Retaining Wall Repair in Frisco, TX

When Retaining Wall Repair Fits a Frisco Yard

Signs of retaining wall trouble include:

leaning or bowing;
leaking or seeping;
cracking;
efflorescence;
foundation shifting.

Frisco’s homes have a median build year of 2009, so about half of them were built before then. 34.8% went up in 2000–2009 and 13.7% in 1990–1999.

If you see any of the signs above, call or send the form. A free on-site estimate looks at the wall before anything is torn out.

Why Retaining Walls in Frisco Fail

Water and weak structure can each make a wall fail. Without drainage, hydrostatic pressure builds behind a wall.

On the structure side, footings that lack strength, and missing rebar, can make a wall fail early.

Separately, walls built on clay often need extra reinforcement.

Not sure which of these is behind your wall? That is what we look for on site. Call or send the form.

Retaining Wall Repair or Replacement in Frisco

Here is what each option runs.

Repair. A typical repair runs $250 to $1,250 per job.

Adding drainage. Fixing a wall that does not drain runs $60 to $70 per linear foot, done by excavating behind the wall. The retaining wall drainage page explains what goes in.

Full remove and rebuild. A full remove and rebuild runs $6,000 to $14,500.

Other costs can apply to either option:

engineering, at $500 to $750 per wall, or $100 to $220 per hour;
access, since tight or difficult sites need more manual labor;
slope, since sloped yards may need terracing, which can add 50% or more;
soil, since clay-heavy soil can raise excavation labor by up to 50%.

The free on-site estimate looks at how the wall is moving, whether it has drainage, the footing where it can be seen, and the material. Your price is set at that visit. Call or send the form to book it.

Removing Old Railroad-Tie Walls

Railroad ties are creosote-treated wood, the creosote is toxic, and ties are rarely used for walls now for that reason.

A tie wall is still a wood wall, and wood walls last 10 to 40 years.

Removing the old wall is part of the price. Demolition runs $15 to $30 per linear foot. The new wall can then be block, at $15 to $50 per square foot, natural stone at $20 to $100, or poured concrete at $20 to $40.

If you have an old tie wall, mention it when you call or send the form.

Repairs Where a Fence Sits on the Wall

When a retaining wall carries a fence, Frisco’s fence code has rules that apply to the repair:

Fence posts attached to or supported by a retaining wall must have foundation and anchorage that keep the wall from moving.
Where a retaining wall raises a fence, the fence height is measured from the ground at the highest point.
A fence shall not adversely affect drainage.
Fences are not permitted in FEMA-designated floodway areas.

Frisco has more than 200 HOAs, so check with yours as well as with the city.

If your fence leans with the wall, mention it when you call or send the form. The free on-site estimate looks at both.

Permits and Engineering for Retaining Wall Repair in Frisco

Frisco’s code says no permit is required for a masonry retaining wall less than 24 inches tall, and a retaining wall taller than 36 inches must follow a design submitted by a registered engineer. When a repair becomes a rebuild, the new wall falls under those rules, and no part of it may interfere with or alter a drainage swale between lots.

The permit fee is $150 per wall, and it doubles if work starts before the permit is obtained. An engineered design runs $500 to $750 per wall. Ask Development Services, Building Inspections whether your repair needs a permit before work starts.

The city’s fence and retaining wall rules are in Chapter 18, Article IX of the Code of Ordinances, and contractors need a valid Frisco contractor registration and a permit to work in the city.

What the Free On-Site Estimate Checks

On a repair visit, we look at:

which way the wall is moving, and how far;
the footing, where it can be seen;
whether the wall has drainage, and where water reaches it;
the material and its condition, including any railroad ties;
the height, which sets the permit and engineering rules for a rebuild;
access for equipment.

Your price is set at the free on-site estimate, for the repair, the replacement, or both. Call us Mon–Sat 8–6 or send the form.

Retaining Wall Repair Cost in Frisco

Typical ranges.
Job	Typical price
Block (segmental) wall	$15–$50 per sq ft of wall face
Natural stone or boulder wall	$20–$100 per sq ft of wall face
Timber wall	$13–$30 per sq ft of wall face
Poured concrete wall	$20–$40 per sq ft of wall face
Retaining wall repair	$250–$1,250 per job
Drainage added behind an existing wall	$60–$70 per linear ft
Engineering design	$500–$750 per wall

Typical ranges.

Job

Typical price

Block (segmental) wall

$15–$50 per sq ft of wall face

Natural stone or boulder wall

$20–$100 per sq ft of wall face

Timber wall

$13–$30 per sq ft of wall face

Poured concrete wall

$20–$40 per sq ft of wall face

Retaining wall repair

$250–$1,250 per job

Drainage added behind an existing wall

$60–$70 per linear ft

Engineering design

$500–$750 per wall

What Happens After You Call

Call or send the form. Tell us about the slope, the wall you have or want, and how to reach the spot.

Free on-site estimate. We measure the height and length, check the drainage and the soil, and look at access for equipment.

Your price. Your price is set at the free on-site estimate.

Build. The wall is built to the plan from the estimate.

Local Retaining Walls Conditions in Frisco

Houston Black clay is the largest mapped soil in Collin County, about 37% of its mapped acres, and it has high shrink-swell potential with cracks 1/2 to 4 inches wide in dry periods.

Water enters this clay rapidly when it is dry and cracked and very slowly when it is moist. Walls on clay often need extra reinforcement, and clay-heavy soil can raise excavation labor by up to 50%.

In Denton County, the largest mapped soil components are Sanger, Somervell, Callisburg, Gasil and Ponder, not Houston Black.

DFW Airport averages 37.01 inches of rain a year, with May and October the wettest months.

We work in Phillips Creek Ranch, Frisco Lakes, Richwoods, Newman Village, Starwood, Grayhawk, Hollyhock, Lone Star Ranch, Plantation Resort and Lexington, near The Star, Toyota Stadium, Riders Field, Stonebriar Centre, Frisco Square, National Videogame Museum and PGA of America headquarters.

Permits: City of Frisco Development Services, Building Inspections: Frisco requires no permit for a masonry retaining wall under 24 inches tall, and a retaining wall taller than 36 inches must follow a design submitted by a registered engineer. The permit fee is $150 per wall. Contractors must hold a valid Frisco contractor registration.

Retaining Wall Repair Questions in Frisco

Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Frisco?

Each city sets its own wall height at which a retaining wall needs a permit, and some require one at any height. Check with the Frisco permit office before building. The free on-site estimate includes measuring the wall height that rule is based on.

When does a retaining wall need an engineer?

Where a city requires an engineered design, it sets its own wall height for it, and some cities publish none. Check with the Frisco permit office. The free on-site estimate measures the wall height. Your price is set at the free on-site estimate.

What does a retaining wall cost in Frisco?

Depending on the project, block walls run $15 to $50 per sq ft installed, natural stone $20 to $100, poured concrete $20 to $40 and timber $13 to $30. Height, access, slope, soil, drainage and permits move the price, so the final number comes from the free on-site estimate.

How long does a retaining wall last?

Concrete walls last 50 to 100 years, stone 40 to 200 years and wood 10 to 40 years. Without drainage, water pressure behind a wall can make it bow, crack or collapse.

Why is my retaining wall leaning?

Water pressure from poor drainage, and footings without enough strength or missing rebar, can cause a wall to lean. The free on-site estimate looks at the wall to find the cause.

Does a retaining wall need drainage?

Yes. Basic drainage is perforated pipe at the base of the wall, gravel backfill and weep holes. Clean the weep holes yearly and send downspouts away from the wall.