Retaining walls

Retaining Walls in Grays Harbor, Mason & Thurston Counties

Retaining walls built for the slopes, wet ground and hillside lots that are everywhere in western Washington.

Stone retaining wall with plantings along the base

Stock photo

Retaining wall construction

A wall is only as good as its drainage

Most retaining walls that fail do not fail because the wall was too weak. They fail because water built up behind them. Saturated soil is heavy, and in a wet winter it pushes hard. That is why the parts of a wall you never see, the footing, the drain rock and the drain pipe, matter as much as the face.

A good wall can turn a slope you cannot use into level ground for a patio, a garden or a parking pad. We plan the wall with the space it creates. [PLACEHOLDER: wall types offered, e.g. poured concrete, block, stone]

What's included

What every job includes

Site assessment

Slope, soil, water and what the wall needs to hold back.

Excavation

Dug out with our own small tractor.

Footing

A solid, level foundation for the wall to sit on.

Drainage

Drain rock and a perforated drain behind the wall to relieve water pressure.

Wall build and backfill

Built plumb and backfilled in compacted layers.

Licensed. Bonded. Insured.

Licensed, bonded and insured in Washington. [PLACEHOLDER: WA contractor registration #]

Local know-how

Slopes, clay and rain

Hillside lots around Olympia, along Hood Canal and above Aberdeen often come with clay soils that hold water through the winter. Taller walls, and walls that hold up a driveway, a building or a steep slope, may need an engineered design and a permit. We tell you at the quote if yours does. [PLACEHOLDER: wall height at which Fontaine requires engineering or a permit]

"Fontaine construction is great! They built us a retaining wall, cement walkway, patio and hot tub pad. All the work they did turned out amazing! Dino, the owner, honest, trustworthy, friendly and hard working. His price for each part of the was very fair. We are going to have him back out to do more work. In the construction business there can be some unscrupulous individuals that try to take advantage of your ignorance. Dino and Fontaine Construction are the opposite of that. I truly believe Dino tried his best to make us happy."

Derek B.Olympia, WA

How it works

Our process

Free quote
Tell us about the project. We come look at the site, talk through options and give you a clear price.
Prep
Excavation, grading and a compacted base, done right before anything gets built on it.
Build
The crew builds it level, tight and true, with the details that make it last.
Cleanup and walkthrough
We clean up, walk you through the finished job and tell you how to care for it.

Questions

Retaining Walls FAQ

Have a question that isn't here? Call 360-463-1098.

Do I need a permit for a retaining wall?

It depends on the height of the wall, what it supports and your city or county. Many short garden walls do not need one, while taller or load-bearing walls usually do. We will tell you which applies before work starts.

My retaining wall is leaning. Can it be fixed?

A wall that is leaning or bulging usually has a drainage or footing problem behind it. Sometimes a section can be rebuilt; sometimes the whole wall needs to come out. We will look at it and give you an honest answer.

How tall can a retaining wall be?

That depends on the wall type, the soil and what sits above it. For a big grade change, two shorter terraced walls are often better than one tall one.

Can you build a patio on the level ground behind the wall?

Yes. Walls and patios often go together. See patios and pavers.

Often paired with