narrow access points, older patios or a backyard where every square foot matters.

That doesn’t mean your options are limited.

It means the project needs to be planned around what’s already there.

Before recommending work, we look at the existing property and talk with you about what you’d like to change.

Maybe you’re tired of maintaining a steep section of lawn. Maybe water collects at the bottom of the yard. Maybe an old retaining wall is starting to lean. Or perhaps the backyard simply doesn’t provide enough comfortable space for your family anymore.

Those are the kinds of problems we want to understand before we start talking about solutions.

Retaining Wall Installation in Mt. Lebanon

Retaining walls are particularly important on properties where homes and yards follow the natural hills of the area.

NLC installs block, natural stone, decorative and tiered retaining walls for homeowners who need to manage elevation changes, replace aging walls or create more useful outdoor areas.

A retaining wall project isn’t just about what you see when the work is finished. Proper site preparation and drainage also matter.

Is It Time to Replace an Older Retaining Wall?

Mt. Lebanon has plenty of established properties where landscape walls have already been in place for many years. Over time, you may begin noticing:

  • Leaning or bowing
  • Cracks or separation
  • Blocks or stones shifting
  • Soil washing around the wall
  • Erosion
  • Settlement
  • Water collecting behind the wall
  • Sections that no longer appear level

When replacing an older wall, we don’t automatically assume the new wall should be identical to the old one. Sometimes the existing layout can be improved.

A replacement wall may provide an opportunity to create more usable lawn, improve access, incorporate steps, establish planting areas or better connect different elevations of the property.

Creating More Usable Space on a Sloped Yard

A hillside can take up a surprising amount of property without providing much useful space.

That’s where thoughtful grading, retaining walls and hardscaping can make a significant difference.

Depending on the property, a project might create separate levels for a:

Patio \u2192 Lawn \u2192 Garden \u2192 Walkway \u2192 Seating Area

Instead of having one difficult slope, the yard can become a series of spaces that each have a purpose.

This approach can be particularly useful on properties where the overall lot isn’t enormous and maximizing usable space matters.

French Drains & Yard Drainage in Mt. Lebanon

Water follows gravity, and Pittsburgh’s hills make that very apparent.

If your property sits below another section of land, water may naturally travel toward your yard. Low spots can remain wet long after a storm has passed, while slopes may experience erosion or washed-out landscaping.

NLC provides French drain installation and yard drainage solutions designed around the conditions found on the property.

Common drainage problems include:

  • Standing water
  • Soggy lawns
  • Muddy low areas
  • Hillside runoff
  • Soil erosion
  • Mulch washing from landscape beds
  • Water collecting around retaining walls
  • Runoff crossing patios or walkways
  • Grass struggling in consistently wet areas

Don't Hide a Drainage Problem With Landscaping

Putting new sod, plants or mulch over an existing drainage problem may make the yard look better temporarily. It doesn’t necessarily solve what’s happening underneath.

Before making larger improvements, we want to understand where the water is coming from, where it is going and why it is collecting.

A French drain may be appropriate in some situations. Other properties may require a different approach to grading or drainage. The site should determine the solution.

Paver Patios & Hardscaping in Mt. Lebanon

When backyard space is limited, good design becomes even more important.

You don’t necessarily need a massive patio.

You need a patio that’s appropriately sized and positioned for the way you’ll actually use it.

NLC installs paver patios, walkways and other hardscape features that can be incorporated with landscaping, retaining walls, drainage and fencing.

A patio can provide space for:

  • Outdoor dining
  • Grilling
  • Fire pits
  • Conversation areas
  • Entertaining
  • Family gatherings
  • Outdoor furniture

Before construction, we consider how the space connects to the house and surrounding yard. A few feet in the wrong direction can make a noticeable difference on a smaller property.

Walkways, Steps & Changes in Elevation

Sometimes the issue isn’t where you want to go in the backyard. It’s getting there comfortably.

Properties with elevation changes may benefit from walkways, landscape steps, retaining walls or hardscape transitions that make it easier to move between the house, patio and lawn.

These features can also help define the landscape visually.

Rather than treating steps or a walkway as an afterthought, we can consider them as part of the overall outdoor design.

Fence Installation for Privacy

In neighborhoods where homes can be relatively close together, privacy can dramatically change how a backyard feels.

NLC provides wood privacy fencing, vinyl fencing, decorative fencing and custom fence layouts.

Homeowners may choose fencing to:

  • Create more privacy
  • Enclose a backyard for children
  • Create a secure area for pets
  • Define property boundaries
  • Separate outdoor living spaces
  • Complement a patio or deck

Fence installation on a sloped property also requires attention to elevation changes. If the project includes retaining walls or hardscaping, coordinating the fence layout at the same time can produce a cleaner finished result.

Custom Decks for Mt. Lebanon Homes

A deck can be particularly valuable when the house sits above the backyard or the property has a significant change in elevation.

NLC builds pressure-treated wood and composite decks, including elevated and multi-level configurations where appropriate.

Deck projects can include:

  • Custom stairs
  • Railings
  • Privacy features
  • Integrated seating
  • Lighting
  • Pergolas
  • Deck replacement
  • Deck expansion

Because NLC also provides landscaping and hardscaping, we can look at what happens below and around the deck, too.

A larger project might combine:

Deck + Lower Patio + Retaining Wall + Drainage + Landscaping

That creates a more cohesive outdoor living area than designing each component separately.

Sod Installation & Lawn Restoration

A lawn doesn’t have to occupy the entire backyard to be valuable.

Even a smaller lawn can provide open space for children, pets or simply a clean transition between landscape areas.

NLC provides sod installation and lawn restoration as standalone improvements and as finishing work following other projects.

If we’re replacing a retaining wall, correcting drainage, installing fencing or building a patio, sod can help restore disturbed sections of the yard.

But if the old grass struggled because the soil stayed wet, we want to address that issue before installing the new lawn.

Updating an Older Backyard Without Starting Over

Not every property needs to be stripped down and rebuilt.

Sometimes there are features worth keeping.

Maybe the mature trees are beautiful. Maybe part of the existing patio works well. Maybe the lawn is fine but the retaining wall needs replacement.

A good renovation can work around what’s already successful while changing the areas that aren’t.

For example:

Keep: Mature landscaping and established trees
Replace: Aging retaining wall
Improve: Drainage and grading
Add: Paver seating area
Finish: Privacy fencing and sod

The result can feel completely different without unnecessarily rebuilding every part of the property.

One Contractor for a Multi-Part Outdoor Project

Backyard problems are often connected.

Consider a property where an older retaining wall needs to be replaced and water collects below it.

The homeowner also wants to enlarge the patio.

The correct order might be:

Remove Existing Wall \u2192 Address Drainage \u2192 Build New Retaining Wall \u2192 Prepare Patio \u2192 Install Pavers \u2192 Restore Landscaping

Doing the patio first wouldn’t make much sense.

NLC’s ability to handle multiple types of outdoor work means we can look at how different parts of the project affect one another before construction begins.

A Local Landscaping Company Based Nearby

NLC Landscaping & Design is based in Carnegie, PA, only a short distance from Mt. Lebanon and Pittsburgh’s South Hills.

NLC Landscaping & Design
337 Lincoln Ave.
Carnegie, PA 15106

That proximity is worth emphasizing for both customers and local search visibility.

Based in Carnegie. Serving Mt. Lebanon & Pittsburgh’s South Hills.

Our Approach to Mt. Lebanon Landscaping Projects

1

Start With the Problem

You don’t need to tell us exactly what service you need. Tell us what you’re experiencing. \u201cMy backyard stays wet.\u201d \u201cThis wall keeps leaning farther.\u201d \u201cWe never use this part of the yard.\u201d \u201cWe’d like more privacy.\u201d Those are good places to start.

2

Look at the Existing Property

We consider relevant site conditions such as grade, drainage, access, slopes and existing improvements.

3

Determine What Should Stay

Especially on established properties, there may be landscape features worth preserving.

4

Plan the Improvements

If several components are involved, we look at how they need to work together.

5

Complete the Project

The goal is an outdoor space that looks better but also functions better for the property and homeowner.

Why Choose NLC Landscaping & Design?

NLC combines traditional landscaping with many of the construction-oriented services required for more complicated outdoor improvements.

Our services include:

  • Landscape design
  • Retaining wall installation
  • Retaining wall replacement
  • French drains
  • Drainage solutions
  • Grading
  • Excavation
  • Paver patios
  • Hardscaping
  • Walkways and steps
  • Fence installation
  • Sod installation
  • Custom decks
  • Complete backyard improvements

For Mt. Lebanon homeowners, that means one contractor can potentially coordinate several related parts of an outdoor renovation.

Mt. Lebanon Landscaping FAQs

Yes. NLC Landscaping & Design serves homeowners throughout Pittsburgh and surrounding communities, including the South Hills. Contact NLC with your Mt. Lebanon property address to discuss your project.
NLC provides landscaping, retaining walls, French drains and drainage solutions, hardscaping, paver patios and walkways, fencing, sod installation, excavation and custom deck construction.
Yes. NLC installs and replaces retaining walls. The property, surrounding grade and drainage conditions should be considered when planning the replacement.
Yes. NLC provides French drains and other drainage solutions. The appropriate approach depends on where the water originates and how it moves through the property.
Depending on the property, retaining walls can help manage elevation changes and create more defined areas for lawns, patios, walkways or landscaping.
Yes. NLC installs paver patios, walkways and other hardscape features.
Yes. NLC provides wood privacy, vinyl, decorative and custom fencing.
Access is one of the conditions that should be evaluated before the project begins. Let NLC know about narrow side yards, gates, slopes or other access restrictions when requesting an estimate.
Yes. NLC builds pressure-treated wood and composite decks and can coordinate deck projects with landscaping, patios, retaining walls, drainage and fencing.
Yes. NLC’s range of services allows related work such as retaining walls, drainage, patios, fencing, landscaping and decks to be considered as part of the same overall project.
Yes. Contact NLC Landscaping & Design to request a free estimate for your project.

Request a Free Landscaping Estimate in Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228

You don’t need to have your entire backyard designed before contacting us.

Maybe you know the retaining wall needs attention. Maybe the lawn stays wet. Maybe you’re tired of maintaining a steep slope or you’d simply like somewhere better to sit outside.

Show us what you’re working with and tell us what you’d like to change. NLC Landscaping & Design can evaluate the property and discuss options for making the outdoor space work better for your home.

Call (412) 251-7864
Get My Free Estimate