When you need a retaining wall
Common situations include hillside erosion threatening your home's foundation, creating level terraces in a sloped yard for usable outdoor space, preventing soil from washing into your neighbor's property or onto your driveway, supporting a raised garden bed or landscape feature, and leveling a site for a patio, pool, or outbuilding. If the grade change is more than about 2 feet, you're likely looking at a retaining wall rather than just regrading.
How we build them
Concrete retaining walls need proper engineering. the footing depth, wall thickness, and reinforcement all depend on the height of the wall and the soil conditions behind it. We excavate for the footing, set rebar, pour the footing, then form and pour the wall. Drainage behind the wall is critical. we install gravel backfill and drain tile to prevent hydrostatic pressure from building up behind the wall, which is the number one reason retaining walls fail.
Cost factors
Retaining wall pricing depends heavily on height, length, and site access. A 3-foot wall is significantly less complex than a 6-foot wall (which may require engineering stamps and permits). Most residential retaining walls in the Lake Norman area run between $30 and $60 per linear foot depending on height and conditions. We provide detailed quotes that account for excavation, forming, reinforcement, drainage, and backfill.
Retaining walls and the concrete work around them
Retaining wall projects often tie into patios, drainage, and structural concrete. For the outdoor surfaces that sit above or below the wall, see our patios page. For footings and structural concrete, see our foundations page.