Outdoor construction & hardscaping in Clarkston, MI
Retaining walls, decks, and lakefront patios for Clarkston's hills and Deer Lake shoreline.
Clarkston sits on some of the highest, hilliest ground in southeast Michigan — Pine Knob rises past 1,200 feet — with a tiny historic village surrounded by Independence Township and ringed by lakes like Deer Lake. The terrain is glacial knob-and-kettle: rolling hills, wooded ravines, and the headwaters of the Clinton River.
Michigan Outdoor Creations builds retaining walls, decks, patios, and lakefront hardscaping across the Clarkston area, where slope and water define almost every project.
Building in Clarkston.
Oakland County · 48346 / 48348
Clarkston's hills make retaining walls, grading, and slope drainage core work — terracing steep lots into usable yard and controlling erosion on wooded hillsides. It is some of the most demanding terrain in the county, and it rewards engineered walls with proper drainage over quick stacked block.
Deer Lake and the smaller lakes add lakefront decks and lakeside patios to the mix. The historic Clarkston Village core, a designated historic district, means work near downtown can face historic-district review. Throughout, we build on footings below 42 inches with drainage engineered in, because hilly clay lots fail fastest when the base is rushed.
What we build in Clarkston.
Every service we offer is available across Clarkston and the surrounding area.
- Brick Laying & PaversBrick and paver patios, driveways, and walkways set on a deep compacted base with polymeric joints and edge restraint that actually restrains.View service →
- Deck ConstructionCedar, composite, and hardwood decks engineered on footings dug below the Michigan frost line — built to outlast the house they're bolted to.View service →
- Decorative ConcreteStamped, colored, and exposed-aggregate concrete patios, walkways, and driveways poured on a proper base and pitched to drain.View service →
- Stone MasonryNatural and manufactured stone walls, columns, fire pits, and seating built on proper footings with full mortar and drainage detail.View service →
- Retaining WallsEngineered retaining walls with geogrid reinforcement and drain tile behind every course — walls that hold the hill in February.View service →
- Custom LandscapingDesign-build landscaping that ties the hardscape together — grading, drainage, planting beds, mulch, and stone, planned as one outdoor space.View service →
We build throughout Clarkston, including: Clarkston Village Historic District, Deer Lake, Independence Oaks County Park, Pine Knob, Clinton River headwaters, M-15 corridor, ZIPs 48346 / 48348.
Why Clarkston homeowners choose us.
- Owner-operated, one crew
Travis Rife runs the build. The same crew that quotes your project does the work, start to finish.
- Drainage-first discipline
Every build starts with where the water goes. Pitched bases, drain tile, weep details — the part most crews skip.
- Engineered for Michigan frost
Footings poured below the 42-inch frost line on every deck, wall, and structure, so nothing heaves through the winter.
- Fixed-price scopes
You get a written, line-item scope with a fixed price before any dirt moves. No surprises.
- Owner-operated accountability
The same crew that quotes your project does the work, start to finish. We stand behind every build.
- Local accountability
We live and work in Oakland County. We are the same crew at the walkthrough as we were at the estimate.
Frequently asked.
We also build in these areas.
Free on-site estimate in Clarkston.
No deposit, no obligation. We walk the site with you and give you a straight answer on scope, price, and timeline.