Retaining wall construction in Long Beach CA - a wall that drains and stays put
Slope creeping into the yard or an old wall starting to lean? We'll build one that holds the ground and lets water out.
What goes into building a retaining wall in Long Beach?
Retaining wall construction in Long Beach is building a wall that holds back sloping ground, with a footing under it, a drain behind it and soil backfilled against it once it's ready, so your yard stops sliding and you get flat ground you can use.
Most calls start with a bank that drops dirt on the patio after rain, a slope you can't use, or an old wall that's begun to lean. The price mostly moves with the wall's height and length, how deep the footing goes, how much drainage it needs, what sits above it and how easy your yard is to reach. The schedule turns on whether the city wants a permit, getting utility lines marked before the dig, and letting the masonry gain strength before the soil goes back behind it. In California, the state licensing board licenses masonry contractors to build walls and concrete contractors to form and pour concrete. Your own figure comes with the estimate, once I've seen the slope.
Why homeowners choose us for retaining walls
I'd rather spend an extra hour looking at your slope than guess, because a retaining wall lasts when the small choices behind it are right. Here's what you can count on.
I come out myself
I look at every retaining wall job in person, because the reason a slope moves usually shows up on site.
In business since 2023
I worked masonry crews every summer through school and started this business in Long Beach in 2023.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm glad to show you both before we start.
City steps sorted first
We check with the city office before work starts and pull the permit when your wall needs one.
Backed by our guarantee
Every retaining wall we build is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Retaining wall jobs we take on
The right wall for your yard comes down to how high it needs to be, what sits above it, your soil and where the water goes, so I'd want to look first.
Planning a retaining wall? Let's talk.
Call (562) 257-3026 or send the form for an estimate, and we'll work out the drainage before anything else.
Why homeowners trust Blockworks with their retaining walls
Drainage is the first thing I plan on a retaining wall, before we talk about the face or the cap. Water that can't get out from behind a wall pushes on it. That's why we'd rather put in drains you can clean out than weep holes, the small openings at the base that tend to clog over the years.
On the first visit I walk the slope with you, look at where water runs and what will sit above the wall, and ask what you've noticed over the years. Then I work alongside our crew from the footing to the cap, and we hold off backfilling until the wall is ready to take the soil.
Retaining wall questions we hear
Do I need a permit for a short retaining wall in Long Beach?
Long Beach exempts retaining walls up to four feet tall from building permits, except on slopes over 20% or when the wall carries extra weight above it, like a driveway, or holds back ground that keeps sloping up. The city measures from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, so the footing counts toward those four feet. We check with the city for your lot before anyone digs.
How much does a retaining wall cost near Long Beach?
Building a retaining wall in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $2,700 to $11,800 for the whole project, and that's the going rate around here, not our price. Height, length and drainage move it most, so I'd want to see your slope before putting a number on it.
What causes retaining walls to fail?
Poor drainage is by far the most common cause, because water that collects behind a wall keeps pushing on it. One presentation on retaining wall failures reported that a large majority came from poor communication on the project team and failing to manage water. That's why we plan the drains first, and the person who looks at your slope is the one on site building it.
How long does it take to build a retaining wall?
Longer than the building alone, because the dig waits for utility marking and the soil waits for the wall. Calling 8-1-1, the call-before-you-dig line every state has, gets underground lines marked a few days before digging, so we set the start date after that. Industry guidance for masonry walls holds off backfilling until the masonry has enough strength or the wall is braced, and keeps heavy equipment back from the top of the wall by a distance equal to its height.
Can I build my own retaining wall in Long Beach?
Yes, the city lets a homeowner get a permit and build on their own house and the structures that go with it, as long as they live there or will. The same four-foot rule above applies, and if the job grows past what you want to take on, we're glad to build it.
Does soil or earthquake risk change how a retaining wall gets built in Long Beach?
It can, so it's worth asking about both before the plan is set. Research has found that a retaining wall designed without accounting for expansive soil, clay that swells as it gets wet, is under-designed and unsafe. California also maps areas where liquefaction may occur, when wet ground loses its strength in a strong earthquake, and building in a mapped zone may mean studying and reducing that hazard during permitting.
What happens when you call about a retaining wall in Long Beach?
We plan the job around your slope and your schedule, and we get the city steps sorted before anyone starts digging in your yard.
Call or send the form
Call (562) 257-3026 or send the form and tell us about your slope, and we'll set a time for me to come out.
I look at the job
I come out, look at the wall or slope and ask what you've noticed, because that's often where the reason for a problem turns up.
Your estimate and permits
You get your estimate, and once you're ready we sort out the city steps, including the permit when your wall needs one.
We build, then walk it
I'm on site with our crew doing the work, and when the wall's done we walk the finished job with you.
Get a retaining wall estimate in Long Beach
Call (562) 257-3026 or send the form, because the sooner I see your slope, the sooner we can line up the city steps and the dig.