Concrete retaining walls in Manhattan Beach CA - a wall that holds your slope
Soil creeping into your yard or an old wall starting to lean? We plan and build a concrete wall that holds the ground back.
What a concrete retaining wall doesfor a sloped yard in Manhattan Beach
Most calls we get about concrete retaining walls in Manhattan Beach start with a slope that's slowly giving way, an old wall that has started to lean, or a yard you'd like to level for a patio or a pool deck. A good wall holds the ground back so the flat part of your yard stays usable.
A retaining wall usually gives way by sliding or leaning instead of cracking first as a warning, so the design and the care on site matter most. Before you choose, I'll walk you through poured concrete and block honestly, including how each one shows movement, because that changes what you'd notice if the ground ever shifts.
The price moves mostly with the wall's height and length, whether it curves, whether an old wall has to come out first and how the face is finished. The schedule turns on the design and on when the permit is approved, more than on the pour itself. Your own figure comes in a written estimate after I've seen the site.
You can count on a plain answer about which wall suits your slope, so please call us at (424) 452-9329 whenever you're ready.
Kinds of concrete retaining walls we build
The right wall depends on how much ground it holds back, how much room you have and how you'd like it to look, so I'll go over these options with you on site.
Poured cantilever wall
A fairly thin standing stem on a concrete base slab, with rebar, the steel inside that holds it together. It uses much less concrete than a solid wall but needs more design and careful building.
Solid gravity wall
One heavy mass of concrete that holds the ground back with its own weight. It's a simpler shape, though it takes a good deal more concrete to do the same job.
Segmental block wall
Separate units stacked into a face, with free-draining gravel packed behind them. The gravel carries groundwater away so water pressure doesn't build up behind the wall.
Why homeowners choose Manhattan Beach Concretefor retaining walls and flatwork
Working with us is a plain conversation, with a short reason given for each step before we take it, so nothing about your wall comes as a surprise.
The owner comes out and stays
I come out to look at the job and give the estimate myself, and I stay involved until your wall is finished and walked.
Our own crew does the work
The forming, pouring and finishing are done by our own crew, so I know exactly who is working on your wall and how they work.
Forms straight before the truck comes
I learned under a strict old-school boss who made me pull and reset forms until they were straight, so our prep is finished before any concrete shows up.
Six years of concrete work
We started in 2020, and six years of driveways, walls, foundations and concrete floors have taught us what concrete normally does and what it won't forgive.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm glad to go over both when I come out, so please call (424) 452-9329 to set a visit.
Retaining wall and yard estimatefrom Manhattan Beach Concrete
Please put your address, the wall's rough length and height, and photos of the slope or any old wall in the form. We'll reply within one business day to set a free on-site estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
How your wall gets builtfrom first call to walkthrough
I keep it simple by explaining each step before it happens, so the estimate, the permit, the pour and the walkthrough each come with a reason you've already heard.
Call or send the form
Call (424) 452-9329 or send the form, and we'll find a time that suits you for me to come out and see the slope or the old wall.
I look before I measure
I listen to what you need from the wall before I take a single measurement. Then you get a written estimate that says what's included.
Permit and pour date
Once you say yes, we take care of the permit side and set a pour date that suits the site, so the work starts when it's cleared to.
Forming and pouring
Our crew digs out, sets the forms and the rebar, then pours and finishes the wall while I check it as it goes, because concrete doesn't forgive a rushed job.
Walkthrough together
When the wall is finished, we walk it with you and answer your questions before we pack up, so you know just what you're looking at.
Retaining wall questions
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost near Manhattan Beach?
Concrete retaining wall installation in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $12 to $54 per square foot, which is the market's range and not our price. Taller or curved walls, taking out an old wall, stamped or multi-colored concrete and brick work all cost extra. One Los Angeles price report counted site prep, digging, fabric, concrete, gravel backfill and steel for a 3-foot wall, so it's worth asking each bidder what their price covers.
What is the best way to choose between poured concrete and block for a retaining wall?
Choose by how each one shows movement, since both can do the job when they're designed and built well. The block wall trade group says rigid walls may show cracks when they move, while walls of separate units can adjust without visible distress. So a poured wall may tell you it has moved with a crack, while a block wall can shift and keep its look, and I'll go over which suits your slope at the estimate.
How do I tell if my retaining wall is failing?
Watch for movement, because a retaining wall usually fails by sliding forward, tipping, or rotating as one edge of its footing, the wide base underneath, pushes into the ground. There's often no crack first to warn you, which is why a sound design from the start matters so much. If you see any lean or slide, please call and I'll come take a look.
Does a retaining wall in Manhattan Beach need a coastal permit?
If your property is in the city's Coastal Zone, yes, because the city requires a coastal permit for all projects there unless the work is exempted or excluded. The city's Planning Division takes permit questions, and where your wall calls for a permit we prepare and file it for our part of the work and plan the start around its approval. If the work reaches the sidewalk, curb or street, I'll bring that up at the estimate.
What should I check before designing a retaining wall in Manhattan Beach?
Start by typing your address into the state's EQ Zapp map, which shows on a computer or phone whether your property lies in a mapped earthquake hazard zone. The city also says any plans submitted now follow the new California Building Codes. I'm happy to go over both with you when I come out.
What license does a contractor need to build a concrete retaining wall in California?
In California, contractors who form, pour, place, finish and install concrete work fall under the state's C-8 Concrete Contractor classification. That's the license class to look for when you compare contractors for a concrete wall.
Concrete retaining walls around Manhattan Beach
We're based in Manhattan Beach and build walls for tight, sloped lots across the cities around it, including the ones listed here and others nearby, so please pick your city or get in touch.
Plan your Manhattan Beach retaining wallwith the owner on site
Send photos of your slope or old wall to support@manhattanbeachconcrete.com or call (424) 452-9329, so I can see the job before I visit and come ready for your free retaining wall estimate.