Concrete retaining walls in College Station TX - built to drain and hold the slope
Yard sliding toward the patio or an old wall leaning out? We build concrete walls from an engineer's plans, with real drainage behind them.
Retaining walls hold soil. Water is what pushes back.
A concrete retaining wall holds soil back where your yard drops from one level to another, like where a slope was cut to make room for a patio, a pool deck or a new concrete floor. Behind it goes drainage stone, filter fabric and perforated drain outlets, so water doesn't build up and push.
When a retaining wall gives trouble, the concrete usually isn't the problem. Trapped water or backfill that's been changed can put loads on it the design never planned for. So at BD College Station Concrete Construction, we build from an engineer's plans and fuss most over the drainage.
Height alone doesn't size a wall, since the footing, the steel and how deep it sits come from the design, so two walls the same height can be built very differently. Price follows those and the wall's length, the schedule mostly turns on the plans, the permit and the inspections, and my written estimate gives you your own number.
You may need a retaining wall. Here's how you'd know.
Soil washing onto the patio
When dirt slides down onto a patio or walk after every rain, the slope needs holding back. Wait, and each storm moves more of it and starts working at the edge of the slab.
An old wall leaning out
A lean usually means water or soil has been pushing harder than the wall was built for. Walls don't straighten themselves, and the longer it goes, the more of it has to come out.
Water seeping through the face
Wet streaks or puddles along the base usually mean water is trapped behind the wall, with drain outlets that are clogged or missing. That water adds load and keeps leaking until it has a way out.
A retaining wall starts with plans. Here's how it goes.
When you call, I come out myself to look at the slope, measure it and ask what the wall has to hold back and what might sit near it someday. Then I write you an estimate, on paper, so you can see what's included.
If you go ahead, the engineer's plans come first. We handle the permit side, set the forms and the rebar, the steel that gives a wall its strength, and the concrete truck isn't called until the inspection passes. I'm on site running the crew the whole way.
After the pour we cure it right, so the concrete gains strength before anything leans on it, and the soil goes back behind it in packed layers once the wall is strong enough and braced. We leave the drain outlets where you can reach them and walk it with you. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Planning a concrete retaining wall? Tell us about the slope.
Call or send the wall's location, rough height and length and any driveway planned nearby. We reply within one business day to set a free, no-obligation estimate at your property.
(979) 393-7025Retaining walls here start with plans. We handle the permit side.
College Station requires a retaining wall to be designed by a Professional Engineer and built by a contractor registered with the city, so the plans come first. We're licensed and insured. We pull the permit, ask the city which footing and steel inspections apply before backfill, and book the final inspection once it's done.
We build the same walls in Bryan and Navasota and check with the office covering your address first, since the steps aren't the same everywhere.
Retaining wall questions come up. Here are straight answers.
Read through these answers first, and if your question isn't covered, give me a call and I'll answer it straight.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in College Station?
Poured concrete retaining walls in College Station usually run about $25 to $35 per square foot of wall face, which is the area's going rate and not our quote. Where yours lands depends on how much wall face there is and the footing, steel and drainage the design calls for.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in College Station?
Yes, if the wall is over two feet tall, because the city requires a permit for those. The application needs a site plan or property survey showing where the wall sits, plus plans signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer registered in Texas, and we pull the permit once the plans are done.
Can I put a driveway next to my retaining wall later?
Only if the wall was designed for it, so tell us before the plans are drawn. Adding a driveway nearby or changing the backfill later can undo what the design assumed, even when the concrete itself is strong.
What maintenance does a concrete retaining wall need?
Mostly keeping the drain outlets clear and working, because water trapped behind a wall can cause leaks. Keep the ground shaped so rain runs away from the wall, and keep any weeps, small openings through the wall, clear where the design has them.
Yard slipping toward the patio? Call us about walls and slabs.
Plans come first on these walls, so call or send the form and I'll set a time to come look at the slope with you.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
