Engineering Difficult Terrain Starts with Understanding How It Will Be Built
Not every building lot is flat, stable, or straightforward. Across Eastern Ontario — particularly along the Canadian Shield, the Rideau corridor, and the lakefront communities of the Kawarthas and Thousand Islands — property owners regularly face steep slopes, poor soil conditions, exposed bedrock, high water tables, and lots that were passed over because nobody knew how to build on them. These are the projects AMP Engineering was built for.
What sets our approach apart is that we don't just design on paper and hand it off. Tony Pascoal Jr. has spent nearly 20 years in construction and heavy equipment operation before moving into engineering full-time. That means when we design a retaining wall on a 30-degree slope, we're thinking about how the excavator will access the site, where the spoil goes, how the drainage ties into the existing grade, and what happens during a heavy spring runoff. Most engineering firms design for the finished state. We design for the build sequence too — which is what keeps challenging projects on budget and on schedule.
Whether you're dealing with a lot that a previous engineer couldn't solve, a slope that needs stabilization before you can build, or an existing structure that's settling due to poor foundation conditions, we bring the combined field knowledge and professional engineering credentials to get it done right.
What We Do
Slope Stability Analysis
Assessment and engineering of unstable or steep slopes — including geotechnical review, drainage design, and stabilization recommendations for buildable sites.
Retaining Wall Design
Engineered retaining walls for grade changes, slope retention, and site access — concrete, armour stone, mechanically stabilized earth, and soldier pile systems.
Pile Foundation Design
Helical pile, driven pile, and drilled pier foundation systems for sites with poor bearing capacity, organic soils, or where conventional footings won't work.
Site Grading & Drainage Engineering
Lot grading plans, stormwater management, and drainage design to manage water on difficult terrain and meet municipal servicing requirements.
Landscaping & Hardscape Design
Structural engineering for terraced landscapes, large retaining features, and hardscape elements that need to perform as engineered structures, not just look good.
Foundation Remediation
Assessment and repair design for existing foundations experiencing settlement, cracking, or failure — including underpinning, shoring, and reinforcement strategies.