Concrete retaining walls in Liberal, KS - a slope that stays put and drains well
If your yard slope is washing out or an old wall is leaning, we build a concrete wall planned around drainage first.
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Does your sloped yard need a concrete retaining wall?
A concrete retaining wall in Liberal, KS holds back the soil on a slope so the ground beside it stays level and usable. Because it carries the push of that earth and of any water caught behind it, it has to be planned for both.
Most people call us when a slope keeps washing onto a lawn or a walkway, or when they want flat ground for a concrete patio and the yard won't give it to them. The price mostly follows how tall and long the wall is, how complicated the design gets, what sits above it, such as a driveway, and the finish you choose. The schedule turns on the city paperwork and the weather, since we won't pour in conditions that would weaken the concrete. My written estimate spells out what we'd build and why, so you can compare it with other quotes item by item.
How can you tell a slope or an old wall needs attention?
Wall leaning or bulging
If an existing wall has started to tip forward or bow out in the middle, the soil and water behind it are usually pushing harder than it was built to take. A lean tends to grow with each wet season, and once it's far along, the wall usually has to come out instead of being propped up.
Soil washing off the slope
When every hard rain leaves dirt on your sidewalk or patio, the slope is losing ground and nothing is holding it. Left alone, it can undercut the walks and slabs at the bottom and turn a small wall into a bigger one.
Wet ground at the wall
Soggy soil or standing water along the base, or a stained face that never quite dries, usually means water is trapped behind the wall instead of draining out. That water adds pressure every time it rains, and the longer it sits, the more it works on the wall.
How we build concrete retaining walls
Drainage is the first thing I look at, because water trapped behind a retaining wall causes more trouble than anything else. I walk the slope to see where the rain runs, and we plan the backfill, which is the gravel packed in behind the wall, and the outlets that let water out, such as weep holes or a pipe along the bottom, before we talk about the finish. On the job, our crew digs out, sets the footing, ties the rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together under load, then forms and pours the wall. We let it cure, the wait while concrete gains strength, before the drain rock and soil go back in behind it. If the budget gets tight, I'll suggest keeping the drainage and choosing a plainer finish, since a face can be dressed up later but the backfill can't be fixed without digging it all out again.
A retaining wall often makes the flat ground for the next project. We can pour concrete pool decks on a yard the wall has leveled, and we handle concrete floor installation for a shop or shed set into the cut, so the wall and the slab are planned together.
Terracing a sloped yard
This suits homeowners who want flat, usable ground for a lawn, a garden or a seating area on a hillside. Two shorter walls are often easier to drain and fit to the yard than one tall one.
Replacing a leaning wall
This suits property owners with a wall that's tipping, cracking or holding water. We take out the old wall, look for why it failed and rebuild with the drainage planned from the start.
Get a written plan and price for your retaining wall
We reply to every call and form within one business day. I come out to see your slope myself, and the estimate is free, done at your property and comes with no pressure and no obligation.
(620) 482-9704What changes a concrete retaining wall in Liberal, KS
The city's Building Department controls the design and location of all buildings and structures in Liberal, and its permit list names concrete and building work but doesn't list retaining walls, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your wall needs a permit. We check with the city's Building and Code Enforcement Department about your project, take care of the permit when one is required and let you know what we learn. If you'd like to ask yourself, you can call the department at (620) 626-2261.
Weather is the other thing we plan for here. The city's code rates weathering in Liberal as severe and lists a frost depth, how deep the ground freezes, of 30 inches, so we plan the footing and the drainage with frozen ground in mind, since water that freezes behind a wall pushes hard on it. We meet the same winters on jobs across Liberal and the cities around it.
What happens when you call about a retaining wall in Liberal?
Call or send the form
Call (620) 482-9704 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps to have a rough idea of how long a wall you want and what sits above the slope.
I look at the slope
I ask how you'll use the space, check where the water runs and look at what sits above the wall. You get a written estimate that explains what we'd build and why, so you know what the price covers before any concrete arrives.
We plan, build and clean up
Once you decide to go ahead, we look into the city paperwork and plan the pour around the weather. I'm on site with our crew from setup through cleanup, and the backfill goes in only after the wall has had time to cure.
Frequently asked questions
Why do concrete retaining walls fail?
Poor drainage is by far the most common reason retaining walls perform poorly, according to research on retaining wall drains. When water can't get out, it builds up behind the wall and adds pressure the wall then has to resist. That's why the drainage plan is the first thing to ask about, whoever builds your wall.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Kansas?
Retaining walls in Kansas usually cost about $30 to $40 per square foot. That's a statewide market figure, not our price, and a poured wall's cost moves with the kind of project, where the site is, how complex the design is and the scope of work. Our written estimate gives you the figure for your own wall.
How do I know if my yard suits a gravity retaining wall?
A gravity wall, one that holds the soil back with its own weight, suits a yard best when the ground is flat above and below it and clean sand or gravel sits behind it, according to one wall maker's guide. The same guide says a driveway or road above the wall, or any other condition that isn't met, calls for a shorter wall or geogrid reinforcement, a mesh laid in layers through the backfill. I check those conditions when I look at your slope.
Who handles permits for a retaining wall around Liberal?
Seward County requires a building permit for each project, and its Planning and Zoning office reviews the plans before issuing one. For a wall in Liberal, we check with the city first, as described above, and tell you what we find out.
What is the best finish for a concrete retaining wall on a budget?
Simple form liners, textured sheets set inside the forms that leave a pattern on the face, can be an economical finish, while colored concrete can be expensive, according to Texas highway wall guidance. Normal field finishing can also leave colored concrete looking uneven, so it's worth talking through before you pick a color. I'm glad to go over both choices at your estimate.
How do I keep retaining wall weep holes from clogging?
Weep holes stay open best when the backfill behind the wall is done right and the openings are kept clear of plants, animals and trash, which are the usual reasons they clog. A clogged weep hole stops draining, which undoes the job it was put there to do. Filters may also be needed to keep fine soil out of the drains, so it's fair to ask whether a wall plan includes one.
Liberal, KS
Send us a few photos of your slope
Photos of the slope, the length of wall you have in mind and any driveway above it let me arrive already thinking about where the water will go.