Retaining Wall Construction in Lincoln NE - a wall that holds the slope and drains
Is your slope washing out or your old wall leaning? We build poured concrete and block walls with drainage planned before the first block goes down.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a retaining wall in Lincoln?
Retaining wall construction in Lincoln, NE means building a poured concrete wall or a wall of stacked block on a firm, compacted base, with a way for water behind it to drain off, so your slope stays put and you get level ground you can use.
Most people call us when a slope keeps washing onto the patio, a yard is too steep to mow, or an old timber wall has started to lean. The price mostly turns on the wall type, how tall and long it is, whether an old wall has to come out and how much digging it takes to reach a solid base, and the schedule turns on the wall's size, the weather and getting utilities marked before we dig. We're licensed and insured, based in Lincoln and working in the cities around it, and you get your own figure in a written estimate after I've seen the slope.
How we handle retaining wall construction
Before I draw the wall, I work out where the water behind it is going to go, because most walls that fail were pushed over by water, not by dirt. Then we dig out, pack a gravel base that runs a little past the front and back of the wall, build the wall, and backfill behind it with gravel and drain pipe so the water has a way down and out. We finish the grade, haul off the spoil and leave the yard clean.
Sometimes an old stone or brick wall doesn't need replacing at all, and masonry restoration is the smaller, cheaper fix. If the new level ground is going to be somewhere you sit, we also do fireplace installation.
Poured concrete wall
This is the stiff, structural choice, poured in place with steel in it, and it suits a spot where you want a clean concrete face or a lot of strength. It costs more than block, so I'll only suggest it when the slope calls for it.
Dry-laid block wall
Segmental block is stacked without mortar on a packed base, and it costs much less than poured concrete. It suits most yard slopes and gives you a finished look without the poured-wall price.
If an old wall is leaning, bulging or spilling soil onto a walk, call now rather than after the next big rain. We reply within one business day.
What happens when you call about a retaining wall?
I handle the visit and the estimate myself, and our own crew builds the wall. Here's how a job goes from your first call to the walk-through at the end.
Call or send the form
Call (402) 202-7624 or use the form and tell us roughly how long and tall the wall needs to be. A photo of the slope helps me plan the visit.
I look at the slope
I come out myself, look at the slope, where the water runs and why any old wall is failing. Then I walk you through what I'd build and why, poured concrete or block, so it fits the ground and your budget.
You get a written estimate
The estimate spells out the wall type, the base, the drainage and the price, so you can hold it up against anyone else's. If a smaller fix will do the job, I'll tell you that too.
We build and walk it
Our own small crew of masons does the work with me on the job, and I walk the finished wall with you before we call it done. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Get a written estimate for your retaining wall
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come look at the slope. The in-person estimate is free, and there's no pressure to book.
(402) 202-7624Retaining wall construction in Lincoln, NE
In Lincoln, the city's Building and Safety office enforces the building codes, and the block industry's installation guide advises learning the local code requirements before starting a wall of any size, because they set what engineering the wall needs. That's a fair thing to ask any builder about, and I'll show you how our plan meets them. When a job needs a permit, we take care of the application and set up the inspections, and if you're not sure whether yours does, we'll check with the office that covers your address.
Around Lincoln we see a lot of yards that slope toward the house or down to a neighbor, and old timber or railroad-tie walls that have started to tip. We run into the same slopes and tired walls on jobs in Seward and Gretna, and we plan the water first there too.
Retaining wall questions we hear in Lincoln
How much does a retaining wall cost in Lincoln, NE?
A 3-foot-high poured concrete wall in Lincoln, with site prep, digging, backfill and reinforcement, usually runs about $32 to $35 per square foot. That figure leaves out tearing out an old wall, curved walls, walls taller than 3 feet and yards with hard soil conditions. If you're after a block wall or a taller one, I'll price it at the estimate.
What causes a retaining wall to fail?
Most retaining walls fail because water or wet soil builds up pressure behind them until the wall leans or cracks. That's why every wall needs a way for water to drain freely, through gravel backfill or drainage blankets and drain pipe. Research on wall drains also found that weep holes, the small holes through the face of a poured wall, tend to clog, so drains you can clean out hold up better.
Do block retaining walls last longer than timber or railroad ties?
Block usually holds up better. The concrete masonry trade group's design manual says segmental block resists cracking and won't splinter or rot the way treated timbers and railroad ties do. If you want the wall to last, that's a good reason to pick block over wood.
Does a retaining wall contractor in Nebraska have to be registered?
Yes, Nebraska law requires a contractor to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor before doing any construction work in the state. The department says registration doesn't ensure good work or protect you from fraud, so treat it as a starting point and still ask about the plan. If you do the work on your own property, or have it done there, the law doesn't count you as a contractor.
How long does it take to build a retaining wall?
Laying the wall itself usually goes fast, because the block industry's design manual says an experienced crew of three or four typically puts up 300 to 500 square feet of wall a day. The digging, the base and the drainage take the real time, along with the wall's size and the weather. I'll go over the schedule for your wall at the estimate.
Do I need to call 811 before building a retaining wall?
Yes, the 8-1-1 Call Before You Dig service marks underground utilities a few days before digging starts, so that wait belongs in the schedule. We hold off on digging until the lines are marked.
Related masonry work for your yard and house
An old stone or brick wall that's tired but still sound can sometimes be brought back with restoration, which may cost less than tearing it out.
Once the slope is held and the yard is level, a fireplace makes the new space somewhere you'll sit out on cool evenings, and we build those too.
Send us a photo of your slope
Call (402) 202-7624 or use the form with the wall's rough length and height and a photo, so I come out already thinking about where the water will go.