What goes wrong with retaining walls if you wait
Leaning and bulging walls
Water trapped behind a wall adds enormous pressure. Over time blocks shift outward and the wall starts to lean.
Collapsed sections
A wall that has been leaning for years can suddenly give way after a heavy rain, sending soil into your yard or onto a neighbour's property.
Erosion and washouts
Without proper drainage, water flows over or through the wall and carries soil away.
Rotting timber walls
Older landscape timber walls rot at the base and lose their strength.
Common jobs we take on
- Leaning block wall rebuild
- Small garden retaining walls
- Drainage behind retaining walls
- Garden terraces and steps
How Lower Mainland weather affects retaining walls
The Tri-Cities is hilly, especially Westwood Plateau, Burke Mountain, Port Moody and Anmore, and these areas get some of the highest rainfall in Metro Vancouver. Long rainy periods and atmospheric rivers saturate the soil behind retaining walls and put them under constant pressure.
Clay soils common in the area also drain slowly and expand when wet. Good drainage stone, filter fabric and a perforated drain pipe behind the wall are essential here.
Warning signs to watch for
- Blocks or timbers leaning, bulging or out of line
- Cracks in the wall or gaps between blocks
- Water seeping through or pooling at the base
- Soil washing out from behind or under the wall
- Rotting wood in timber walls
Maintenance tips
- Keep drainage outlets at the base of the wall clear
- Direct downspouts away from the top of the wall
- Avoid parking or piling heavy loads near the top
- Watch for leaning or bulging after heavy rain
- Keep large tree roots away from the wall
How G2 Home Services handles retaining walls
We rebuild leaning or failed sections of block walls with a compacted base, drainage stone, filter fabric and a perforated drain behind them. We also build new small garden walls and terraces. Taller walls often need an engineer's design in Lower Mainland municipalities, and we tell you when that applies.
Every job is backed by our written promise: a locked-in price before we start, we redo anything you are not happy with, and a one-year workmanship guarantee.
Retaining Wall Repair & Garden Terraces near you
We are based in Coquitlam and take on these jobs across the Tri-Cities, Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver, Richmond and the North Shore. Got other small jobs too? Add them to the list and we will do them in the same visit. See small jobs & odd jobs.
Retaining Wall Repair & Garden Terraces: frequently asked questions
Can you fix a leaning retaining wall?
Usually the leaning section is taken down, the base and drainage are corrected and the wall is rebuilt with the same or new blocks.
Do retaining walls need a permit?
Taller walls, generally over about 1.2 m in many Lower Mainland municipalities, often need an engineer and a permit. Small garden walls usually do not. We check your city's rules.
What is the best retaining wall for a small garden?
Interlocking concrete block walls are durable, look great and are easy to repair later.
