Concrete retaining walls in Placentia CA - a wall that holds your slope and drains
Dirt washing onto your patio or a slope eating into the yard? We build a concrete wall with a real footing and drainage behind it.
A concrete retaining wall holds back the dirt on a slope against its sideways push, so the yard above stays put and the yard below stays clear. Most calls we get start with soil slumping onto a patio or walk, or an old wall that's started to lean. At D&M Placentia Concrete Construction, we build concrete retaining walls in Placentia and the cities around it, often to make room for something flat like a pool deck.
Height is only part of the story, so I look at the slope, what sits above it and where the water will go. The price moves with the size of the wall face, the footing and steel it needs, the drainage behind it and how easy it is to dig, and the schedule mostly turns on whether the city has to sign off. Your written estimate spells all of that out.
What goes into a concrete retaining wall
- Drainage priced in up front. We put drain rock, filter fabric that keeps dirt out, drain outlets and surface drainage in the bid from the start, because water stuck behind a wall adds a lot of push.
- A footing that resists tipping. We dig out and pour the footing that keeps the wall from tipping or sliding, then set rebar, the steel bars inside, to help it stand up to the soil's push.
- Money spent where it's buried. If the budget has to give, I'd rather simplify the face than shrink the footing or skip drain rock, because those are buried on day one and they're what hold the wall.
- On site with our crew. I come out to look at the spot and give the estimate, and I'm on site while our own crew builds the wall. We've been in business since 2021.
- Licensed and insured, ask bidders. We're licensed and insured. California's contractor board treats forming, pouring and finishing concrete as concrete contractor work, so it's worth asking every bidder on your wall about their license.
Signs a retaining wall is failing
| Problem | What it looks like | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Wall leaning out | What it looks like: The top tilts toward you and a gap opens behind it | Usual fix: Rebuild on a proper footing with steel |
| Water pushing through | What it looks like: Damp patches, seeping cracks or a soggy strip along the base | Usual fix: Add drain rock, fabric and outlets behind it |
| Dirt spilling over | What it looks like: Soil washing over the top or around the ends after rain | Usual fix: Raise the wall and redirect water up top |
| Cracked or chipping face | What it looks like: Wide cracks, chipped corners or loose chunks on the wall | Usual fix: Patch if it hasn't moved, rebuild if it has |
Your options for a retaining wall
- Fix the drainage. If the wall is still standing straight and the trouble is a damp face or water pooling at the base, adding drainage behind it can be the whole job.
- Cantilever wall. Usually the better fit for a taller wall or one with a driveway, patio or house close above it, since its footing and steel are there to take that extra push.
- Segmental block wall. Can suit a lower garden wall where you like the look of stacked block and nothing heavy sits right above it.
How your wall job runs
- I come out. You call, and I come out to see the slope, measure it and ask what you're planning up top, like a driveway, a patio or a play area.
- Written estimate. You get a written estimate spelling out the footing, steel and drainage, so you can compare bids, and any later change goes in writing, as state law requires.
- Permit and inspections. If the city must sign off, we line up the permit before anything's dug, and since it schedules inspections only Monday through Thursday, we plan around them.
- Building the wall. Our crew protects your yard, digs out and pours the footing, builds the wall with its drain rock and outlets behind it, and cleans up as we go.
- Walking it together. When it's done, I walk the finished wall with you and show you where the drain outlets come out, so you know what to keep clear.
Keeping your wall doing its job
After that, looking after the wall is mostly about water. Keep those outlets open and flowing, and call us before you change the dirt behind the wall or add a driveway or parking pad near the top, because either can undo what the wall was designed for even when the concrete is strong.
We build walls for homeowners all over Placentia and the cities around it, including Yorba Linda and Brea, and if the new flat ground is for a workshop or shed, we can handle the concrete floor installation too. Call (714) 798-2825 or use the form to set up a free estimate.
Tell us about your wall
Send the wall height you have in mind, photos of the slope and any plans for a driveway nearby, and we'll reply within one business day to set a visit.
(714) 798-2825- Free on-site estimate
- Written scope and price
- No obligation to book
Questions we hear about retaining walls
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Placentia?
You need a permit or planning approval if the wall is over 4 feet from the bottom of its footing, or shorter but carrying extra weight like a driveway above it. Past 6 feet, measured from the highest finished ground on either side, the city's Building Division also wants engineering. Even an exempt wall has to meet the building code.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Orange County?
Poured concrete retaining walls in Orange County usually cost about $35 to $50 per square foot of wall face, going by a local cost guide. That's the area of the face you see, and it's a market figure for the county, not our price. My written estimate gives you the figure for your own wall.
What's the difference between a cantilever and a segmental retaining wall?
A cantilever wall stands on a concrete footing with steel bars inside to resist the soil's push, while a segmental wall is mortarless block, stacked dry, that holds the soil mostly by its own weight. When I come out, we'll talk through which one fits your slope and what's above it.
How do I check if my Placentia property is in an earthquake zone?
Look up your address on the state's EQ Zapp map, which shows whether a property sits in a mapped earthquake hazard zone. The zones cover fault rupture, earthquake landslides and liquefaction, where soil briefly turns to quicksand. It's worth a look before I come out, since shaking is one of the loads a wall may have to carry.