Concrete block walls in Hilo HI - a wall that's laid out right and kept dry
Cracked, damp block wall, or planning a new one? We build it with the steel, grout and water details your site needs.
- Service
- Concrete block walls
- Call
- (808) 229-1042
How can you tell a block wall needs work?
Cracks through the block
Stair-step cracks along the joints, or straight cracks through the block, usually mean the wall has moved or the steel and grout inside aren't holding it together. Every rain pushes water into that crack, so it tends to get wider the longer it waits.
Damp patches and white powder
Dark wet spots or a white, chalky film on the face mean water is getting into the block and drying out through it. Left alone, that water wears out the mortar and can start rusting the steel inside, and then the repair gets bigger.
A wall leaning or bulging
A wall that tips toward the yard or bows in the middle is losing to the soil behind it. A wall caught early can sometimes be repaired, but one left to keep moving usually has to come down and be rebuilt.
What does it take to build a solid block wall in Hilo?
A concrete block wall is block, steel reinforcing and grout filled into the block cores, so the three work together against the load on the wall. Mainstay Hilo Concrete and Masonry builds new concrete block walls and repairs cracked ones in Hilo, Hawaiian Paradise Park and the cities around them, from garden and property-line walls to walls that hold back a slope.
Most calls start with a wall that's cracked, damp or leaning, or a slope that needs a wall to hold it. Hilo gets heavy rain, and some lots here sit on weathered volcanic ash over old lava flows, with slopes that get much steeper in the gulches, so a wall here is always working against water and the soil behind it. What moves the price is the wall's height and length, whether it holds back soil, how much of it gets grouted and what it takes to keep it dry, and the schedule turns on that same scope plus an engineer's plan when the job needs one. I measure all of that in person and put it in a written estimate, so you're working from your wall's real numbers and not a guess.
Details to note before an estimate
- Wall length and height
- Whether it holds back soil
- Cracks, leaning or damp spots
- Photos of the wall and slope
How we build and repair concrete block walls
I start by measuring the site and working out what the wall has to hold back or carry, and on a repair, why the old one failed, because new block won't last if the water or soil that cracked the old wall is still at work. Then our crew digs and pours the footing, sets the steel, lays the block true to the line and grouts the cores. The big choices are how much of the wall gets grouted and how it's kept dry, and I go over both with you before we start. Where an engineer's plan sets those details, we build to the plan. We finish the joints clean and haul off the mess when the wall is up.
Block work often connects to other jobs. If the wall is going under a house or an addition, that's foundation block wall installation, where the wall carries the building and the layout has to match the plans exactly. If you want block out back for a grill counter or a bar, our outdoor kitchen masonry puts the same block and steel under a surface you can cook on.
Other block work we do
Foundation block wall installation
If your addition or raised house needs a block foundation, here's how we lay it out and build it to carry the load.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Outdoor cooking space gets heat, grease and rain, so the block base and the finish on top have to be planned for all three.
What happens when you call about a block wall in Hilo?
Call or send the form
Call (808) 229-1042 or send the form with a few details about the wall. We set a time for me to come out to your property.
I come out and measure
I look the site over and work out why the old wall failed or what the new one needs before I put a price on anything. You get a written estimate that lays out the scope, and if a permit or an engineer is part of the job, I tell you up front.
Our crew builds the wall
Our own crew builds the wall the way the estimate lays it out, with me running the job on site. The grout and water details go in as we agreed, so what you approved is what ends up inside the wall.
We walk it with you
When the wall is finished, I walk it with you before we call it done. You look over the joints and the face with the person who ran the job.
Questions before you book a block wall
How much does a concrete block wall cost in Hilo?
You get the price for your wall in a written estimate after I've measured it, because a short garden wall on flat ground and a tall wall holding back a gulch slope are very different jobs. Beyond height and whether it holds back soil, the cost follows how much steel and grout the design calls for, how easily we can get block and grout to the spot, and whether an engineer's plan is part of it.
Do I need a licensed contractor for a block wall in Hilo?
Usually yes, because Hawaii generally requires a contractor license for anyone who offers or contracts to do residential construction or improvements. The exception is a small job whose total price, labor, materials and taxes included, is no more than $1,000.00 and needs no building permit, and state law says that exception doesn't apply wherever a permit is required, at any price, or when the work is part of a larger project. We're licensed and insured, and you can check any contractor's license online or by calling (808) 587-3295, as the state's contractor licensing guide explains. If your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork with the county and keep you posted on where it stands before we start.
Should my block wall be partially or solidly grouted?
A wall that holds back soil is often solidly grouted, with every core filled, because the added weight helps it resist tipping over. A partially grouted wall only has grout in the cores that hold steel, but when the steel is spaced close together, filling every core can be faster and more economical than picking cores one by one. If you're planning a retaining wall, expect the fuller fill.
What is the best way to keep rain out of a block wall in Hilo?
Build the water details into the wall itself, because a water repellent or surface coating can greatly improve a block wall's water resistance but is no substitute for flashing, the water barrier built into the wall. Flashing and weeps, small drain openings, aren't needed in a solidly grouted wall, and a structural engineer makes the call on which of these details a wall gets. With the rain Hilo gets, we treat a coating as an extra layer on top of those details, not a replacement for them.
How do I know if my block wall needs steel reinforcing?
Most block walls get steel, because even though a grouted wall isn't required to have it, steel usually makes the design more economical. Once steel goes in, it has to be surrounded by grout so the block and steel work as one wall. The engineer's plan or the written estimate spells out where the steel goes in yours.
Can I build a block wall myself as the owner in Hawaii?
Yes, Hawaii lets owners build or improve structures on their own property for their own use without a contractor license, after registering with the county building department. You have to supervise the work yourself and use only licensed subcontractors, and the structure can't be offered for sale or lease within a year of completion. If it turns into more than you want to take on, give us a call.
Get a written estimate for your block wall
We reply within one business day, then I come out to your property, measure, look at what's causing the trouble and put the scope in writing, free and with no pressure to book. Tell us the wall's length and height, whether it holds back soil, and add a few photos of the site.
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Plan your block wall before it's built
Grout and water details are easiest to settle before the first block is laid, and every wall we build is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.