Walls that hold
the hill back.

A wall without drainage is a wall on a clock.

A retaining wall isn't really holding back dirt, it's holding back dirt full of water. On Bellingham's hillside lots, the soil behind a wall soaks up our rain and gets heavy, and all that water pressure is what pushes walls over, cracks them, and leans them out. We build poured concrete and block retaining walls that are sized for the slope and the load, with the one thing failed walls almost always lack: drainage. That means weep holes, a gravel drainage zone behind the wall, and a drain to carry the water out.

Height changes everything. In Washington, a retaining wall over 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing, generally needs to be engineered and permitted, and inspectors check it. We handle the engineering and pull the City of Bellingham or Whatcom County permit when the wall calls for it. The steep, wooded, higher-elevation lots around Sudden Valley and the sloped streets in South Hill and Fairhaven are where we build the most, and where getting the drainage and the footing right matters most. Cost runs $40 to $90 per face foot depending on height, engineering, and backfill drainage.

What it actually costs.

Our four-step process.

1. Site visit and measure

   We look at the slope, the soil, and the load the wall has to hold, and measure the run and height so we can size it right.

2. Engineering and permit

   If the wall is over 4 feet, we coordinate the engineering and pull the City of Bellingham or Whatcom County permit.

3. Footing and reinforcement

   We dig and pour a proper footing below frost depth and set the rebar the design calls for before building the wall.

4. Build, drain, and backfill

   We build the poured or block wall, add weep holes and a gravel drainage zone behind it, and backfill so water moves out, not against the wall.

Why hire us for a retaining wall.

• Engineered and permitted for walls over 4 feet
• Weep holes and a gravel drainage zone, not just a stacked wall
• Footing poured below frost depth with proper rebar
• Poured concrete or block, sized to the slope and the load
• Built for Bellingham's hillside lots and saturated soils

Frequently asked questions.

How much does a retaining wall cost in Bellingham?

Retaining walls in Bellingham run $40 to $90 per face foot. Height is the biggest driver, since a taller wall carries more load and usually needs engineering, and backfill drainage and site access move it too. A short garden wall is at the low end; a tall engineered hillside wall is at the high end. We measure the run and height and give you a written, line-item quote.

Do I need a permit for a retaining wall?

In Washington, a retaining wall over 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing, generally needs to be engineered and permitted, and inspectors check it. Walls under that can still need a permit depending on slope and surcharge. We tell you which category your wall falls in and pull the City of Bellingham or Whatcom County permit when it's required.

Why do retaining walls fail, and how do you prevent it?

Most retaining walls fail because of water, not weight. Saturated soil behind the wall gets heavy and pushes it out, cracks it, or leans it. We prevent that with drainage: weep holes through the wall, a gravel drainage zone behind it, and a drain to carry water away, all on a proper footing below frost depth. Drainage is what makes a wall last on our hillside lots.

Related services.

Retaining Walls across Whatcom County.

We build retaining walls across Whatcom County, with the most work on the steep lots around Sudden Valley and the sloped streets in South Hill, Fairhaven, and Sehome. Pick your area for local notes: