Retaining wall service
Masonry Block Walls in San Diego County
San Diego Elite Retaining Walls builds reinforced masonry block walls that hold soil, line a property or screen a yard, with the footing and drainage each one needs.
What's included
- Concrete footing with rebar dowels set for the wall above
- Block laid in mortar with vertical and horizontal steel
- Grout in the reinforced cells and a bond beam at the top
- Waterproofing, drain rock, drain pipe and a stucco, veneer or cap finish
- Serving homes across San Diego County
- Written estimate before work starts
- Drainage planned into every wall
- Permit questions answered up front
Are masonry block walls right for you?
Who it's for
- Narrow side yards where a wall has to stand straight up
- Retaining walls that should match a stucco house
- Privacy and property-line walls on sloped lots
Problems it solves
- An old block wall with stair-step cracks in the mortar
- Water stains and peeling paint on the face of a wall
- No privacy from the street or a neighbor's yard above
How it works
- Call or send a message about the wall or slope
- Site visit to check height, soil, drainage and access
- Written estimate, then the build or repair
What are masonry block walls?
Short answer
A masonry block wall is built from hollow concrete masonry units, or CMU, laid in mortar with steel rebar set in the cells and grout poured around it. It sits on a poured concrete footing and acts as one stiff piece, unlike segmental block, which stacks dry and leans back into the slope.
Most of the block walls in older San Diego neighborhoods are this type: gray 8 by 8 by 16 inch block, often covered in stucco to match the house. As a retaining wall it can stand straight up and needs little room behind it, which helps on narrow lots. Freestanding versions show up as garden walls and privacy walls along a lot line.
What's inside decides how long it lasts. The rebar has to be the right size and spacing and tied into the footing, and the cells holding it have to be grouted solid. A retaining version also needs waterproofing on the soil side, gravel and a drain behind it, and weep holes or an outlet. Skip those and water pushes through the face, leaving the white crust called efflorescence.
Masonry Block Walls across San Diego County
Based in San Diego and available in each of these areas.
Related services
Concrete Retaining Walls
Reinforced concrete and concrete block walls for tall walls, tight spaces and heavy loads.
Engineered Retaining Walls
Tall and heavily loaded walls built from a licensed engineer's stamped plans, with permits, soils reports and inspections.
Natural Stone Retaining Walls
Dry-stacked, mortared and veneered stone walls for gardens and slopes that call for a natural look.
Ask about masonry block walls
Send a short message about your wall or slope and we'll call you back to set up a site visit.
- Site visit to look at the slope, soil and drainage
- Written estimate before any work starts
- Permit and engineering questions answered up front
Prefer to talk? Call (760) 539-8329
Masonry Block Walls questions
How much does a cinder block retaining wall cost?
A grouted concrete block wall, often called cinder block or CMU, is priced on its height, length and the footing it needs. Rebar, grout, waterproofing on the soil side, drainage and the finish, such as stucco or veneer, all add to the cost. Taller walls need engineering and a permit, which also goes into the estimate.
Is cinder block good for a retaining wall?
Hollow concrete block works well as a retaining wall when the cells are filled with grout and steel and it sits on a proper footing. Stacked empty, with no rebar or grout, it has little strength against soil pressure. Built right, it stands straight up and needs little room behind it.
How tall can a cinder block retaining wall be?
There's no single number. A reinforced block wall's height is set by the engineer's design for the soil and load. A wall past the local permit limit, about 3 or 4 feet depending on the city, or one holding a surcharge, usually needs a permit and stamped plans, and the city or County confirms the limit for your address.
Do I need rebar for a cinder block retaining wall?
A block retaining wall needs vertical rebar tied into the footing, with the cells holding it filled solid with grout, plus horizontal steel or a bond beam. The size and spacing come from the design. A block wall without steel can crack and tip under soil pressure.
Can you stucco a cinder block retaining wall?
Block takes stucco well, but the soil side of a retaining wall has to be waterproofed first. Without that, moisture moving through the block can blister the stucco and leave mineral stains.