Retaining wall construction in Yuma AZ - walls that drain and stay standing
Slope washing into your yard or an old wall leaning out? We build retaining walls on a solid footing with drainage planned from the start.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into building a retaining wall in Yuma?
Retaining wall construction in Yuma means building a wall on a solid base that holds back the soil behind it, so a slope becomes level, usable yard and stops washing toward your patio or house.
At J&L Yuma Concrete and Masonry, most retaining wall calls start with a slope that keeps shedding dirt onto a patio, a yard someone wants to level for a lawn or a pad, or an old wall that's starting to tip. What a wall costs mostly comes down to how tall and long it is, what sits above it and how much digging and drainage go in behind it, and the schedule turns on that same size plus any permit and inspection steps. The way to get a number for your yard is for me to come out, walk it with you and explain what I see before I write anything up.
How do you know a slope needs a retaining wall?
Dirt washing onto the patio
If soil keeps sliding off a slope onto paving or piling against a block fence after every watering or storm, the slope is steeper than it can hold on its own. The longer it goes, the more ground you lose and the more fill it takes to put it back.
An old wall leaning out
A wall whose top tips toward you is usually being pushed by water or soil it wasn't built to hold, often because it has no way to drain. Leaning rarely stops on its own, and a wall that falls takes the slope and whatever sits on it down with it.
Cracks, stains or a bulge
Stair-step cracks in the joints, white crust or damp patches on the face, or a belly in the middle usually mean water is sitting behind the wall. Caught early, that can mean fixing the drainage, but left alone it often turns into a rebuild.
Retaining wall construction, step by step
Before we set any block, I look at how tall the wall needs to be and what will sit above it, because those two things decide what kind of wall it should be, and I plan where the water behind it will go, because water building up back there is what gets retaining walls in trouble. Then we dig out for the footing and make sure the ground under it is firm, since a footing should sit on undisturbed soil or on fill that's been packed down well. We pour the footing, lay the wall with its drainage built in as it rises, and backfill behind it in layers, keeping heavy machines back from the top while we do. Last, we clean up and walk the finished wall with you.
A new retaining wall often gets people looking at the rest of the masonry around the house. If the brick planters, steps or older walls in your yard are worn and crumbling, masonry restoration can bring them back so they sit well next to the new wall, and if you're leveling ground for a patio, it's a good time to plan an outdoor fireplace installation while the yard is already open.
Block wall on a poured footing
This is a cantilever wall, where a concrete footing under the masonry keeps the wall from tipping or sliding under the soil's sideways push. It suits walls holding back a good amount of soil, or any wall near the house or a driveway.
Interlocking block wall
These blocks stack without mortar, so they work well for terraced beds, curves and lower walls around a yard. Taller ones, or ones with weight above them, need soil reinforcement behind them, which I cover in the questions below.
Stone or boulder wall
Natural stone or placed boulders give a looser, desert look and suit low walls holding a planting bed or a gentle slope. They still need a firm base and a way for water to get out.
A written retaining wall estimate for your yard
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, walk the job with you and write up a free estimate at your property, with no pressure to book.
(928) 271-5129- Based in
- Yuma, AZ 85364
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call about a retaining wall in Yuma?
Here's how a retaining wall job runs from your first call to the finished wall, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send us a message
Call (928) 271-5129 or use the contact form, and we'll get back to you to set a time to come out. A rough idea of the wall's length and height helps us plan the visit.
Walk the yard with me
I come out myself, walk the slope and the spot for the wall with you, and explain what I see before I write anything up. Then you get a written estimate for the wall we talked about, so you can decide with it in hand.
We build it stage by stage
My crew and I take care of any permit steps and work through the footing, the wall and the backfill. On a permitted job in Yuma, the city inspects each stage before it's covered and before the next one starts, so I tell you what comes next as each stage wraps up.
Walk the finished wall together
We clean up and walk the wall with you once it's done. I show you where the water leaves the wall, so you know which spots to keep clear.
Why Yuma homeowners call J&L for retaining walls
The owner walks your yard
I come out to look at the job and write the estimate myself, and I work alongside my crew when the wall goes up. The person who told you what your wall needs is the one making sure it gets built that way.
In business since 2013
I started out laying block and brick on new homes, and we've been in business since 2013. That's 13 years of seeing which walls hold up and which ones end up leaning.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. That matters on a retaining wall, where there's digging, heavy block and equipment working close to your house and your neighbor's fence.
Layout checked against Yuma's limits
Before we stake out a wall near the street or a corner, I check its height against the city's front yard and corner limits described below. Moving a line on paper costs nothing, and moving a finished wall costs a lot.
On a retaining wall, the footing and drainage you'll never see decide how well it holds, so ask for an estimate and I'll walk you through what yours needs.
Retaining walls and yard walls around Yuma
In Yuma, where a wall sits on the lot matters as much as how it's built. In residential, agricultural and transitional districts, the city doesn't allow a wall or fence over three feet high inside a required front yard setback, the strip between the street and where the house is allowed to sit, and on any corner lot in any district, nothing over 30 inches high can stand in the visibility triangle, the area near the corner kept open so drivers can see. A wall that steps up a front slope can run into either limit, so we plan the layout and heights around them before anyone digs, and if your wall is close to the street or a corner, we check it with the city first.
We build the same kinds of walls on jobs in Fortuna Foothills and Somerton, mostly back yards that sit higher than the neighbor's and raised planters holding soil against a block fence. Those get the same footing and drainage work, because a wall still has to handle the water behind it whether or not anyone inspects it.
Questions about retaining walls in Yuma
How much does a retaining wall cost in Yuma, AZ?
Retaining wall construction in Yuma usually costs about $20 to $50 per square foot of wall face, which is the wall's height times its length on the side you see. That's the going rate in the area, not a quote, and where a wall lands in that range depends a lot on what it's built from, since boulders, stone, concrete, interlocking block and wood all price differently. I'll put a number on your wall after I walk the job with you.
Who do I ask about a building permit for a retaining wall in Yuma?
Ask the City of Yuma's Building Safety Division, which helps with permits. Permits are generally required for any new construction or remodel, and the city's list of work that needs no permit names fencing but not retaining walls, so check before you build. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and set up the inspections, and I let you know what to expect before work starts.
When does a block retaining wall need soil reinforcement?
A block wall needs soil reinforcement once it's taller than a plain block wall allows, or when it holds back a slope, carries extra weight on top or sits on difficult soil. The reinforcement is laid into the ground behind the wall, so it means more digging and backfill. One block wall installation guide also says the builder should know the local code rules to judge whether a wall needs engineering.
What is the best way to drain a retaining wall?
The wall has to be built so water can't build up behind its face, usually with drains running through the wall. Where heavy, long rains are expected, a drain along the back of the wall can be added as well. Trapped water pushing on the face is what tips most failing walls, so this part isn't optional.
How do I get utilities marked before digging for a retaining wall?
You call 811, and the underground utility lines in your yard get marked before anyone starts digging for the wall. It's worth doing even for a short wall, because a footing trench goes deeper than most garden digging.
Can a leaning retaining wall be fixed, or does it have to be rebuilt?
Sometimes it can be fixed, but a wall that's leaning because its footing moved usually has to come down and be rebuilt. If the wall itself is sound and the trouble is clogged or missing drainage, opening up the drains and easing the pressure behind it may be enough. I'll tell you which one your wall is after I look at it, and why.
Related masonry work for your house and yard
Masonry restoration
An older wall, planter or brick front that's chipped and worn can often be brought back with repair and cleaning, which usually costs less than starting over.
Fireplace installation
A masonry fireplace gives a family a place to gather on cool evenings, and it needs the same firm footing and careful layout as a good wall.
Service areas for our retaining wall work
J&L Yuma Concrete and Masonry is based in Yuma, AZ, and we build retaining walls across the cities around it, including San Luis and Fortuna Foothills. The four cities below have their own pages, but they aren't the only places we work.
Yuma, AZ
Get your retaining wall planned right
Have the wall's rough length and height handy, and tell us about any slope above it and whether it's near the street or a corner, so I can come out ready to talk through your options.