Retaining walls and block walls for St. George homes

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and what you want to build or fix.

2. We connect you

   Your request goes to an independent wall contractor who serves your area.

3. They call you back

   They visit, measure and give you a quote and schedule directly.

Who is this for?

Homeowners, builders and HOAs around St. George who need a block wall for privacy, a retaining wall to level a sloped lot, or a fix for a wall that's leaning, cracking or washing out. Southern Utah lots are often cut into hillsides and lava ridges, and new subdivisions leave grade changes between neighbors that walls have to hold. In St. George, almost every backyard is fenced with a concrete block wall, so "block wall" and "retaining wall" often mean the same project.

What's the difference between a block wall and a retaining wall?

A block privacy wall (sometimes called a block fence or cinder block wall) stands on level ground and mostly resists wind and its own weight. A retaining wall holds back soil, so it's pushed on constantly from one side, and much harder when that soil gets wet. Many St. George walls do both: a few courses of retaining at the bottom where one yard sits higher than the next, with a privacy wall stacked on top. That combination needs to be designed as a retaining wall, with a proper footing, steel and grout, and drainage.

What makes a wall last in Southern Utah?

Desert walls don't fight frost the way northern walls do. They fight water that arrives all at once, soils that move when they get wet, and salts that come through the block. A wall that lasts here usually has:

• A real concrete footing, sized for the wall and set on firm, compacted ground
• Rebar and grout in the block cells on any wall that retains soil or stands tall
• Drainage behind retaining walls: gravel, a perforated pipe or weep holes, and somewhere for the water to go
• Grading that sends storm runoff away from the top of the wall instead of over or behind it
• Engineering for retaining walls 4 feet or taller, or any wall holding up a driveway, pool or structure

Do I need a permit for a wall in St. George?

In the City of St. George, retaining walls 4 feet or taller need a permit unless they're shown in detail on an approved site plan. For concrete and block walls, height is measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall, so the buried part counts. Any fence or retaining wall in a front setback also needs a permit first. Washington, Hurricane, Ivins and Santa Clara each have their own rules. Our St. George retaining wall and block wall guide covers the thresholds and links to the source codes.

Does my HOA have to approve a wall?

Often, yes. Many Washington County subdivisions have HOA design rules covering wall height, block color and style, and where walls can go. Get the HOA's written approval before you sign with a builder, and give the builder a copy of the rules so the estimate matches.

What affects the price of a wall?

• Length and height. Builders often price block walls by the linear foot at a set height, and retaining walls by the square foot of wall face.
• Retaining or privacy only. Holding back soil means a bigger footing, more steel and grout, and drainage.
• Block and finish. Plain gray block, colored split-face, stucco or stone veneer, and caps all differ.
• Access. Backyards with no side access mean hand-carrying block and concrete.
• Digging. Rock, caliche and hard ground slow the footing dig.
• Engineering and permits. Required for taller retaining walls and walls carrying a load.
• Removing an old wall. Demolition and hauling add labor.

We don't quote prices ourselves. The builder you're connected with measures the site and gives you a written estimate.

When should I book?

Wall work happens year-round in St. George, but summer heat makes for early-morning crews and concrete that cures fast, and new construction keeps good masons busy. If you need a wall before a pool goes in, before landscaping, or before you move in, start the conversation a few weeks early.

What should I ask a wall builder before hiring?

• What's your Utah contractor license number? (Check it on the state's DOPL lookup.)
• How big is the footing, and how much rebar and grout goes in the wall?
• For a retaining wall: how will it drain, and where does the water go?
• Does this wall need engineering or a permit, and who handles it?
• Does the block and color match what my HOA approved?
• Is removal of the old wall, cleanup and putting landscaping rock back included?

Areas we cover

• St. George
• Washington
• Hurricane
• Ivins
• Santa Clara

Planning ahead? Read our St. George retaining wall and block wall guide.