Concrete retaining walls in Alexandria VA - a wall built to let the water out
Slope washing into the yard or an old wall leaning out? We build a poured wall with a clear path for the water behind it.
Tell us how tall your wall is
Call (571) 760-4255 or send the form with the wall's height, your address and whether a driveway or deck footings sit above it, so I come out knowing what to look at.
What goes into a concrete retaining wall in Alexandria?
A concrete retaining wall in Alexandria is a poured wall, reinforced with steel, that holds back a slope so the ground above stays put and the yard below stays usable. The job covers the wall, the drainage behind it and the backfill, which is the soil and stone packed in behind the wall once it's up.
Most calls start with a slope that keeps sliding onto the patio, an old wall that's started to lean, or a yard that drops off too steeply to use. The price moves with the wall's height and length, how easy the spot is to reach and how much steel it needs, and the schedule turns mostly on height, because a taller wall brings an engineer's design, a city permit and inspections into it, and we handle the permit work for our part of the job. I'll measure it and write an estimate that spells out what's included, so you know your own number before anything gets dug.
Why Alexandria homeowners call us for retaining walls
The owner writes your estimate
I come out myself, look at the slope and ask where the water goes before I write a number down. Our own crew forms, pours and finishes it, so the job stays with people I know.
Doing tricky walls since 2017
We've been at this since 2017, and walls on a slope are the kind of tricky job people call us for. Yours probably isn't the oddest one we've looked at.
Licensed, insured, and you can check
We're licensed and fully insured. An Alexandria wall permit lists the contractor's state and city license numbers, so ask any bidder, us included, for both before you sign.
If you've got a slope that won't stay where it is, send us the details and I'll come look at it with you.
How we build a concrete retaining wall
Water behind a wall is what I worry about most, because soggy soil pushes a lot harder than dry soil, so our bid spells out how the water gets out before we talk about anything else. Our crew digs out and packs the ground for the footing, the wide base the wall stands on, then sets the forms and ties in rebar, the steel that keeps the wall from cracking and tipping under the load. We pour, give the concrete time to cure, which means letting it harden enough to carry the soil, then put the drainage in and backfill in layers, packing each one so the ground behind doesn't settle later. On taller walls we build to the engineer's drawings, and where the drawings and my habits disagree, the drawings win.
A wall usually makes room for something else. When the slope it holds back becomes a flat spot by the water, our concrete pool decks are often the next step, and when the wall sits beside a shed, workshop or lower-level room, we can plan the concrete floor installation on the same visit so the grades and drainage line up.
Low walls for beds and patios
Suits a yard that steps down a little beside a patio, walk or planting bed. A short wall gives you a clean edge and keeps soil and mulch off the paving.
Taller walls holding up a yard
Suits a steep lot with a driveway, a deck or a lawn sitting above the wall. These carry far more load, so they get more steel, an engineer's design and closer attention to the drain.
Replacing a leaning wall
Suits an old block or timber wall that's leaning, cracked or coming apart. We tear it out, haul it off and figure out why it failed, which is usually water, before the new one goes in.
How can you tell a slope needs a retaining wall?
Soil washing onto the patio
After every hard rain there's mud on the patio or walk. The slope is moving a little at a time, and each storm takes more of it, along with whatever is planted on top.
An old wall leaning out
The top of an existing wall leans toward you or bulges in the middle. That's usually water pressure behind it, and a lean only gets worse until the wall lets go.
Cracks with wet stains
Cracks in a concrete wall have dark, damp streaks below them. Water is finding its way through instead of around, and freezing water will open those cracks wider every winter.
A yard you can't use
The ground falls away so hard you can't mow it, set a table on it or park on it. A wall turns that slope into level ground, and the slope won't get flatter by waiting.
What happens after you call about a retaining wall in Alexandria?
I come out and measure
I come out, look at the slope and ask what's there now and what the wall has to hold. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included.
Paperwork, then our crew builds
We confirm which office covers your address and the paperwork before setting a pour date. Our crew builds the wall, with the permit and plans on site for every city inspection.
We walk the finished wall
I walk the finished wall with you once it's backfilled, so you can see where the water comes out. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Retaining wall questions we hear
Most of what people ask about a retaining wall comes down to height, water and paperwork. Here are straight answers, and if your slope doesn't fit any of them, just ask.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Alexandria?
Yes, if the wall holds back more than 3 feet of earth, the City of Alexandria issues a building permit for it. For a shorter wall, we confirm what applies to your address before we dig. We take care of the permit work that goes with our part of the job, and if anything needs your signature, we tell you up front.
When does a retaining wall need an engineer in Alexandria?
Once a wall holds up 3 to 6 feet of soil on one side, the city wants a design stamped and sealed by a licensed professional engineer, with the steel, drainage and backfill spelled out, so budget for that step. At 6 feet or more it has to be a licensed structural engineer, and the engineer or their agent also inspects the work and the backfill, which adds site visits to the schedule. The city also flags problem soils, such as marine clay, that can hold water or swell, and a project on them may need a design professional for the foundation, so check the city's retaining wall checklist for its current version.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Northern Virginia?
Retaining wall work in Northern Virginia usually costs about $55 to $60 per square foot, and that's the going rate in the area, not our price. Where your wall lands depends on its size, where it sits, how easy the spot is to reach and how much steel it needs. My written estimate lists what's included, like tearing out and hauling off an old wall, so you can compare it fairly with other bids.
Why does drainage matter so much behind a retaining wall?
Poor drainage is by far the most common reason retaining walls perform badly, and if nobody deals with it, it can end with the wall failing outright. The usual fix is a perforated pipe along the base of the wall, wrapped in filter fabric, that carries the water away, while weep holes, small openings through the lower wall, help less because they can clog or freeze. When you compare bids, look at how each one handles the water.
How do I know if my Alexandria address is in the city or Fairfax County?
Your parcel record tells you, because some homes with an Alexandria address sit in Fairfax County rather than the independent City of Alexandria. Fairfax County Land Development Services permits those properties, so we look up which office covers yours before planning anything. We work across the cities around Alexandria in Northern Virginia and nearby Maryland, so the line doesn't change whether we can take the job.
How long does it take to build a concrete retaining wall?
The schedule turns mostly on the wall's height, because a taller wall adds an engineer's design, a city permit and inspections before and during the work. On site, the concrete has to cure before we backfill against it, so the wall sits a while between the pour and the finished grade. I'll give you a pour date once the paperwork is sorted.
Get a written retaining wall estimate
Tell us the wall's height, your address and what sits above the slope, and I'll reply within one business day to set up a time. The estimate is free, done at your property, and comes with no obligation.
Examples of poured concrete walls
Work that often goes with a wall
Concrete pool decks
If the wall creates a level spot near the pool, a poured deck gives you solid footing that sheds water away from the edge and the house.
Learn moreConcrete floor installation
When a wall makes room for a shed, workshop or lower-level room, a concrete floor on a packed base gives it a flat, solid surface to build on.
Learn more