Concrete retaining walls in Boston MA - water drains out and the slope stays put
Slope creeping onto your yard, or an old wall leaning with water behind it? We pour walls that drain and hold the ground back.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Concrete retaining walls we build
Poured walls on a footing
A wall cast on site on a wide footing with steel inside, the usual choice when a yard steps down or a driveway runs along a slope.
Rebuilding a failed wall
When an old block or stone wall leans or bulges, we take it down, work out why it failed, and pour a new wall with drainage behind it.
What goes into a poured concrete retaining wall?
Concrete retaining walls in Boston, MA are poured on site inside forms our crew builds to fit your slope, then left to cure, so the finished wall can hold back the sideways push of the earth behind it.
Most people call us when a slope is creeping onto a yard or walkway, or when an old wall has started to lean, bulge or leak water through its face. The price turns on the whole design rather than height alone, because the footing, the steel, how the water gets out and what sits above the wall, like a driveway or a building, all change what it takes to build. The schedule mostly turns on curing time, the weather on pour day and any permit that has to come first. Your estimate puts all of that in writing, including the parts that end up buried.
Retaining walls, from drainage to finished face
Drainage behind a wall is the part nobody sees, so I show you how water gets out before we talk about the face, then plan the footing and steel around your slope.
Planning the whole wall
We plan footing, steel and drainage together, and line them up with any concrete pool deck or concrete floor going in nearby.
Digging and the footing
We dig down to firm ground and pour the footing, the wide base the wall stands on, so it resists tipping and sliding.
Forms, steel and the pour
Our crew builds forms to your wall's shape and sets rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together under load, before we pour.
Drainage and backfill
Once the wall has cured enough, we set drain stone, filter fabric and a perforated pipe behind it before backfilling, so water has a way out.
Why Boston owners hire Ironset for retaining walls
I spent years patching steps, walks and slabs on Boston rental buildings for a property management company, always asking why they broke. I started Ironset in 2023 to build work that doesn't need that kind of patching, and we're known for awkward jobs like a wall holding water.
I look at your wall myself
I come out, ask what's gone wrong on your slope before, and write the estimate myself, so the person pricing your wall is the one who'll be there when it's poured.
On site with the crew
Our crew forms, pours and finishes the wall with me working beside them, because how the concrete is placed and looked after on pour day decides how strong it ends up.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
We're licensed and fully insured, and our work is satisfaction guaranteed. Call (617) 226-2081 or send us the form, and I'll come take a look at your slope.
What happens when you call about a retaining wall in Boston?
Every wall gets planned around your property and what's already failed there, so the first visit is mostly looking and asking questions before anyone talks numbers.
or call (617) 226-2081
You get in touch
Call (617) 226-2081 or use the form and tell us what's happening, whether it's a slope washing out or an old wall leaning. I'll set a time to come see it.
I walk the site
I look at where the water goes and ask what's failed there before, because an old wall usually shows you why it broke.
Your written quote
You get a written quote showing what goes under and behind the wall, not just its face. Once it's built, I walk the finished wall with you.
Get a price on your retaining wall and drainage
Send photos of the slope, the wall's rough length and height, and any driveway or building close by. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free estimate with no obligation to book.
Retaining wall questions we hear
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Boston?
Poured concrete retaining wall construction in Boston usually costs about $48 to $51 per square foot, and that's the going rate around here, not our price. What moves your number is the whole design, including the footing, the steel, the drainage and any driveway, building or slope above the wall, so we price on that rather than height alone. Your estimate gives you the figure for your wall in writing.
How long does a poured retaining wall take to reach full strength?
Cast-in-place concrete typically cures on site for 7 to 28 days to reach full strength. Curing is the slow hardening concrete does after the pour, so plan any digging, paving or heavy equipment near the wall for after that.
Why does drainage matter so much behind a retaining wall?
Water trapped behind a wall can greatly increase the load on it, and even a moderate rise in groundwater can sharply raise the push and the risk of the wall tipping or sliding. That's why drainage should be spelled out in every quote you get, not left as an extra.
Does a retaining wall in a Boston flood plain get reviewed?
Yes, the Boston Conservation Commission reviews projects that fall within a flood plain, because work there can affect wetland health. If you think your property might be in one, tell me at the estimate and we'll sort out which office is involved before anything gets dug.
What should I look for in a retaining wall contractor in Boston?
Look at how each quote handles your soil and drainage, not just the wall's height, because height alone doesn't size a wall. Ask about the crew's experience and their plan for heat, cold, wind and humidity, since those affect how strong the concrete ends up. The city's building checklist lists a builder's construction license and workers' compensation affidavit, so it's fair to ask to see both.
How do I keep a retaining wall's drains working?
Keep the drain outlets clear and running, because water trapped behind the wall builds pressure that can cause leaks and freeze damage. Weep holes, the small openings near the bottom of the wall, help as backup, but they can clog or freeze, so they work with the main drain and don't replace it.
Other concrete work near a wall
Concrete pool decks
A new wall often flattens a sloped yard, and a pool deck on that ground needs a packed base and a pitch that sends water away from the pool.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete floor installation
If your wall frames a garage, shed or basement walkout, the floor inside needs its own base prep and joints so it stays flat over the years.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete driveway building
A driveway running along a wall puts weight right beside it, so planning the two together makes sense when one or both need replacing.
Explore Concrete driveway building
Building concrete retaining walls in Boston
In Boston, the Inspectional Services Department enforces the city's building, housing, health and environmental rules, and Massachusetts requires a licensed construction supervisor to oversee certain construction projects, which you can look up with the state. Whether your wall needs a permit depends on the job, so when it isn't clear we check with the city's building office instead of guessing. When a permit is needed, we help line it up before work starts and walk you through which office is involved.
Most walls we're called about here sit on tight lots, holding a yard up beside a driveway or a house, and plenty of the old ones lean because water has nowhere to go. We see the same thing on jobs in Somerville and Brookline, and we start the same way, by finding where the water runs.