Concrete retaining walls in Gillette WY - ground held back and water given a way out
Slope creeping onto your driveway or patio? We build a poured or block wall that holds the ground back and lets water drain out.
I see every wall site myself
I come out to look at every job myself, and my crew builds the wall with me on site. The person who measured your slope and talked through poured or block is the one watching the footing go in.
In business since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, and we're known for explaining the job before we start. You'll hear what goes behind your wall, why the drainage matters and what the ground under it has to handle before anything gets built.
Licensed and fully insured on your job
We're licensed and fully insured, so you aren't left holding the risk for the crew working on your property. When you're ready to talk about a wall, call (307) 670-7851 or send the form, and I'll set up a time to walk the slope.
Concrete retaining walls in Gillette
A concrete retaining wall holds a slope back so dirt stays off your driveway, patio or foundation, and it's either poured in place or built from concrete blocks. The job also covers the backfill and drainage behind it, so water runs out instead of building up against the wall.
Most people call when a bank is creeping onto the driveway, washing mud across the patio or leaving a strip of yard too steep to use. The first decision is poured or block, and that rests on two things I check on site, how close the wall sits to your property line and how your ground behaves as it gets wet and dries out. Drainage comes with either one.
The price moves with the wall's height and length, poured versus block, how much dirt has to come out and go back in, and how easy it is to get equipment to the spot. The schedule turns mostly on the wall type and the weather, and your written estimate spells out what's included. If you're inside Gillette city limits, ask for our city license before we start, and you can check with the city that it's current.
Retaining walls, drainage and the ground around them
Poured walls for tight property lines
When the wall has to sit close to your property line, I usually lean toward poured. A block wall needs geogrid, a mesh laid back into the soil behind it to hold the blocks, and on a tight lot that mesh would have to run onto your neighbor's land. A poured wall doesn't need that reach, and on a narrow lot it's worth asking about a cantilever design, where the footing extends back under your yard, or a wall built with tiebacks.
Block walls for ground that settles
Where the ground tends to settle, I usually point you toward block. A poured wall rides on one rigid footing, and if the soil sinks unevenly that footing can crack, while blocks can shift a little and take minor settling without the wall failing. Blocks also come out of the mold at full strength, so we can backfill behind them right away instead of waiting for poured concrete to cure, the stretch it needs to gain strength before it takes the load.
A way out for water, either way
Whichever wall you choose, we build in drainage so water has a way out from behind it. As the design sets out, that's drainage gravel behind the wall, a filter that keeps soil out of the gravel, perforated drain outlets and ground shaped so surface water runs off. If you're planning a concrete pool deck up top or a concrete floor installation for a shop on the leveled ground, tell me up front, because adding a driveway nearby, changing the backfill or letting water collect can undo a wall's design later.
Get a free on-site retaining wall estimate
We reply to every call and message within one business day, and then I set up a time to come out, look at the slope and measure. The on-site estimate is free and comes with no obligation.
(307) 670-7851How a retaining wall job goes
I come out and measure
You call or send the form, and I come out to look at the slope, take measurements and ask how you'll use the space. We're based in Gillette and take jobs in the cities and rural areas around it, so ask about yours.
A written estimate and date
I write up an estimate that spells out what's included, from the wall type to the drainage and backfill, and we pick a start date together. If you're weighing poured against block, the estimate shows which one I'd suggest for your lot.
You see what gets buried
On the build day I show you the footing, the forms or first row of block, and the drainage before it's covered, since you won't see it again once we backfill. Before we leave, I tell you how to look after the new wall.
Retaining wall questions from Gillette homeowners
What kind of soil causes problems for a retaining wall in Gillette?
Organic soil and clay that swells and shrinks are the ones to watch, and one block wall installation guide rates both as unsuitable ground to set a wall on. Bentonite, a clay that swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, is one of the most common in Wyoming. I check your ground on the visit, since it often decides poured or block.
Why does a concrete retaining wall need drainage behind it?
Water trapped behind a wall can greatly increase the load on it and cause leaks or freeze damage, so drainage is what lets the wall do its job. Water in concrete's pores also expands when it freezes, and many freeze and thaw cycles can crack it. Once the wall is built, keep the drain outlets clear so water keeps getting out.
How do I check a contractor's license in Gillette, WY?
Call the City of Gillette at (307) 686-5260, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to confirm a contractor's city license is current. The city treats doing business here as a contractor without a city license as a misdemeanor, so ask for the license before any work starts inside city limits.
What has to happen before digging for a retaining wall?
Calling 8-1-1 to have underground utilities marked comes first, before any digging for the wall. The marks show where buried lines run, so the digging for the footing and drainage stays clear of them. Once they're marked, we can lay out the wall and start.