What retaining Walls covers
A retaining wall holds back earth. It fails when water builds up behind it, because saturated ground pushes far harder than dry ground. Drainage behind the wall is therefore as important as the wall construction itself.
A retaining wall holds back earth. It fails when water builds up behind it, because saturated ground pushes far harder than dry ground. Drainage behind the wall is therefore as important as the wall construction itself.
Walls that hold back ground, where the drainage behind them matters as much as the wall itself.
Waystar carries out this work on residential and commercial property in Brooklyn and across New York City. Every project starts with a look at the building, and the scope, the materials and the figures are written down before anything begins.
When might you need it?
These are the signs owners usually notice first.
- An existing retaining wall leaning or bulging outward
- Ground slumping where a wall has partly failed
- Water seeping through the face of a wall
- A sloping site that needs levelling for use
- Cracking through a wall along its length
What the work involves
- Assessment of retained height, ground and surcharge loads
- Engineering input arranged where height or load requires it
- Excavation and foundation formed to the design
- Wall constructed to the specified section
- Drainage layer and weep holes installed behind the wall
- Free draining backfill placed and compacted in layers
How the process works
Establish what it retains
Height, ground type and anything loading the ground above set the design.
Engineer where required
Above modest heights, or where there is a surcharge, this needs design rather than judgement.
Build the wall
Foundation and wall section constructed to the specification.
Drain and backfill
Drainage layer, weep holes and free draining backfill compacted in layers.
What you get
- Water relieved from behind the wall rather than building up
- A wall designed for the height and load it actually carries
- Backfill placed in layers so it does not settle later
What affects the scope
- Retained height and any load on the ground above
- Ground conditions and drainage characteristics
- Whether engineering design is required
- Access for excavation and material handling
This is a preliminary planning range, not a quote. A property visit is required before any price is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Why do retaining walls lean?
Water pressure behind them, almost always. Saturated ground pushes far harder than dry ground, and without drainage that pressure has nowhere to go.
Do I need an engineer?
Above modest retained heights, or where anything loads the ground above, yes. We will tell you when it applies.
Are weep holes really necessary?
Yes. They are the pressure relief for the whole wall, and blocking them is how a sound wall starts to fail.
Services often needed alongside this
This service is part of Structural and Concrete Work.