Retaining and seating walls in Charleston, SC
What to know about retaining and seating walls
What a retaining or seating wall typically costs
$45 to $85 per square foot of wall face
Height, block choice, drain stone, geogrid reinforcement and caps all change the price. Walls over 3 feet need extra engineering care and cost more per square foot.
What is included
- A compacted base with the first course buried
- Drain stone and drainage behind the wall
- Backfill placed in compacted lifts
- Geogrid reinforcement where the height calls for it
- Caps set and glued
- Integrated steps when the design needs them
Materials
We build with segmental block and matching caps from manufacturers like Techo-Bloc and Belgard. Seating walls are usually built to match the patio, so the wall and the surface read as one design.
What we plan for around Charleston
- Mostly flat lots, so walls are often about raised patios, seating, planters and managing runoff rather than steep slopes
- Drainage behind every wall, because water pressure is the main reason walls fail
- Tall walls that may need engineering or a permit depending on height and location
- Tree roots and protected trees we design around
Questions about retaining and seating walls
How tall can a retaining wall be?
Walls under 3 feet are the most straightforward. Taller walls need added reinforcement and often engineering or a permit, and we flag that during your free estimate.
What is the difference between a retaining wall and a seating wall?
A retaining wall holds soil back and solves a change in grade. A seating wall is built at sitting height, usually around a patio or fire feature, to give people a place to sit.
Do retaining walls need drainage?
Yes. Every wall we build has drain stone and a way for water to leave from behind it.
Retaining walls near you
We build across the Charleston area. Pick your community to see what is different about building there.
- Retaining walls in Charleston
- Retaining walls in North Charleston
- Retaining walls in West Ashley
- Retaining walls in James Island
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- Retaining walls in Daniel Island
- Retaining walls in Johns Island
- Retaining walls in Hanahan
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- Retaining walls in Sullivan's Island
- Retaining walls in Folly Beach
- Retaining walls in Kiawah Island
- Retaining walls in Seabrook Island
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