Retaining Wall Contractor Greenville NC Homeowners Call for Washing Banks, Leaning Walls, and Yards That Will Not Stay Level

Block, concrete, and stone faced retaining walls with drainage that has somewhere to go, built to North Carolina code. Zavala Masonry and Concrete Contractor LLC is the retaining wall contractor Greenville NC homeowners hire for segmental block, reinforced block, poured concrete, and stone or brick faced walls. We build for erosion, grade changes, and driveway and patio walls across Greenville NC and Pitt County. Every wall gets a crushed stone base, drainage stone and pipe with a planned outlet, and an engineer’s plan when North Carolina code requires one.

Signs Your Yard Needs a Retaining Wall Instead of More Mulch and Sod

  • Soil and mulch wash onto the patio, driveway, or sidewalk after storms.
  • A ditch or creek bank keeps eating into the yard.
  • You want a grade change leveled for a patio, pool deck, or lawn.
  • A driveway cut or raised house pad has a bank that keeps sliding.
  • An old timber, railroad tie, or block wall is leaning, bulging, or rotting.

An erosion control wall stops soil from moving. If water pooling is the main problem, we tell you when regrading and drainage are the better answer.

Car driving on highway next to retaining wall in Greenville NC

Retaining Walls Our Crew
Builds Across Greenville NC

This page covers walls that hold back soil; freestanding garden and privacy walls are on our brick and block walls page.

A wall made of rough, tan-colored stones, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Segmental Block Retaining Walls

A segmental retaining wall uses dry stacked interlocking units that meet ASTM C1373, with geogrid on taller walls. We recommend a block retaining wall for most residential banks.
Gabion wall filled with light-colored rocks, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Reinforced Concrete Block Retaining Walls

A concrete block retaining wall sits on a poured footing with rebar and grouted cells. We recommend it for tight spaces and walls close to a house or garage.
A rustic stone wall with yellow daffodils and dry grass, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Poured Concrete Retaining Walls

A poured concrete retaining wall is formed and reinforced on site. We recommend it for driveway cuts, loads above the wall, and spots where the wall must be thin and strong.
A pile of rocks sitting on top of a grass covered field, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Stone and Brick Faced Retaining Walls

A stone retaining wall or brick retaining wall from our crew has a structural block or concrete core with a stone or brick face matched to your house.
Stone wall with autumn trees and manicured hedges, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Terraced Retaining Walls

Terraced retaining walls split one tall bank into two or more shorter walls that step down into level beds or lawn.
Stone gabion wall with dry grass and green plants, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Driveway and Grade Walls

A driveway retaining wall holds the bank along a driveway cut or raised house pad. We also build grade walls at patio and pool deck edges.
Stone wall with plants in the foreground, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Does Your Retaining Wall Need an Engineer Under North Carolina Code?

We check every wall against North Carolina Residential Code R404.4 before pricing. We build an engineered retaining wall from a registered design professional’s plan when the wall:

  • Holds back more than the code limit of unbalanced fill, meaning the difference in ground level from front to back, not total wall height or depth to the footing
  • Crosses a property line, at any height
  • Supports a building or sits close to one
  • Is one of stacked walls whose combined height passes the limit
  • Carries a driveway, parking, slope, fence, or structure above it

We confirm the current threshold for your address. When code requires an engineer’s design, we build from that plan and tell you before pricing. See the NC Office of State Fire Marshal code amendments.

The Leveling Pad, Drainage Stone,
Filter Fabric, and Geogrid We Build Into Every Wall

Every retaining wall construction Greenville NC job follows this standard.

Retaining wall parts, what we build, and why it matters to you
Part What we build Why it matters to you
Leveling pad At least 6 inches of compacted ¾ inch crushed stone, never sand or pea gravel A firm base that will not shift
Buried first course Set below grade, about 10 percent of the exposed height Keeps the base from kicking out
Drainage stone At least 12 inches of clean crushed stone behind the wall, full height Relieves water pressure
Filter fabric Non woven fabric between drainage stone and native soil Stops clay from clogging the stone
Drain pipe Perforated pipe at the base with a planned outlet Carries water away
Geogrid Layers tied into backfill on taller walls, per the design Locks the soil mass to the wall
Backfill and caps Compacted in lifts, caps set with adhesive Prevents settling behind the wall

Retaining wall drainage starts at the first course. For reinforced block and poured walls, we pour a reinforced footing, set rebar, add weep holes or drain pipe, and seal the soil side. Our segmental builds follow CMHA guidance.

Where the Drain Water Goes on a Flat Greenville NC Lot

On flat lots, a drain pipe with no lower place to empty fills up and stops working. We plan the outlet before we dig: daylight to lower ground or a ditch, a pop up emitter or dry well, or a tie in to existing drainage where allowed. We keep walls and outlets out of easements and tell you when regrading is needed too.

A gabion wall made of rocks and wire mesh, retaining wall in Greenville NC
Brown and gray brick wall, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Leaning or Bulging Wall? Our Honest Rebuild Recommendation

We assess failing walls on site, check the base, drainage, and soil, and tell you plainly whether the wall needs a rebuild. When it does, we build the new wall to the same drainage and base standard shown above.

How We Size Retaining Walls Greenville NC Lots Actually Need for Clay, Fill, and Rain

We plan for Pitt County NC clay that drains slowly, a seasonal high water table, and filled lots in newer subdivisions that settle. About 49 inches of rain a year makes saturated soil push hardest, so drainage comes first. Most walls on this flat Coastal Plain ground are short grade breaks, and water pressure, not freezing, is the force we build against.

Colorful figurines sit on a stone wall with vibrant flowers, retaining wall in Greenville NC
A pile of rocks, retaining wall in Greenville NC

Why Homeowners Hire Our Crew for Retaining Walls

  • Zavala Masonry and Concrete Contractor LLC shows the drainage and outlet on your estimate before we dig.
  • We call NC 811 and check the property line before excavation.
  • When code requires an engineer’s design, we build from that plan and tell you up front.
  • One masonry and concrete crew builds block, poured, or faced walls without subcontracting.

Our Retaining Wall Project Steps, From Measuring the Grade to Testing the Outlet

As a retaining wall builder Greenville NC homeowners can meet on site, we follow these steps.

  • We measure the grade change and check soil, water flow, easements, and what sits above the wall.
  • You get a written estimate listing wall type, height, drainage, outlet, and whether an engineer’s plan is required.
  • NC 811 marks utilities, we confirm the property line, and we stake the wall line.
  • We dig the trench and place and compact the leveling pad.
  • We set courses with drainage stone, fabric, pipe, and geogrid as designed.
  • We compact backfill, set caps, and test the outlet with you at the walkthrough.

We confirm permit needs for your address with the City of Greenville NC or Pitt County NC before work starts.

Stacked stone wall with dry leaves at the base, retaining wall in Greenville NC
A stone wall in a grassy field under a cloudy sky, retaining wall in Greenville NC

What Changes the Price of a Retaining Wall

  • Height and length
  • Wall type
  • Drainage and outlet work
  • Geogrid and engineering when required
  • Removing an old wall
  • Access for equipment
  • Soil that must be replaced

You get a written quote after the site visit.

Recent Retaining Wall
Projects Around Greenville NC

Reviews From Homeowners
Who Hired Us for Retaining Walls

Retaining Wall Service Across Pitt, Beaufort, and Craven County Towns

We provide retaining wall installation Greenville NC homeowners rely on, and our crew travels to:

Plus surrounding communities in Beaufort County and Pitt County.

Retaining Wall Timeline, Property Line,
Driveway Load, and Drainage Questions

Short walls often take a few days. Taller or engineered walls take longer for design and inspection, and your estimate includes a schedule.

Yes, after the line is confirmed from your survey. A wall that crosses a property line needs an engineer’s design under North Carolina code, at any height.

Yes, when it is designed for that load. A driveway retaining wall or any wall carrying a structure above it is built from an engineer’s plan.

A wall helps when drainage is part of the plan. When water is the main problem, we pair the wall with an outlet or regrading.

Talk With a Retaining Wall Contractor Greenville NC Homeowners Can Meet on Site

Tell us about the bank that keeps washing out, the wall that is leaning, or the grade you want leveled. Zavala Masonry and Concrete Contractor LLC will walk the site, plan the drainage outlet, and give you a written estimate.