Concrete retaining walls in Brookings SD - a wall that holds your slope in place
Slope washing out or dirt creeping onto the patio? We build poured walls that hold the soil back and give water a way out.
What does it take for a retaining wall to hold a slope in Brookings?
A concrete retaining wall in Brookings is a poured wall on a footing that holds back the sideways push of soil. The walls that hold are planned for water, frost and anything heavy above them, like a driveway.
Most calls start with dirt that won't stay put. A slope sheds onto the patio, the yard washes out in a storm, or an old wall has started to lean. Most of the fix is stuff you won't see once we're done. That's the footing, the steel inside, and the rock and pipe behind it. Walls often go in with other work, like a pool deck set into a hillside or a concrete floor for a shop cut into a bank.
I don't price a wall by its height alone, because the drainage and design behind it matter more. The footing, the steel, how deep it sits, the soil and the length all move the price. The schedule mostly waits on the permit and the weather. If money's tight, skip a fancy face before you skimp on the footing or drainage, since those can't be fixed later without tearing the wall out. I'll go over what yours needs at the estimate.
What goes into a concrete retaining wall
Most of a good retaining wall is buried by the time we're done, so it pays to know what goes in before the digging starts.
Footing and steel
The footing is the wide base under the wall, and rebar is the steel inside that keeps it from splitting. Their size and depth should come from the design or the code.
Drain rock, fabric and outlets
Drain rock goes behind the wall in filter fabric that keeps the dirt out, with perforated outlets and the ground graded to shed rain. We set the outlets so you can keep them clear for years.
Gravel where it freezes
Researchers call swapping the soil in the zone that freezes for sand or gravel the most trusted and common way to stop frost heave, which is the ground swelling and shoving as it freezes.
Curing before backfill
Dirt goes back only after the concrete has had time to cure and harden and the wall is braced, and then it's packed in controlled layers. Heavy equipment right behind a young wall can overload it, so ask any crew how they compact.
Retaining wall questions we hear
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Brookings?
Hiring a contractor to build a poured concrete retaining wall usually costs about $30 to $50 per square foot across the US. That's a national figure, not our price. Where yours lands depends on the footing, steel and drainage your ground calls for, and I'll price it when I come out and look.
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Brookings?
Yes. The City of Brookings requires a building permit for all construction work in the city and on land that isn't farmed within about 3 miles of it. The permit has to be issued before the footings are poured, and a late one can bring an investigation fee of double the permit fee. The application needs a scaled drawing that shows where the wall sits on the lot, how far it is from each property line and which way the water drains. We sort that out before work starts, either filing it ourselves or walking you through it, and if you're out in the county, Brookings County takes permit questions at (605)696-8350.
How do I keep water from building up behind a retaining wall?
Keep the drain outlets clear and keep the ground above the wall sloped so rain runs away from it. Water trapped back there can add a lot of push and lead to leaks and freeze damage. One study found that, under the same ground conditions, drain material behind a wall cut both the frost heave pressure and how much the wall moved. We set the outlets where you can reach them, so checking them now and then is an easy job.
Is a block retaining wall cheaper than poured concrete?
Often, yes, going by one block wall trade group's manual. It says segmental block walls typically come in 25 to 40 percent cheaper than poured walls. If budget is what's driving it, price both, and I'll tell you straight what a poured wall needs on your ground so you're comparing like with like.
What causes a concrete retaining wall to crack or lean?
Usually it's water and frost pushing harder than the wall was built for, or the ground behind it changing after it went in. Swapping out the backfill, adding a driveway close to the wall or letting water pile up behind it can throw off what the design counted on, even when the concrete itself is strong. If you're planning changes near a wall, talk it over with whoever built it first.
Do you build concrete retaining walls outside Brookings?
Yes, we're based in Brookings and work across Madison and the cities around both. When it isn't clear which permit rules apply to your place, we check with the city or county office before we dig.
Why Brookings homeowners call Brookings Concrete for retaining walls
I learned concrete on a crew for years before starting this business. You'll hear plainly what your wall needs and what concrete can and can't do, small cracks and upkeep included.
I look at it myself
I walk the slope with you and check where the water goes before anything gets priced.
Our crew, me at the pour
Our own crew builds the wall, and I'm on site the day the concrete goes in.
In business since 2013
I've run this business since 2013, and footings that hold up are what we're known for.
Fully licensed and insured
Brookings Concrete is fully licensed and insured for the work we do on your property.
Satisfaction guaranteed
That's our promise on every wall, and you can get started by calling (605) 401-5479 or sending the form.
Send photos of the slope you need held
A few photos of the slope and where the water runs off it let me size up your wall before I come out.
What happens after you call about a retaining wall in Brookings?
We plan a retaining wall around your ground, the permit and the weather, so you know what's coming before any digging starts.
Call or send photos
Call (605) 401-5479 or send the form with where the wall goes and a few photos, and we'll get back to you to set a time.
I look at the ground
I come out and walk it with you. I look at the slope, where the water runs and anything heavy that sits above the wall.
Your estimate
I go over what your wall needs, from the footing to the drain outlets, and give you an estimate to think over at your own pace.
Permit, then the pour
Allow a week for the city's plan review. Then we pick a pour day that suits the weather and our crew builds it while I watch over it.