Privacy wall along a property line
A freestanding wall closes in your yard and blocks the view from the street or the neighbors. It stands on its own footing with no soil pushing on it, so it's the simplest build.
Concrete block walls in Rialto CA - a wall that's built right the first time
Got a leaning wall, a cracked one or a yard with no wall at all? We build block walls with the steel, grout and drainage your job needs.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What a concrete block wall job involves
A concrete block wall is block laid with steel bars set in grout. In Rialto, CA, we build them as privacy walls, as retaining walls that hold back a slope, or as both in one wall.
Most calls start with an old wall that's leaning or cracked, a slope crowding the yard, or a property line you finally want closed in. The price moves with the wall's length and height and with whether it holds back soil. It also moves with how much steel and grout it needs, how hard the footing is to dig and whether an old wall has to come out first, and pilasters, caps and iron tops add to it.
The schedule mostly turns on whether the wall needs a permit, when the city's inspections land and how easily we can get block and equipment into your yard. My written estimate says what we'll do and why, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
Straight answers, fast
I'll tell you quickly whether your wall needs a rebuild or just a repair. If a job isn't worth doing, I'll say so, so you're not left wondering where things stand.
Built once so you pay once
A wall that has to be torn out and redone costs a family twice, so we take the time to get the footing, steel and grout right the first time.
I'm on site running it
I'm the one who comes out to look at your wall. When our crew builds it, I'm there running the job, so the person who quoted it is the one you talk to.
How we build your block wall
First we settle whether your wall stands on its own or holds back a slope, because that changes how we build it. A freestanding wall mostly has to stand up to wind and the odd bump. A retaining wall has soil and water pushing on it all the time, so it usually gets a different footing, more steel and drainage behind it.
Next we lay out the steel, and only then do we decide between partial and solid grout, since that choice follows the steel. From there our crew sets the block, fills the cores and caps the wall, and we haul off the dirt and any old block when we're done.
Block work goes beyond walls along a property line. If the block is going under part of your house or an addition, that's our foundation block wall installation work. The same block, steel and grout also go into the base of outdoor kitchen masonry, like a grill island or a bar.
Kinds of block walls we build
Retaining wall for a slope
When a hillside or a neighbor's raised yard is crowding yours, a retaining wall holds the soil back. It carries real pressure, so the footing, the steel and the drainage behind it matter most.
Short retaining wall with a wall on top
A low retaining wall can carry a freestanding block wall above it, so one build handles a small grade change and gives you privacy. We plan it as one wall from the footing up.
Pilasters and iron tops
Pilasters are block posts set along the wall. They break up a long run and can be topped with decorative iron, so you get a lighter look and still keep the line marked.
Get a written estimate for your block wall
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll walk the wall line with you, measure and take photos, and then give you a written estimate.
Free and done on site
The estimate costs you nothing, and I do it at your property, because the slope, the soil and the path for the footing only show up when you're standing there.
Says what we'll do and why
Your written estimate lays out the wall we'd build and the reasons behind it, so you can compare it side by side with any other bid you get.
No pressure to book
There's no obligation once you have the estimate. Take your time, ask questions and call when you're ready, or tell me no, and that's fine too.
Block, brick and stone wall examples
These photos show block finishes, caps, pilasters and iron tops, along with brick and stone, as ideas to talk through for your own wall.
Block wall questions from Rialto homeowners
These are the questions people ask most when they're planning a block wall, from city handouts and permits to grout and drainage.
Does Rialto have block wall handouts for homeowners?
Yes. Rialto keeps separate block wall handouts for freestanding walls and for retaining walls, including one for a 2-foot retaining wall with a freestanding block wall on top, on its forms and handouts page. Knowing which kind of wall you have tells you which handout fits. The same page has a Neighbor Agreement for Block Wall or Fence, so ask the city whether it applies to your wall.
Should my block wall be solid grouted or partly grouted?
Solid grout can make sense when the vertical steel sits close together, because filling every core can then be faster and more economical. A partly grouted wall has grout only in the spaces that hold steel, while a solidly grouted wall has every core filled. Your wall's steel layout drives the choice, so it shapes both the time and the price.
How do I apply for a block wall permit in Rialto?
You apply through Rialto's Building and Safety Department, which takes permit applications through its Online Permit Center. Every permit needs a signed declaration with the signer's ID attached. When your wall needs a permit, we handle the application with the city and we're there for the inspections. If I'm not sure whether it needs one, I check with the city first.
Can a handyman build a block wall in Rialto?
Only a small job that needs no permit. State law limits unlicensed minor work to $1,000, and only when the job needs no permit and the worker has no employees, so a bigger wall or one that needs a permit calls for a licensed contractor. A landscaping contractor can build a perimeter wall only as part of a full landscaping project. We're licensed and insured.
What drainage should a retaining wall bid include?
A good retaining wall bid shows four parts: free-draining gravel backfill, a perforated drain pipe at the base, weep holes or an outlet, and fabric that keeps fine soil from clogging the rest. Water trapped behind a retaining wall is what pushes it over, so ask about any bid that's missing one of these. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How do you keep a concrete block wall from cracking?
Industry guidance for masonry fences calls for horizontal steel and control joints, which are planned breaks in the wall, placed according to local practice to control shrinkage cracking. With enough horizontal steel, control joints may not be needed in some cases. Block shrinks a little as it cures, so the idea is to give that movement a planned place to go.
Other block and masonry work we do
Tell us about your block wall
Send the form or call (909) 546-5001 with the wall's length, its spot on the lot and any slope, so I come ready.