Retaining walls
Retaining walls in Longview & East Texas
Block, stone and timber walls built on a compacted base with gravel and drain pipe behind them, so they hold East Texas slopes instead of leaning. Most walls run $3,000 to $19,000, depending on height and length.
- 5.0 on Google from 143 reviews
- Free written estimate within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
Who builds retaining walls in Longview, TX?
Yard Dog Landscapes is a family-owned, fully insured company in Longview, TX that has built retaining walls across East Texas since 2017, with a 5.0 rating across 143 Google reviews. We build segmental block, natural stone, boulder and timber walls on a compacted base with gravel backfill and a drain behind them. Height and length drive the price. Most walls run $3,000 to $19,000, and tall structural walls run $20,000 and up. Request a free walkthrough online.
What we do
A retaining wall has one job: hold back dirt that wants to move. Done right, it turns a slope into flat, usable yard, stops erosion and keeps water off the foundation. Done wrong, it leans, bows and cracks within a few seasons. The difference is almost always in the parts you can't see.
Every wall we build starts the same way. We dig below grade, compact a crushed stone base and set the first course dead level, because every row above inherits what that bottom row does. Behind the wall goes gravel backfill and a perforated drain tied out to daylight or a pop-up emitter. Taller walls get geogrid tied back into the hill and a slight lean into the slope. We build with segmental block from brands like Belgard and Pavestone, natural stone, boulders and pressure-treated timber.
- Segmental block retaining walls
- Natural stone, boulder and timber walls
- Seating walls and short garden walls
- Terraced walls that step down a steep grade
- Rebuilds of leaning or failed walls
- Compacted base and gravel backfill
- Drain pipe and outlet behind every wall
- Geogrid reinforcement on taller walls
How the job goes
We build walls year-round. A dry stretch is the best time to dig and compact, since wet clay won't pack down right. If a slope is already washing out or a wall is starting to lean, don't wait for the spring rains to make it worse.
Read the slope
We walk the site, measure the grade change, find where the water comes from, and figure out what the wall has to hold.
Spec and price the wall
You get a written, itemized estimate with the material, height, length and drainage. If the wall is tall enough to need a stamped engineering plan, we tell you at the walkthrough.
Dig and set the base
We excavate below grade, compact a crushed stone base and set the first course dead level.
Build it up with drainage
Each course goes up with gravel backfill behind it, a perforated drain at the bottom, and geogrid on taller walls.
Finish and grade
We finish the top of the wall, grade the ground above and below it so water moves off, and haul away the spoil.
Our retaining walls work
Real jobs by our crew, with where they were built. Tap any photo to see the whole project.
Why walls fail here, and how we stop it
Most failed walls in our area come down to water. East Texas clay swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries, and behind a wall that water has nowhere to go. It builds pressure against the block until the wall leans, then bows, then cracks. We put a gravel chimney and a perforated drain behind every wall so that pressure never builds.
The second weak spot is the base. Sandy loam over clay won't hold a wall set on undisturbed dirt. At Lake Cherokee, we took a leaning block wall along a driveway and rebuilt it course by course on a compacted base, with drainage fabric and pipe behind it. A real base and somewhere for the water to go fixes most walls.
Retaining Walls questions
Something else on your mind? Ask us in the quote form.
How much does a retaining wall cost in Longview, TX?
Most walls we build run $3,000 to $19,000, and height and length move the number most. A short garden wall starts at a few thousand dollars. A tall structural wall with geogrid and drainage runs $20,000 or more. The material and how much digging the slope needs matter too. We walk the site and send a written, itemized estimate before any dirt moves.
What is the best retaining wall material for East Texas?
For most yards, segmental block from brands like Belgard and Pavestone. It locks together, flexes with the ground and goes up clean. Natural stone and boulder walls cost more but look great on the right property. Pressure-treated timber fits some jobs, like the timber wall we built for a raised boat and RV pad in White Oak.
Do retaining walls need drainage?
Yes, and in East Texas clay it's the most important part of the build. Water that collects behind a wall builds pressure and pushes it out over time. Every wall we build gets gravel backfill and a perforated drain that carries water to daylight or a pop-up emitter, so that pressure never gets a chance to build.
How tall can a retaining wall be?
We build everything from short garden and seating walls to tall structural walls. Walls over about four feet usually need engineered design and reinforcement like geogrid, and we handle the base prep, grid and drainage that taller walls require. If your wall calls for a stamped engineering plan, we'll tell you during the walkthrough.
Can a leaning retaining wall be fixed?
Propping it up won't hold. A leaning wall almost always has a base or drainage problem, and the real fix is taking it down and building it back right. At Lake Cherokee we rebuilt a leaning block wall along a driveway course by course on a compacted base, with drainage fabric and pipe behind it. We'll tell you at the walkthrough what yours needs.
Retaining Walls near you
We work all over East Texas from our home base in Longview. Pick your town for local details and answers.
Related services
Drainage & Grading
French drains, regrading, downspout reroutes and swales for yards that hold water after every rain.
Hardscaping & Patios
Paver and flagstone patios, walkways, fire pits and seating walls, dug out and built on a compacted base so they stay level in East Texas clay.
Landscaping
Beds, shrubs, trees, sod and borders planned around East Texas clay and summer heat, and installed by the same family-owned crew from start to finish.
From the blog
What customers say
143 Google reviews
“These guys did a great job. They were even sweet and brought my trash can up to the house. Glad we switched to Yard Dog. We’d recommend them to anyone in the White Oak area!”
“I recently hired Miller to clear out my ditch area, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the results. From start to finish, the service was professional and efficient. They cleared the area quickly, removing overgrowth, debris, and ensuring proper drainage. Highly recommend Miller for any type of lawn care!”
“Miller and the 2 young gentleman that did work at my home today were great! Each of them had great manners, respect and worked extremely hard to get the job done. I look forward to using them again in the near future.”
Get a free retaining walls quote
Tell us what you need and where. We call within a day, walk the property with you and send a written, itemized estimate. No pressure and no surprise add-ons.
- Free on-site walkthrough
- Written estimate, usually within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
- Fully insured, 5.0 on Google from 143 reviews