We Build, Repair, and Replace Retaining Walls
We are your Charlotte, North Carolina retaining wall specialists!
Retaining walls are a great addition to any landscape, especially if your property has an existing slope. Building a retaining wall allows you to reclaim some of that lost space by carving out usable outdoor spaces on sloping ground that would otherwise not be usable. Retaining walls can hold back earth and soil which helps to create new level areas for the construction of a new garden bed, a new lawn, a patio or an outdoor cooking area, a parking area, and more. Retaining walls can be built using a variety of materials including rock, brick, block, boulders, or even wood.
Why Do You Need Retaining Walls On Your Property?
- Do you need to prevent soil erosion on your property?
- Do you have an existing retaining wall that has failed and needs repair or rebuilt?
- Do you have a sloped property you’d like to landscape?
- Do you want to create a new outdoor living space?
- Do you want some raised garden beds around your home or property?
Carolina-Metro Landscape is a landscaping contractor based out of Charlotte, North Carolina and serving the surrounding area. We provide our services in Charlotte, Cornelius, Matthews, Concord, Huntersville, Mooresville, and Tega Cay, NC.
We specialize in designing and building functional retaining walls for property owners looking to landscape their naturally sloped property. From a 60′ foot long curved block retaining wall to hold back earth around the edge of your home to larger, more complicated, retaining walls for your terraced property. The team at Carolina-Metro Landscape will be able to provide you with a retaining wall solution that will benefit your specific property.
Construction Of New Retaining Walls
We specialize in the construction of new segmented retaining walls. The benefits to segmented retaining walls are many. Segmented retaining walls are aesthetically pleasing, they offer design flexibility, they are economical, easier to install, and durable.
They are also pre-engineered, meaning the wall can be built to your project specifications without having to have an architect or engineer design the wall itself. We can build the wall to the engineering specifications and have a qualified engineer sign off on the project if the height or size of the wall requires it.
Retaining Walls & Building Permits in Charlotte, North Carolina
In most of Charlotte (your municipality could be different) retaining walls that are under 3 feet in height generally do not require permits or design plans. There are some specifics that may or may not apply to your situation. If retaining walls are 3 feet in height or over than a permit is generally required. Any retaining walls over 6 feet in height will require a permit and additionally an engineered design to ensure the structure is sound. This information does not account for any covenants that might be on your property.
When we view your property we’ll be able to let you know any specific building codes that might apply to your circumstance depending on the height/length of your wall and what it’s specifically being installed for and whatever surcharges (weight) might be applied to the soil above and behind the wall.
Proper Drainage For Retaining Walls
We are often contacted by potential customers who have an existing retaining wall that has failed, it’s either falling down, bulging, or collapsing. One of the most common reasons for retaining wall failure is that the original wall was built with poor drainage in place.
Retaining walls are designed to hold back earth from erosion. This also makes them excellent at holding back water too. The water that builds up behind a retaining wall is referred to in the industry as “hydrostatic pressure” and the external force of the soil or fill held behind your retaining wall coupled with the weight of the water held behind it is often enough to seriously compromise the integrity of your wall which can lead to failures such as bulging and even a total collapse.
Well-built retaining walls must incorporate good drainage if it’s going to last for many years. Depending on the type of material being used to build your retaining wall there are a variety of ways to integrate sufficient drainage such as lateral drains, french drains, weeping drains, blanket drains and also the use of very granular soil or fill behind the wall can also work to disperse rather than hold the water.
Understanding Retaining Wall Surcharges
A "surcharge" when it comes to a retaining wall is the weight on top of or behind the wall. For example, if you're building a retaining wall to create a new parking area for a boat or an RV we need to consider the weight of the boat or RV and it's impact on the retaining wall.
If your wall is going to have a surcharge it must be built with this in mind if it's going to last. This would also include tiered retaining walls or retaining walls with a fence on top or any other weight other than the earth it's holding back.
Geo-grid is often used to provide extra tensile strength to each course of your retaining wall so it's anchored to the ground behind it. Proper use of geo-grid will ensure that your retaining wall will be built to last and won't collapse or buckle under the excess weight.
Failure to properly stabilize retaining walls is another very common failure.
What Materials Do We Use For Retaining Walls?
There are many different materials to build your retaining wall out of. Below are some of the more popular materials in our area because of their availability.
- Block retaining walls (segmental retaining walls)
- Natural stone retaining walls
- Large boulder retaining walls
The Benefits Of Segmental Retaining Walls (SRWs)
Segmental Retaining Walls (SRWs) are a type of retaining wall that are built of individual blocks or segments that are stacked and usually interlocked together, typically without the use of any mortar or cement. These walls can be used in a variety of applications, including residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Here are several benefits of SRWs:
1. Flexibility in Design: Segmental Retaining Walls offer a high degree of design flexibility. They can be built in straight or curved shapes, and can be tailored to fit the specific contours of your landscape. In addition, the blocks come in a variety of colors, textures, and sizes, allowing for a wide range of aesthetic choices.
2. Durability and Strength: SRWs are designed to last. The blocks are often made from high-strength concrete that can withstand harsh weather conditions and resist decay and pests. The interlocking design of the blocks and the use of geogrid (a type of soil reinforcement) can create a very strong and stable wall structure that can hold back significant amounts of soil.
3. Easy Installation: Compared to some other types of retaining walls, SRWs can be easier and quicker to install. Because they don't require mortar, there's no need to wait for anything to dry or cure. And because the blocks are interlocked, alignment and stability are relatively easy to achieve.
4. Drainage: SRWs are designed to allow for good drainage, which can help prevent water-related issues such as hydrostatic pressure build-up, soil saturation, and erosion. The spaces between the blocks allow water to escape, and additional drainage features can also be included as part of the wall design.
5. Cost-effective: In many cases, SRWs can be a more cost-effective solution than other types of retaining walls. The materials are often less expensive, and the ease and speed of installation can also save on labor costs.
6. Environmentally Friendly: SRWs can be an environmentally friendly choice. The blocks can be made from locally available materials, reducing transportation-related emissions. In addition, old SRWs can often be dismantled and the blocks reused, reducing waste.
7. Maintenance: Segmental Retaining Walls require minimal maintenance. Unlike wooden walls, they won't rot or warp, and they resist insect damage. They can also be easily repaired if necessary - if a block becomes damaged, you can simply replace that individual block rather than having to repair or replace a large section of wall.
Overall, SRWs offer a durable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for a wide range of retaining wall needs. At Carolina Metro Landscape we work with different SRW systems to meet our customers needs.
How Our Retaining Wall Construction Process Works
When building a retaining wall on your property that is designed to hold back soil and earth from erosion there is very little margin for error so when required we work directly with engineers if your wall is over 6 feet in height. There are many pre-engineered systems we can use as well that can eliminate the need for detailed building plans.
- We start with our initial consultation.
- We determine how many feet of retaining wall you need.
- We determine the height of the wall and if a building permit or engineer will be required.
- We take into account any surcharges (weight) the wall might be exposed to.
- We consult with you on the materials you’d like your retaining built with.
- We’ll provide you with an accurate written estimate for the work.
The amount of work required to build a retaining wall can vary widely from project to project. The slope of your property, the amount of earth your retaining wall must hold back and the overall accessibility of your property will all contribute to the final cost. We’ll be able to offer you an accurate estimate only after a site visit.
What Does It Cost To Build Retaining Walls?
Retaining walls can vary in price depending on the size, scope, length, height, and the materials chosen. Larger walls will need to be engineered which can add to the cost.
Smaller Garden Walls
$3000 - $5000
This would be for a small garden wall (under 2 feet high) to surround a small garden or to surround a small landscaping bed.
Large Retaining Walls
$30,000 - $100,000+
This would be a ballpark cost for a very large or tiered retaining wall or multiple wall with courses that are 4 feet or higher
Retaining Wall Projects Can Include
A beautiful retaining wall isn't just for looks. They have an important job to do. Whether we're building a brand new retaining wall or replacing an existing retaining wall that has failed, there are a number of things we do.
These prices do not include stairs. If you need stairs built within your retaining wall there will be an additional cost. These price ranges are for a typical wall built using readily available landscape block. There are a wide variety of styles and patterns available and we'll be able to provide you with a selection during our consultation. The price can vary significantly depending on the specific material you choose.
These prices are ball park figures to give you a rough idea as to what you should expect. Your particular project may vary depending on site accessibility, materials chosen, and the overall scope of work. If you need a firm price please request a consultation so we can view your potential project, listen to your ideas, and determine the actual scope of work required to complete your project. After our on-site consultation we'll be able to provide you with a firm estimate to complete your project.
Retaining Wall Repair Or Replacement
We specialize in rebuilding retaining walls that have failed and/or collapsed.
Retaining Wall Repairs
It's pretty common for us to get called out to repair an existing retaining wall that has collapsed or failed in some way. This could be an old wood retaining wall that is rotting away or a block wall that is bulging or on the verge of collapse if it has not collapsed already.
Typically we don't recommend "repairing" retaining walls. The wall has failed for a reason and that reason is typically poor construction or a poor choice of materials. When a wall has failed we will usually recommend tearing the wall out and replacing it. This would include demolition of the old wall, re-excavating the area to allow for proper base materials, installation of proper drainage, and proper backfill. Building it right is the more cost effective option in most situations.
Rebuilding Failed Retaining Walls
If your existing retaining wall has failed and needs to be replaced it's usually more cost effective to demolish the old wall, remove the materials, re-excavate the site, install a proper base, geo-grid if necessary, install drainage, and build the retaining wall properly.
We specialize in rebuilding retaining walls that have failed and would be happy to provide you with a consultation if you have a wall that you believe needs to be replaced.
What Our Customers Say...
Great service, highly recommend Thanks Jeff, Aikisha Ps. Where’s my money?
Used them to put up Christmas lights Great job very professional On time I will use them again
These guys were wonderful! They did a great job removing Vines from the side of my house! And at a reasonable price too! Would definitely recommend these people to anybody in the Charlotte area!
I appreciate the detailed execution that ensured our home remained untouched or damaged. Carolina metro provided a fair quote for a multitude of services. They were punctual, worked tirelessly, and finished when promised. I would highly recommend them for any landscaping needs.
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