Retaining wall construction in Hilo HI - a slope that stays put through the rain
Slope sliding into your yard or an old timber wall rotting out? We build block walls that hold the ground and let water out.
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- Retaining wall construction
- Call
- (808) 229-1042
How can you tell a retaining wall is failing?
Wall leaning or bowing out
The top of the wall tips toward you, or the face bows out in the middle. That usually means water and soil behind it are pushing harder than the wall can hold, and a lean keeps growing until a section lets go and brings the slope down with it.
Old timbers going soft
Ties or treated timbers splinter, crumble when you press them or sag between posts. The wood is rotting, and once it gives out, the soil it held starts moving into your yard, your driveway or the neighbor's lot.
Mud washing out after rain
Dirt spills over the top or bleeds out through gaps and at the base after a heavy rain. Water has no clean way out from behind the wall, so every storm carries off more fill until the base is undercut.
What does it take to build a retaining wall in Hilo?
Retaining wall construction in Hilo means we dig out the site, lay a flat leveling pad, and build the wall up from that base to the top with a way for water to get out behind it, so the slope stays where it is. Most of the planning happens before anyone digs, because the wall's height, the ground under it and where the water goes decide how it has to be built.
Maybe you've got a cut bank that keeps sliding, a yard you want leveled for a lawn or parking, or an old wall that's past saving. The price moves with the wall's height and length, how much digging and hauling the site takes, how much drainage it needs and how easy it is to get equipment in, and the schedule turns on whether the wall needs an engineer's design and a county permit before we start. If your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork with the county and keep you posted on where it stands, and the estimate puts the scope in writing so you can see what goes into your number.
Details to note before an estimate
- Rough height and length of the wall
- How steep the slope is now
- Where rainwater runs across the yard
- Any old wall or timbers to remove
- What the level ground will be used for
How our crew handles retaining wall construction
We plan where the water goes before we plan the wall, because water building up behind a wall is what usually pushes it over. I look at where runoff comes from, like the roof, the driveway and the slope above, and where it can be sent, and on a taller wall or soft ground we bring in an engineer at the start so the design is settled before anyone digs. Then our crew digs out the site, sets and packs a flat leveling pad, and lays the block up course by course, with gravel and a drain behind it, packing the backfill as the wall goes up.
We build these walls in Hilo, in Hawaiian Paradise Park and the cities around them, and some calls turn out to need different work. An older brick or block wall with worn joints and a sound base may only need masonry restoration instead of a rebuild. Once a wall levels part of the yard, some homeowners want a place to gather on it, and that's where our fireplace installation work comes in.
Other work that often goes with a new wall
Masonry restoration
If an existing wall, chimney or brick face is worn but still sound, restoring it can cost less and keep the look your house already has.
Fireplace installation
A fireplace gives a room or level patio a place to gather, and we build the firebox and surround in masonry made for the heat.
What happens when you call about a retaining wall in Hilo?
Call or send the form
Reach us by phone or through the form, tell us roughly how tall and long the wall is, and we set a time for me to come out. A few photos of the slope help me see it before I get there.
I measure and write it up
I measure the slope, look at the ground and where the water runs, and work out what the site needs before I put a price on anything. You get a written estimate with the scope laid out, and if a permit or an engineer is part of the job, I tell you up front so you know what the price covers.
Our crew builds the wall
Our own crew builds the wall the way the estimate was written, with me running the job on site. If an engineer drew the design, we build to it.
We walk the finished wall
Before we call it done, I walk the wall with you and show you where the water goes. We clean up the site and haul off what we dug out.
Questions before you build a retaining wall
How much does a retaining wall cost in Hawaii?
Retaining wall construction in Hawaii usually costs about $60 to $65 per square foot, and that's a statewide market figure, not our price. Your number depends on the wall's height and length, the digging and drainage, and whether an engineer's design is part of the job. I measure on site and put the scope in writing so you can see what you're paying for.
When does a retaining wall in Hilo need a grading permit?
The county's Engineering Division requires a grading permit when the work goes above 100 cubic yards of digging or fill, above 5 feet of height, or changes drainage toward a neighbor's property. In East Hawaii those applications go to the division's office in Hilo, and they also need review by the State Historic Preservation Division, with that division's submittal form sent in along with the application and plans. Plan on that review adding a step before we can dig.
How do I know if my retaining wall needs an engineer?
Industry guidance says a block wall taller than 4 feet, measured from the leveling pad to the top, should have its design reviewed or prepared by a registered professional. The same guidance says engineering help is required on soft or organic soil, peat, high plasticity clay or silt, or fill, so I find out what's under the wall first. If either one applies, that design step goes into the plan and the estimate.
What is the best way to keep water from wrecking a retaining wall?
Industry guidance says to review every source of water in and around the wall and reroute that water away from it, so the plan shows where water comes from and where it goes. That counts for a lot here, since the Hilo soils on the ashfields are deep, well drained soils formed from weathered volcanic ash, where mean annual rainfall is about 145 inches. That describes some lots and not every yard, so I check what yours is sitting on.
Is a block retaining wall better than a timber one?
For most yards, block is the better choice, because a concrete masonry trade manual says wall block resists cracking and, unlike treated timbers or railroad ties, won't splinter or decay. Splintering and rot are where a wood wall usually gives out. Every wall we build is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Who can legally build a retaining wall for me in Hawaii?
The state says that, generally, anyone who offers or contracts to do residential construction, alterations or improvements must hold a contractor license. We're licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask any contractor you're weighing whether they are too.
Get a written estimate for your retaining wall
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free and done in person at your property, with no pressure to book. I measure the slope, look at the water and the ground, and put the scope in writing.
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Get your slope measured before it moves
Call (808) 229-1042 weekdays 8 AM to 11 PM or weekends 6 AM to 10 PM, or use the form, and have the wall's rough height, length and a few slope photos ready.