Patios, walls & concrete · Riverton & the Salt Lake Valley
Retaining walls, seat walls and steps
A retaining wall turns a slope you can't use into a level you can. We build block, stone-faced and boulder walls that hold grade, drain properly behind, and are capped at a height you can actually sit on.
Steps get built into the wall so the levels connect safely — and seat walls around a patio or fire pit give a crowd somewhere to sit without buying furniture.
Flagstone patio held by a boulder wall — one of our own jobs.
Is this right for you?
A good fit if…
- Your backyard slopes and you want a flat, usable level.
- You need steps between levels or down from the back door.
- You want built-in seating around a patio or fire pit.
How we do it
Step by step.
- 1
Dig the footing
Walls sit on a compacted base — or, for taller walls, poured footings with rebar — set deep enough for the frost.
- 2
Drain behind the wall
Gravel backfill and drainage behind the wall let water out. Water pressure behind a wall is what pushes most failed walls over.
- 3
Build and cap
Block or stone is set course by course, then capped — at seat height wherever it doubles as seating.
Your choices
What you get to decide.
Block
Clean lines and consistent strength; can be faced with stone.
Boulder
A natural look that suits flagstone, waterfalls and mountain-style homes.
Gabion
Steel cages filled with rock — see the gabion wall page.
Utah weather & soil
Walls that survive freeze-thaw
Utah winters freeze and thaw the ground again and again. Without proper footings and drainage, walls heave and crack within a few years. Water trapped behind a wall freezes and pushes too — which is why drainage gets as much attention as the wall itself.
Clay soil holds water and gets heavy when wet, so walls holding back clay need that drainage even more.
What it costs
What moves the price.
We don’t give prices over the phone, because a number for a yard we haven’t seen is a guess. Jason walks it with you and you get a written estimate — free, with no obligation.
- Height and length
- Block, stone-faced or boulder
- Footings and drainage needed
- Steps and caps
- Taller walls may need engineering
Our work
Photos from our jobs.
Every photo is our own work. Tap any photo to see it full size.
See a projectPutting Greens & In-Ground TrampolinesTrampolines set level with the lawn, putting greens tucked below a block retaining wall, and fresh sod with clean curbing — backyards built for kids, grandkids and the golfer in the family.What we used, and whyQuestions
What people ask us.
How tall can a retaining wall be?
It depends on the wall type and what it's holding back. Taller walls can require engineering and city approval. We'll tell you what applies to your yard when we walk it.
Why do retaining walls fail?
Mostly water. Without drainage behind the wall, wet clay and ice push it over time. We drain every wall we build.
We work across Riverton, Herriman, South Jordan, Draper, Bluffdale, West Jordan and the rest of the Salt Lake Valley. Something else on your mind? Call 801-608-7207.
Free estimate
Let’s walk your yard together.
Call and tell us what you have in mind. Jason will come out, walk the property with you, and give you a written estimate — free, with no obligation.
Mon–Fri · 8:00–5:00 · Riverton, Utah · Licensed & insured