Gilmer, Texas
Retaining walls in Gilmer
Block, stone and timber retaining walls for Gilmer slopes, built on a real base with drainage behind them so they stay straight.
- Upshur County, Texas
- Free written estimate within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
Who builds retaining walls in Gilmer, TX?
Yard Dog Landscapes, a family-owned, fully insured company based in Longview, builds retaining walls in Gilmer and across Upshur County. We've worked East Texas yards since 2017 and hold a 5.0 rating across 143 Google reviews. We build block, stone, boulder and timber walls on a compacted base with gravel backfill and a drain behind them. Most walls run $3,000 to $19,000, mostly set by height and length. Request a free walkthrough in Gilmer online.
Retaining Walls for Gilmer yards
Upshur County is rolling country, and a sandy slope washes fast when a heavy rain hits bare ground, so a low block or stone wall can hold a bed in place or flatten a spot for a patio. Every wall we build, short or tall, gets a compacted base, gravel backfill and a drain to daylight. Most walls run $3,000 to $19,000 by height and length.
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.
What's included
- 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.
Examples of our retaining walls work
Real jobs by our crew around East Texas. Each photo says where it was taken.
Retaining Walls questions in Gilmer
Do short garden walls need drainage too?
Yes. Even a two-foot wall holds back wet soil after a heavy rain. We put gravel backfill and a drain behind every wall we build, short or tall, so water does not build pressure and push it out of line.
How much does a retaining wall cost in Gilmer, 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.
More we do in Gilmer
Lawn Maintenance
Gilmer lawns on sandy ground dry out fast, and a low cut makes it worse.
Fertilization
Gilmer's sandy ground does not hold onto fertilizer, so one heavy feeding mostly washes past the roots.
Sod Installation
When a Gilmer lawn has been scalped, burned out or overrun, sod is the clean restart.
Flower Bed Installation
In Gilmer's sand, a new flower bed needs organic matter in it or it will dry out between every rain.
Landscaping
Beds in sandy Gilmer soil drain well, which is good news for heat lovers like lantana, salvia and plumbago and bad news for anything thirsty.
Christmas Lights
Gilmer is an easy run from our shop, so standard light pricing applies, and most homes start at $900.
Leaf Removal
Between the oaks, pecans and pines around Gilmer, fall cleanup is not a one-weekend job.
Hedge Trimming
Country homes around Gilmer often have long hedge lines along a drive or fence, and those take a different approach than a foundation shrub.
Get a free retaining walls quote in Gilmer
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