Concrete retaining walls in Thousand Oaks CA - a wall that holds back your slope
Soil slumping into your yard, or a slope that washes out every time it rains? We build drained concrete walls that hold it in place.
What does it take to build a concrete retaining wall in Thousand Oaks?
A concrete retaining wall is a formed, poured wall that holds back the soil behind it, and in Thousand Oaks we build each one on the footing, steel and drainage its design calls for, so a sloping yard becomes level ground you can actually use.
Most calls start with a slope creeping toward the patio, an old wall that has begun to lean, or a yard that drops away right where you'd like flat ground. The price moves with the wall's height and length, what its design asks for in footing, steel and drainage, and how easily we can get to the spot. The schedule turns mostly on whether the city wants a permit or engineered plans, and on curing, the wait while the concrete gains strength before we backfill against it. We check with the city before we schedule anything, and your estimate puts a figure on your own wall.
How we build concrete retaining walls
I price a wall on its design and drainage, not just its height, because the footing, the steel and the drain behind it are what the job is really made of. Once the plans are set, our crew digs out and forms the footing, sets the rebar, the steel bars that let the wall stand up to the soil pushing on it, and pours the footing and then the wall. While the concrete cures we keep it from drying out too fast, and then we lay in the drain gravel, the filter fabric that keeps soil from clogging that gravel, and the perforated drain and outlets the plans call for before we backfill and shape the ground so surface water runs away from the wall. If the budget gets tight, I'd much rather you skip a stamped or stained face than trim the footing or the drainage, because those are buried by the end of the job and they're what decide whether the wall holds. Every wall we build is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
A retaining wall is often the first step toward using a sloped yard. The level ground it leaves is a natural spot for concrete pool decks or a slab for a garden room or storage building through our concrete floor installation work, and planning them together lets us set the grades and drainage for both at once.
Why Thousand Oaks homeowners call Prestige Thousand Oaks Concrete Company for retaining walls
Your estimate, written by me
I come out to look at the slope and write the estimate myself, and our crew lead runs the work on site. The person who priced your wall has stood in your yard, and you have one person on the job to ask when questions come up.
Every step explained before we start
I learned concrete working alongside the crews who rented from my equipment shop, and we've been in business since 2013. We're known for walking you through each step before the work begins, so you know what you're paying for and nothing catches you off guard later.
Licensed and fully insured crew
California's contractor license board sets a separate class for contractors who form, pour, place and finish concrete, which is exactly the work a wall like this takes. We're licensed and fully insured, so you aren't carrying the risk of the work being done on your property.
Based right here in Thousand Oaks
We're based in Thousand Oaks and work in Simi Valley, Camarillo, Ventura, Malibu and many other cities around it, where hillside lots and sloped back yards are some of the most common reasons people call us. Your slope is a short drive for us, not a trip we have to fit in.
On a retaining wall, what matters most is what sits under it and behind it once the dirt goes back in. When you're ready, please call (805) 413-5506 or send us a request with a few photos of the slope and any plans for a driveway near the wall, and thank you for considering us.
Get a free on-site estimate for your retaining wall
We reply to calls and requests within one business day, and the estimate is free with no obligation to book. After you send this, we'll set a time to come out, look at the slope and talk through drainage and what you need the wall to do before we write up your estimate.
Examples of poured retaining walls
Questions before you book a concrete retaining wall
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Thousand Oaks?
Installing a poured concrete retaining wall about 3 feet high in Thousand Oaks usually costs about $50 to $55 per square foot. That usual price leaves out removing an old wall, terraced or curved walls, stamped or stained finishes, extra wall height and any added landscaping, so a taller or more involved wall comes in higher. Your estimate gives you the figure for your own wall.
Do I need a grading permit to build a retaining wall in Thousand Oaks?
You need a city grading permit to grade, move or haul earth in Thousand Oaks, but digging for wall footings under a valid building permit is exempt, as long as the dug soil isn't used as fill and no cut is left more than five feet high without support. On a lot with a natural slope steeper than 25 percent, grading needs approval from the Planning Commission or City Council first, and grading plans are prepared and signed by a civil engineer and a soils engineer unless the City Engineer waives that for minor grading. We check with the city before we schedule, take care of the application and inspections when a permit is needed, and tell you early if the city asks for a soils report or engineered plans. If you'd like to ask the city yourself, the Building Division takes questions by phone or at building@toaks.gov and asks that you call before coming to its counter.
Why does drainage matter so much behind a concrete retaining wall?
Water trapped behind a wall can greatly raise the load on it and cause leaks, and even a moderate rise in groundwater can sharply raise the risk of the wall tipping over or sliding. That's why the gravel, fabric and outlets go in on every wall we build, and why it pays to keep the outlets along the base clear of soil and mulch for as long as the wall stands.
Can I add a driveway near my retaining wall later?
You can, but please tell us before the wall is designed, because adding a driveway near it, changing the backfill or letting water build up behind it can undo the design even when the concrete itself is strong. If there's any chance of a driveway or patio near the wall someday, mention it at the estimate so the plans account for it from the start.
How do I compare quotes for a concrete retaining wall?
Compare the design behind each quote, not just the wall height, because the footing, the reinforcement, how deep the wall sits in the ground and the drainage all come from the project design or the code that applies. Two quotes for the same height can describe very different walls, so look for those details written into each one.
How long does it take to build a concrete retaining wall?
Most of the calendar goes to planning and curing rather than the pour itself, so the timeline depends on whether the city needs a permit or engineered plans and how long the concrete needs before it can be backfilled. A taller, longer or curved wall also adds time for forming and setting steel, and we'll walk you through the order of the work before we start.
Related concrete work for your yard
- Concrete pool decks
If the space you're leveling is meant for swimming and lounging, a concrete deck with a slip-resistant surface finishes the job the wall started.
- Concrete floor installation
When the flat ground behind a new wall is headed for a shed, studio or workshop, a concrete floor on a well-packed base gives it a solid, level surface.