Retaining Wall Engineering & Design
Professional retaining wall engineering for hillside properties, property line walls, pool walls, and grade changes throughout California. Our licensed structural engineers design safe, code-compliant retaining walls optimized for your site conditions and budget.
What is Retaining Wall Engineering?
Retaining walls hold back earth and resist lateral soil pressures that increase with wall height, soil type, slope conditions, and surcharge loads. Improperly designed retaining walls fail by sliding, overturning, or structural cracking - failures that are expensive to repair and create serious safety hazards. California's varied terrain, seismic activity, and expansive soils make professional retaining wall engineering essential. Our structural engineers design retaining walls for residential and commercial properties using concrete, masonry, soldier pile, and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) systems, ensuring each wall is sized for actual site conditions based on geotechnical data.
Why Choose Our Retaining Wall Engineering Services
Retaining wall designs based on actual site-specific soil conditions
Multiple wall type expertise: concrete, masonry, soldier pile, MSE, shotcrete
Seismic design per California Building Code for earthquake resistance
Cost-effective designs that avoid over-engineering while maintaining safety
PE-stamped plans accepted by all California building departments
Coordination with geotechnical engineers for soil parameters
Drainage design integrated into structural plans to prevent hydrostatic failure
What We Provide
Comprehensive retaining wall engineering services with complete documentation
Retaining Wall Design
Complete structural engineering for new retaining walls including stability analysis (sliding, overturning, bearing), structural design of the wall stem and footing, reinforcement detailing, and drainage provisions.
Wall Type Selection
Engineering evaluation and recommendation of the most appropriate wall type for your site: cast-in-place concrete, concrete masonry (CMU), soldier pile and lagging, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE), or shotcrete.
Hillside Retaining Systems
Specialized engineering for hillside retaining walls including stepped wall systems, tiered walls, tie-back anchors, and soil nail walls designed for steep slope conditions and California seismic requirements.
Pool & Property Line Walls
Retaining wall design for swimming pool perimeters, property line grade changes, and fencing applications. Includes surcharge loading from adjacent structures, vehicles, or equipment.
PE-Stamped Permit Plans
Complete construction documents including wall elevations, cross-sections, footing details, reinforcement schedules, drainage details, and structural notes for building department approval.
Repair & Assessment
Evaluation of existing retaining walls with structural distress including leaning, cracking, sliding, or drainage failure. Design of repair and stabilization solutions.
How It Works
Our streamlined process for retaining wall engineering
Site Evaluation
Review site conditions, wall height and length requirements, adjacent structures, surcharge loads, and drainage patterns. Determine if a geotechnical investigation is needed.
Geotechnical Coordination
Review geotechnical report for soil parameters including lateral earth pressure coefficients, bearing capacity, friction angle, and recommendations for wall type and drainage.
Wall Type Selection
Evaluate wall type options considering height, site access, soil conditions, aesthetics, and budget. Recommend the most cost-effective system for your project.
Structural Design
Engineering analysis including lateral earth pressure calculation, stability checks (sliding, overturning, bearing, global), structural member design, and seismic loading.
Drainage Design
Design of wall drainage system including backdrain, weep holes, surface drainage, and subdrain to prevent hydrostatic pressure buildup behind the wall.
Drawing Production & PE Stamping
Create detailed construction drawings showing wall geometry, reinforcement, footing, drainage, and all construction details. PE stamp for permit submittal.
Permit Support
Submit plans to building department, respond to plan check corrections, and coordinate with officials for permit approval.
Construction Support
Contractor guidance, pre-pour inspection of reinforcement, and construction observation to verify the wall is built according to the approved structural plans.
Common Applications
We provide retaining wall engineering for a wide range of projects
Cost Information
Transparent pricing for your project
Typical Range:
$2,000 - $8,000 for engineering design depending on wall size and complexity
Factors Affecting Cost:
- Wall height (walls over 6 feet cost more to engineer)
- Total wall length
- Soil conditions and geotechnical complexity
- Surcharge loads (structures, vehicles, slopes above wall)
- Wall type (concrete, masonry, soldier pile, MSE)
- Hillside vs. flat site conditions
Retaining wall engineering costs depend on wall height, length, site conditions, and wall type.
Timeline
What to expect for your project
Design Phase
1-3 weeks for residential walls; 3-6 weeks for complex or commercial walls
Permitting
2-6 weeks depending on jurisdiction
Total Timeline
3-12 weeks from start to permit approval
Timelines vary based on project complexity, jurisdiction requirements, and information availability. We provide detailed schedules during consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about retaining wall engineering
When do I need engineering for a retaining wall?
Most California jurisdictions require engineered plans for retaining walls over 4 feet in height (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall). Walls of any height that support surcharge loads (buildings, driveways, slopes) or are on property lines typically require engineering. Even for shorter walls, engineering prevents expensive failures and ensures your investment lasts.
What type of retaining wall is best for my project?
The best wall type depends on height, site conditions, and budget. Cast-in-place concrete is versatile and strong for most applications. CMU (masonry block) works well for moderate heights with a finished look. Soldier pile walls are ideal for tight property line conditions where excavation is limited. MSE walls are cost-effective for taller walls with available space. We recommend the best option after evaluating your specific site.
How much does retaining wall engineering cost?
Engineering fees range from $2,000-$4,000 for standard residential retaining walls and $4,000-$8,000 for taller, longer, or more complex walls. Hillside walls with tie-backs or soil nails are at the higher end. Multi-wall projects receive per-wall pricing that reduces the overall cost. We provide detailed quotes after reviewing your site conditions.
Do I need a geotechnical report for a retaining wall?
Most building departments require a geotechnical report for retaining walls over 4 feet. The report provides soil parameters essential for proper design including lateral earth pressure, bearing capacity, and drainage recommendations. Without a geotechnical report, we must use conservative assumptions that result in a more expensive wall. We recommend geotechnical engineers if you need a report.
Why is drainage so important for retaining walls?
Water pressure behind a retaining wall dramatically increases the forces the wall must resist. Hydrostatic pressure from saturated soil can double the lateral load on the wall, leading to failure. Proper drainage including granular backfill, filter fabric, perforated drain pipe, and weep holes is essential. We design integrated drainage systems with every retaining wall.
Can a failing retaining wall be repaired?
Many failing retaining walls can be repaired or stabilized depending on the cause and extent of failure. Solutions include adding tie-back anchors, installing soil nails, constructing a supplemental wall, improving drainage, and underpinning the foundation. Severe failures with significant displacement may require full replacement. We assess the condition and recommend the most cost-effective repair approach.
How tall can a retaining wall be?
Single retaining walls are typically designed up to 20-25 feet tall, though taller walls are possible with specialized systems like tie-back anchors or soil nails. For very tall grade changes, tiered wall systems with terraces between walls distribute the load and reduce individual wall heights. The maximum practical height depends on soil conditions, available space, and budget.
Do retaining walls need to be designed for earthquakes in California?
Yes, California Building Code requires seismic design for retaining walls. Earthquakes generate additional lateral forces on retaining walls through dynamic earth pressure. Our designs include seismic loading per current code requirements, ensuring your wall performs safely during an earthquake. This is especially critical for walls supporting structures, roads, or occupied areas.