Concrete Retaining Walls in Key West FL - a wall that drains and holds your yard
Soil slumping toward the house or a slope washing out every storm? We build a reinforced concrete wall with drainage that holds the ground.
A retaining wall is a footing, steel, concrete and drainage working together, and each part gets sized for your yard. I start with how water will leave the back of the wall, and we backfill a layer at a time once it's strong enough.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
A wall that holds the ground and drains
I come out myself
I look at your wall site myself, and our crew of form setters and finishers builds it with me.
Licensed and insured, every job
We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask for proof of both before any work starts.
What goes into a concrete retaining wall in Key West?
A concrete retaining wall in Key West holds back soil where your yard changes level, so the high side stays put and the dirt stays off your patio and walks. It stands on a footing, with rebar inside, the steel bars that let it take the push of the soil, and drain stone behind it, and each of those parts gets sized from a design or the building code, because the wall's height alone doesn't tell you enough. The price moves with the wall's length and height, the footing and steel it needs, how easy the site is to reach and how much drainage goes behind it. The schedule turns mostly on the city permit, plus historic review if your house is in the Historic District, since we sort out that paperwork before we set a pour date. I measure on site and give you a written scope with the price, so you know exactly what you're comparing.
How do you know your yard needs a retaining wall?
Soil washing onto your walks
After a hard rain, dirt from the high side ends up on your patio, walk or driveway, which tells you the slope won't hold itself.
An old wall leaning out
A wall that tips forward at the top or has opened a gap at its base is usually losing to the soil and water behind it.
Rust streaks and chipped concrete
Brown streaks down the face, or chunks popping off over the steel, usually mean the steel inside is rusting and pushing the concrete apart.
Wet face, dry drain holes
Damp patches across the front, or drain holes that stay dry after a storm, usually mean water is stuck behind the wall with nowhere to go.
How a retaining wall job runs, start to finish
You call or send the form
- Call (645) 300-7417 to reach us
- Or send the form any time
- Tell us what the wall holds back
- We set a time to visit
I visit and measure
- I look at the slope and water
- I measure the wall's length and height
- I ask how you'll use the space
- You get a written scope and price
Paperwork, then the pour
- We sort out the city paperwork
- Historic review planned before a date
- I check base, forms and layout
- Backfill goes in layer by layer
Cleanup and walk-through
- We clean up the whole site
- We walk the finished wall together
- I show you the drain outlets
- Keep outlets clear so water drains
Ask for a free retaining wall estimate
Send your address, the wall's size, whether you're in the Historic District and any driveway planned nearby. We reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no pressure to book.
Retaining wall questions we get
These are the questions Key West owners ask me before a wall goes in. If yours isn't here, call (645) 300-7417 and ask.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Key West?
Across Florida, a retaining wall usually costs about $35 to $50 per square foot. That's a statewide market figure, not our price, and a wall here moves with its design, how easy the site is to reach and how much steel and drainage it needs. I measure on site and give you a written scope with your price.
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Key West?
Most walls will, because the city's Building Department issues permits for any work valued over $1,000, labor and materials together, and for structural changes at any cost. Some addresses that read Key West fall under the county instead, so we check which office covers yours first, then handle the permit paperwork.
Does a retaining wall in the Key West Historic District need extra approval?
Yes, exterior work in the Historic District needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, a historic approval filed as part of the building permit application. When a job needs both, the city takes one combined application, and we plan for the historic review before we set a pour date.
How does salt air affect a concrete retaining wall near the water?
Plain concrete holds up near the sea, but spray and splash raise the risk that the steel inside rusts and cracks the concrete around it. Rust damage shortens a wall's life, so if you're close to the water, ask anyone bidding your wall how they'll protect the steel. I go over that with you when I write up the scope.
Why does drainage matter so much behind a retaining wall?
Water trapped behind a wall can greatly increase the load on it and cause leaks, so the drainage matters as much as the concrete. A sound design calls for drain stone, a filter layer, perforated drain outlets and ground sloped to carry surface water off, and every quote you compare should show it.
Will a new retaining wall crack or lean like my old one?
It shouldn't, because most walls fail at the footing, the drainage or the backfill, and that's where I'd spend your budget before any fancy face. We backfill a layer at a time once the wall is strong enough, keep heavy packing machines off a young wall and keep fine soil out of the drain stone so water still reaches the drains.
Other concrete work we do
- Service
Concrete floor installation
Once a wall frames a level space, a poured floor turns it into a usable shed, workshop or storage area, laid out from the same lines.
Read more Concrete floor installation - Service
Concrete pool decks
If the wall holds the ground beside a pool, the deck and the wall share drainage, so it pays to plan the slope and outlets for both together.
Read more Concrete pool decks - Service
Concrete footings
Every retaining wall stands on a footing, and we bring the same care to footings for additions, decks and garden walls that need firm support underneath.
Read more Concrete footings
Get a free estimate for your wall
Request an estimate- VisitKey West, FL 33040
- Call(645) 300-7417
- Emailoffice@keywestconcretecompany.com
- HoursMon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
Where we work around Key West
We're based in Key West and work across the island and the cities around it. Pick your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.