Loading...
Serving Reno, NV and surrounding areas. (775) 447-9279
A slope that washes out or an aging wall that is starting to lean can be fixed with a properly built retaining wall - deep footings, built-in drainage, and materials chosen for Reno's freeze-thaw winters.
Retaining wall construction in Reno holds back soil on sloped lots using concrete block, natural stone, or poured concrete set over a compacted gravel base with drainage built in behind the wall, most residential projects are completed in one to three days once excavation is done.
A wall that fails in Reno almost always fails because of water. Clay-heavy and caliche-rich soils in the area hold moisture instead of draining it, which builds pressure behind any structure sitting in the ground. The fix is not just building the wall - it is installing gravel backfill and drainage outlets so water has a clear path out before it can push anything. Many homeowners who need retaining walls also need concrete block walls for property edges or garden borders in the same project.
If your slope also needs a durable hardscape on top of it, we can combine retaining wall work with masonry restoration on existing structures or new surface construction - so the whole area is addressed in one visit rather than two.
If soil, gravel, or mulch migrates down your yard after a storm, your slope is eroding. Reno gets intense summer thunderstorms that can drop a lot of rain quickly, and that water has to go somewhere. A retaining wall stops the movement and keeps your landscaping in place through wet seasons.
If your current wall is tilting away from the slope, shows cracks running through the blocks, or has sections pulling apart, it is failing. This is especially common in Reno after hard winters, when freeze-thaw cycles have been pushing against the structure for months without adequate drainage.
Standing water near your home after a storm may mean the slope behind the house is directing water toward the structure instead of away. A retaining wall combined with proper regrading can redirect that water and protect your foundation from slow, compounding damage.
If a section of your yard is so sloped you cannot mow it, plant in it, or walk across it safely, a retaining wall can create flat, usable terraces. Many Reno homeowners on hillside lots have yards that are technically large but practically unusable without this kind of work.
We build new retaining walls, replace failing ones, and repair walls that have partial damage but are not yet at full failure. Every new wall project includes excavation, compacted gravel base, drainage installation behind the wall, and your choice of material - concrete block, natural stone, or poured concrete. For slopes that require more height than a single wall can safely hold, we design tiered or terraced systems that spread the load across multiple shorter walls instead of one tall structure. Homeowners who want to tie wall work into other outdoor projects often pair it with concrete block walls for garden borders, property edges, or outbuilding bases.
For properties where erosion has already affected landscaping or hardscape, masonry restoration can address any surrounding stonework or brickwork that has shifted or deteriorated alongside the slope. We assess the full scope of what your yard needs before recommending a scope of work so you are not paying for things that are not necessary.
Best for homeowners with an eroding slope, a yard too steep to use, or a lot that needs terracing to create flat outdoor space.
Suited for properties where an existing wall is leaning, cracking, or has failed - when repair is no longer enough to address the structural problem.
Ideal for taller slopes where a single wall would exceed safe height limits, spreading the load across two or three shorter walls instead.
Reno's freeze-thaw cycle is one of the harshest conditions a retaining wall faces. The city sits at roughly 4,500 feet and gets real freezing temperatures from November through March. When water in the soil freezes, it expands and pushes outward against whatever is holding it back. A wall without deep enough footings or sufficient drainage behind it will start leaning after the first or second hard winter. Beyond frost, much of the Reno area sits on a mix of volcanic rock, caliche, and clay-heavy soil - clay holds water instead of letting it pass, which compounds the pressure problem after rain or snowmelt.
We serve hillside neighborhoods throughout the region, including Gardnerville and Fallon, where sloped lots and similar soil conditions are common. Many of the newer subdivisions in south and southwest Reno sit on graded hillside lots that require retaining walls to make the backyard usable at all. The Mason Contractors Association of America publishes installation best practices for wall drainage and freeze-thaw accommodation that we apply to every project. For walls taller than four feet, the City of Reno requires a permit - we handle that paperwork so you do not have to navigate the building department yourself.
We respond within one business day. We will ask a few questions about your slope, what is currently there, and what you want to accomplish - then schedule a site visit to see the conditions in person before putting any numbers together.
We look at the slope angle, soil type, drainage patterns, and access for equipment. You receive a written, itemized estimate within one to two days that breaks out materials, drainage, excavation, and labor separately - no single-number ballparks.
If your wall will exceed four feet, we apply for the required permit with the City of Reno or Washoe County. If your neighborhood has an HOA, we help you prepare the approval submission. Permit review typically adds one to three weeks before the crew can start.
The crew excavates the base area, installs compacted gravel, and begins building the wall in layers. Drainage material and outlets are set as the wall goes up - not added at the end. Most residential walls are complete within one to three days of starting this phase.
We come to your yard, assess the slope and soil, and give you a written estimate. No obligation, response within one business day.
(775) 447-9279Water pressure is the most common reason retaining walls fail in Reno. We install gravel backfill and drainage outlets as part of every wall we build - not as an add-on you have to request. You can see the drainage outlets at the base of the wall when the job is done.
We set footings deeper than standard guides recommend because Reno's winters require it. A footing that works fine in a milder climate is not adequate here. This is the detail that separates walls that stay straight for decades from ones that start leaning after the first hard winter.
The City of Reno's building department requires permits for walls over four feet, and navigating that process is confusing if you have not done it before. We apply for the permit, follow up with the city, and schedule around the approval timeline so you do not have to make a single call to the building department.
We assess your specific site before recommending a scope of work. If your existing wall can be repaired rather than replaced, we will tell you that - along with an honest explanation of how long the repair is likely to hold. We have completed retaining wall projects on hillside lots throughout the Reno area and the Virginia Range foothills, so we know what local conditions actually require.
A retaining wall is one of those projects where what you cannot see - the base, the drainage, the footing depth - determines everything about how long it holds. We build those parts correctly the first time so you are not calling about repairs three winters from now.
Restore surrounding stonework or brickwork that has shifted or deteriorated alongside an eroding slope.
Learn MoreExtend your project with concrete block walls for garden borders, property edges, or outbuilding bases.
Learn MoreSpring construction slots fill up early - call or submit online now to get your project on the schedule before the busy season.