Concrete block walls in Napa CA - a wall that's built right from the footing up
Who builds concrete block walls in Napa?
Professional Napa Concrete and Masonry builds concrete block walls in Napa and the cities around it, from freestanding block fences to retaining walls that hold back soil. I come out to look at every job myself, and I work alongside our crew through the build.
Most block wall calls start one of two ways. You want a solid fence for privacy along the property line, or you've got a slope and need a wall to hold the soil back so the yard has some flat ground. A retaining wall has the harder job, because that soil pushes on it every day.
With a block wall, a lot of what matters ends up out of sight. The concrete footing keeps the wall from tipping or sliding, and steel runs up through the hollow centers of the block to take the soil's push. I'll walk you through those parts and where the wall sits on your lot, so you know what you're paying for.
The wall's size, the ground behind it and whether it needs a permit move both the price and the schedule, and your written estimate spells out the work and the reason for each part. Block goes under houses too, which is our foundation block wall installation work, and it makes a solid base for outdoor kitchen masonry.
What goes into a block wall
- Marking where the wall sits on your lot
- A concrete footing dug and poured
- Steel run up through the block
- Block laid straight and level
- Drainage behind retaining walls
- A cap along the top
What to weigh before building a concrete block wall
What drives the price
A good share goes into the parts that end up buried, the footing, steel and drainage, so two walls that look alike can price differently. Height and tight access push it up.
What the timing turns on
Mostly whether you need a permit, since that comes first. On a retaining wall we also wait to put soil back until the block has gained strength or is braced.
Choosing the cap on top
A coping, the cap along the top, keeps water out and finishes the look. Concrete brick, cast stone, brick and natural stone all suit a block fence, so pick what matches your house.
Napa block wall questions
Do I need a permit for a block wall in Napa?
Yes, for a retaining wall over 4 feet from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, because Napa's Building Division issues permits for those. The city's handout lists fences up to 7 feet high as exempt, along with reinforced block retaining walls that hold back no more than 36 inches of soil, measured as the wall you can see, when no buildings, roads or terraced slopes rest above them. Exempt or not, the wall still has to follow the city's codes.
What is the best way to tell if a retaining wall needs a permit in Napa?
Look at what's behind and above the wall, because the city also requires a permit when the ground rises behind it at all, when a building, a road or vehicles bear on it, or when a solid fence is attached to it. That's why where the wall sits on your lot is the first thing I look at, and the city invites you to get in touch before you apply. We check with them early, and when your wall needs a permit, we take care of the application and set up the inspections.
How tall can a wall be in Napa's vision triangle?
Inside the sight area marked on the city's fencing drawing, a solid fence is limited to 2 feet high and a retaining wall to 3 feet. If your wall runs near the street, I check it against that drawing before we mark anything out.
Do I need a licensed contractor to build a block wall in California?
For most block walls, yes, because the state's contractor licensing board has a masonry class that covers laying block for walls and fences, with or without mortar. Someone without a license can only take work up to $1,000, and only when the job needs no permit and they have no one working for them on it. We're fully licensed and insured.
How do I keep water from building up behind a block retaining wall?
Plan for it before the wall goes up, because a block retaining wall has to have a way to keep water from collecting behind it. Drains through the wall do part of that, and where long, heavy rains are expected a drain along the back can be added, so ask any mason how their plan moves the water away. Does that spot stay soggy after a winter storm? Tell me, because it changes the drainage.
How much does a concrete block wall cost in Napa?
I'll give you a real number once I've seen the spot, because the height, the ground behind the wall and any permit work all change it. Your choices move it too, since a lower wall with a concrete brick cap costs less than a taller one topped in natural stone. The written estimate lays out each part, so you can see where there's room to trim.
Concrete block walls near you
We're based in Napa and build block walls in American Canyon, Sonoma and the other cities around it. Find yours below, or call (707) 254-6004 if it isn't listed.
More masonry we do
Book a free on-site block wall estimate
Tell us what the wall is for, how tall and where it goes, with photos of any slope. We reply within one business day, and there's no pressure to book.