Most jurisdictions require engineered drawings for a retaining wall once it passes a trigger height: commonly around four feet measured from the bottom of the footing, and lower than that when there is a surcharge above the wall, a slope behind it, or a structure, driveway or pool nearby. We design and seal those walls.
Wall types we design
- Segmental retaining walls (SRW) and modular block, with and without geogrid reinforcement
- Cast-in-place concrete cantilever and gravity walls
- Concrete masonry (CMU) walls with reinforcement and grout schedules
- Timber and crib walls
- Soldier pile, sheet pile and tie-back walls for tight sites
- Tiered walls, corners and walls with railings, fences or guardrail above
- Repair and replacement design for leaning, cracked or failed walls
What the engineering covers
- Lateral earth pressure, including surcharge from driveways, structures, pools and vehicles
- Sliding, overturning and bearing capacity checks with the factors of safety the code requires
- Global stability for slopes above and below the wall
- Seismic loading where the design category calls for it
- Drainage behind the wall: the single most common cause of failure
- Reinforcement, geogrid lengths and spacing, footing size and embedment
- Sealed drawings, sections, details and calculations for submission
What we need from you
- Wall length, exposed height and the grade difference top to bottom
- What is above and below the wall: slope, driveway, pool, house, parking
- Photos of the site, and of the existing wall if this is a repair
- A geotechnical report if you have one; if not, we design to conservative assumed soil values and say so on the sheet
- The address, so the design uses the right code and seismic parameters
Turnaround and price
Single-wall residential designs are usually delivered in 48 to 72 hours as a fixed fee quoted up front. Tiered walls, tie-back systems and walls supporting structures are quoted to scope with a firm date.
Common questions
At what height do I need an engineer?
Four feet from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall is the common threshold, but the surcharge rule catches many shorter walls, and some cities set a lower limit. Tell us the height and what sits above the wall and we will tell you plainly whether you need a stamp.
My existing wall is leaning. Can you help?
Yes. Send photos and dimensions. We assess the likely cause, usually drainage or an undersized footing, and provide a sealed repair or replacement design.
Do I need a soils report?
Not always for residential walls. Where one is not available we design using conservative assumed values, which is accepted by most jurisdictions for modest walls. For tall walls or walls carrying a structure, a geotechnical report is worth the cost and we will say so.
Next step
Send photos, the wall height and the length through the quote form. A licensed engineer replies with a fixed fee and a date, usually within the hour.