This page covers Washington Township in Warren County, not the borough at its center. If you live in the older downtown, our Washington Borough page is the one for you. The township wraps around the borough with a mix of subdivisions, many of them built in recent decades, and older homes and farmland toward its edges, including the communities of Brass Castle and Port Colden. Lots are larger than in the borough, and many of them slope noticeably from the street to the back of the yard.
Making a sloping backyard usable
A two story house on a rolling lot often has a walkout basement and a back lawn that drops away. That is a common pattern here, and it is the reason retaining walls are such a big part of our work in the township. One well placed wall can create a flat terrace off the kitchen. Two or three shorter walls can step down to a lower patio by the walkout door, with steps built into the walls to connect the levels.
Every wall gets a compacted base, drainage stone and a pipe to carry water away, because the soil behind a wall on a slope is always pushing.
Patios, pool decks and fire pits
With the slope handled, the rest of the yard opens up. A paver patio with a seating wall and fire pit, a walkway around the house or a pool deck with stone coping all fit naturally on a terrace. Many owners build in phases: walls and patio first, then a fire pit or pool surround once the space is in use.
Planning points for the township
- Township building department. Separate from the borough. Wall height and location affect what is required.
- Utilities and septic. Many homes outside the borough have septic systems. Mark them before design.
- Drainage to neighbors. Walls and patios must not push water onto the lot below.
- Access. On sloped yards we plan how equipment reaches the back without rutting the lawn.
Washington Township is part of our Warren County service area, together with nearby Mansfield and Franklin Township. When you are ready to plan your yard, schedule a free estimate.
