# Retaining Wall Contractor Tooele County | YLC Landscaping > Retaining wall contractor in Tooele & Salt Lake valleys: block, boulder and stone walls with proper drainage and reinforcement. Free on-site estimate. URL: https://ylclandscaping.com/retaining-walls/ ![Newly built segmental block retaining wall holding a graded slope on a rural Tooele County lot](/images/misc/newly-built-segmental-block-retaining-wall-holding.webp) Tooele & Salt Lake valleys # Engineered Retaining Walls for Sloped Tooele County Lots Last updated: August 29, 2026 Engineered retaining walls for slopes and grade changes: built with proper drainage, reinforcement and durable materials. - ★ 4.6 on Google (28 reviews) - ✓ Licensed & insured - ✓ 8+ years, family-owned - ✓ From $3,000 Get a Free Estimate [/contact/ →](/contact/) Call or text (385) 549-3038 [tel:+13855493038 →](tel:+13855493038) ★★★★★ 4.6 (28 Google reviews) Licensed & Insured Fast Response Mon–Fri 1,000+ Utah customers served ## A retaining wall is structural work, not decoration Retaining walls do a real job. They hold back a slope, manage a grade change, stop erosion, and turn ground you cannot use into ground you can. On the rural and hillside lots common across Tooele County, they are often the difference between a back yard and a bank. That means the parts you cannot see matter more than the parts you can. Almost every failed wall we get called to look at failed for one of two reasons: an inadequate compacted base under the first course, or no proper drainage behind the face. Water collecting behind a wall creates hydrostatic pressure, and that pressure pushes walls out, bulges them and eventually takes them down. It is not a slow, forgiving process. So every wall we build gets a properly excavated and compacted road-base footing, clean drain rock backfilled behind the face, perforated drain tile at the base to carry water away, filter fabric so fines do not clog the rock, and geogrid reinforcement where the height calls for it. Weep holes let anything remaining escape through the face rather than build up. We build segmental block, boulder and natural stone. Block is usually the most cost-effective at standard heights and gives clean, uniform lines. Boulder and fieldstone suit rural and hillside properties in Erda, Pine Canyon and up on the benches, where manufactured block can look imported. We will walk you through the trade-offs rather than pushing whatever we have in stock. ### What’s included - Site assessment: grade change, soil, water paths and access - Excavation and compacted road-base footing - Wall construction with correct batter and course alignment - Clean drain rock envelope and filter fabric - Perforated drain tile at the base with a safe outlet - Weep holes through the wall face - Geogrid reinforcement where height requires it - Compacted backfill, cap course and finish grading above and below ## Common problems we solve ### A slope that keeps washing out Every storm takes a bit more soil down onto the patio, the driveway or the neighbour’s lot. A wall combined with proper grading and planting stops the movement instead of managing it annually. ### Half a back yard you cannot use A steep bank behind the house is dead space. Terracing it into stepped levels with planting between usually recovers more usable area than a single tall wall, and costs less to engineer. ### Water pooling against the foundation If the ground falls toward the house, no wall on its own solves it. We correct the grade, cut a swale where runoff concentrates, and use the wall to hold the new profile. ### An old wall that’s bulging or leaning Almost always drainage. Sometimes a section can be rebuilt; sometimes the whole wall has to come out. We will tell you which and why, and we do not pretend a failing wall is cosmetic. ## What affects the price - **Wall height**: the dominant factor, since height drives base depth, drainage and reinforcement - **Wall length** and total square feet of face - **Material**: segmental block, boulder or natural stone - **Access**. Whether machinery and material can reach the work area - **Excavation conditions**: rock, existing structures, utilities - **Engineering** where height or loading requires it - **Grading and drainage work** around the wall A dramatically low bid on a retaining wall almost always means the drain rock, drain tile or geogrid has been left out. Those are the components that keep the wall standing, and they are the expensive things to add back after a failure. ## Where we build Retaining walls are steady work for us across Erda [/service-areas/erda/ →](/service-areas/erda/) , Tooele [/service-areas/tooele/ →](/service-areas/tooele/) , Grantsville [/service-areas/grantsville/ →](/service-areas/grantsville/) , Pine Canyon [/service-areas/pine-canyon/ →](/service-areas/pine-canyon/) and the benched lots in Bountiful [/service-areas/bountiful/ →](/service-areas/bountiful/) and Park City [/service-areas/park-city/ →](/service-areas/park-city/) , plus scheduled runs into West Jordan and Herriman. Our guides cover when a yard needs a retaining wall [/guide/when-does-yard-need-retaining-wall/ →](/guide/when-does-yard-need-retaining-wall/) , retaining wall materials compared [/guide/retaining-wall-materials-compared/ →](/guide/retaining-wall-materials-compared/) , how retaining wall drainage works [/guide/how-retaining-wall-drainage-works/ →](/guide/how-retaining-wall-drainage-works/) , and what a retaining wall costs in Utah [/guide/retaining-wall-cost-utah/ →](/guide/retaining-wall-cost-utah/) . Transparent pricing ## How much does retaining walls cost in Tooele County? Every job is different, so we price on site rather than off a phone call. These ranges give you a real starting point before we come out. ### Low garden wall Under roughly 3 ft, decorative to light retaining from $3,000 - Compacted road-base footing - Segmental block or boulder - Drain rock backfill and filter fabric - Clean cap course Get a free quote [/contact/ →](/contact/) MOST REQUESTED ### Structural wall Typical back-yard grade change from $8,000 - Engineered base and batter - Geogrid reinforcement - Perforated drain tile and weep holes - Full drain rock envelope - Backfill, compaction and finish grading Get a free quote [/contact/ →](/contact/) ### Terraced / large lot Steep or rural properties from $15,000 - Multiple stepped walls - Boulder or natural stone options - Drainage designed across the whole slope - Erosion control and planting between terraces - Coordinated with grading and irrigation Get a free quote [/contact/ →](/contact/) Retaining walls are priced by square foot of wall face. Height drives everything: taller walls need deeper base, more drainage and geogrid reinforcement. Access and material choice are the other big factors. Payment by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or check. Why YLC ## Why choose YLC for retaining walls? ### Drainage is not an optional line item Water pressure behind a wall is the number one cause of failure. Drain rock, perforated tile, weep holes and filter fabric are in every wall we build. If a competing bid is much cheaper, this is usually what's missing. ### We build the base properly A wall is only as good as the compacted road base under its first course. That's invisible once the job is done, which is exactly why it gets cut. We do not cut it. ### Honest about structural vs. decorative If your slope needs an engineered system, we say so even when a boulder wall would be an easier sale. If a decorative wall is genuinely enough, we won't oversell you. ### Built for rural Tooele lots Big grade changes, rocky ground and long runs are normal out here. We own the skid steers and excavators, so equipment time isn't a rental clock we're racing. ### Material matched to the property Segmental block for clean modern lines and budget efficiency, boulder and natural stone where a rural or hillside property calls for it. We'll show you the trade-offs. ### Grading and drainage in the same job A wall alone doesn't fix a wet yard. We handle the grading, swales and runoff control around it so the whole slope works together. How the bids differ ## A wall built properly vs. a wall built to a price Almost everything that decides whether a retaining wall lasts is buried before the last course goes on. Here is what separates the two bids you are probably comparing. | | YLC build | Cut-rate bid | | --- | --- | --- | | Drainage behind the wall | Drain rock, perforated tile, weep holes and filter fabric on every wall | Backfilled with site soil, no drainage path | | Base preparation | Excavated and compacted road base under the first course | First course set on undisturbed soil | | Reinforcement | Geogrid extending into the slope wherever height calls for it | Left out to avoid the deeper excavation | | Structural honesty | We say when a slope needs an engineered system, even against our own easier sale | Whatever is quickest to quote and build | | Surrounding grade | Grading, swales and runoff handled in the same job | Wall only; the wet yard is still your problem | The process ## How our retaining walls work runs 1. 01 ### Read the slope We measure the grade change, look at where water comes from and goes, check the soil, and work out whether you need one wall or a stepped terrace. 2. 02 ### Excavate and base We dig out for a proper footing and compact road base to depth. Nearly every failed wall we're called to look at failed here, at the part nobody sees. 3. 03 ### Build with drainage Courses go up with the right batter, drain rock fills behind, perforated tile runs at the base, filter fabric keeps fines out, and geogrid goes in where height requires it. 4. 04 ### Backfill and finish Compacted backfill, cap course, finish grading above and below, and erosion control or planting so the slope stays put. Our work ## Recent retaining walls projects Before & after ## See the difference ![Before YLC Landscaping started the retaining walls work](/images/misc/before-photo-of-an-unusable-eroding-slope-behind-a.webp) Before Before YLC Landscaping started the retaining walls work ![After YLC Landscaping completed the retaining walls work](/images/misc/after-photo-of-the-same-slope-held-by-a-terraced-b.webp) After After YLC Landscaping completed the retaining walls work Reviews ## What customers say about our retaining walls 4.6 stars across 28 Google reviews from homeowners across the Tooele and Salt Lake valleys. ★★★★★ > "Yovani and his team have been wonderful to work with. They kept to schedule and responded to every question. They built a retaining wall on the edge of our concrete patio and repositioned our underground trampoline. Turned out amazing. Their itemized, broken-down bid gave us extra comfort. Never pushy." Rodrigo Alanis Google Review ★★★★★ > "Great job building our retaining walls and landscaping. Greatly improved the appearance and extent of our property. Yovani was a pleasure to work with." Michael Brant-Zawadzki Google Review ★★★★★ > "I needed sod removed where I was building a walkway, patio and retaining wall. Yovani and Emiliano worked hard in the hot sun, took care around sprinklers and control cables, and did a fantastic cleanup. Very responsive compared to other contractors, and the price was more than fair." Anthony Cox Google Review Reviews shown are from our verified Google Business Profile. Got questions? ## Retaining Walls questions, answered How do I know if I need a retaining wall? The usual triggers are a slope that erodes after every storm, a grade change that makes part of the yard unusable, water pooling against the house because the ground falls the wrong way, or soil creeping onto a patio or driveway. If you're losing space or losing soil, a wall is probably the answer. How much does a retaining wall cost in Utah? Walls are priced by square foot of wall face, so height matters more than length. Small garden walls commonly start around $3,000, a typical structural back-yard wall lands in the high four figures to low five figures, and terraced or large rural walls run higher. Drainage, access and material choice move the number. Why does drainage add to the cost, and can I skip it? You can't skip it, and any contractor who lets you is setting your wall up to fail. Water collecting behind a wall creates hydrostatic pressure that pushes it out, bulges it and eventually topples it. Drain rock, perforated tile and weep holes relieve that pressure. It's a required part of the wall, not an upsell. What are weep holes and drain rock? Drain rock is clean gravel backfilled directly behind the wall so water moves down through it rather than saturating the soil. Perforated drain tile at the base collects that water and carries it somewhere safe. Weep holes are gaps in the wall face that let any remaining water escape rather than build up. Block, boulder or natural stone. What should I choose? Segmental block is usually the most budget-friendly for standard heights and gives a clean, uniform look with proven engineering. Boulder and natural fieldstone suit rural and hillside properties in Tooele County and look at home there. All three last decades when built with proper drainage. How long does a retaining wall last? A properly built and drained wall lasts decades. The two things that shorten that dramatically are poor drainage and an inadequate compacted base. Maintenance is minimal. Keep the drainage clear and watch for any movement or bulging. What's the difference between a retaining wall and a rock wall? A retaining wall holds back grade structurally and is engineered for the load. A rock wall is typically decorative or does light, low retaining. Both have their place. If a slope has real weight behind it, it needs the engineered system regardless of what looks nicer. Do you need a permit for a retaining wall? It depends on height and location: many jurisdictions set a threshold above which engineering or a permit is required, and setbacks can matter too. We flag anything we think applies to your project during the estimate rather than after we've started. Can you terrace a steep slope instead of building one tall wall? Often that's the better answer. Stepped walls with planting between the levels handle the grade change in stages, look less imposing, and turn a steep bank into usable terraces. On steep rural lots in Erda, Pine Canyon and up on the Bountiful bench it's what we recommend most. Will a retaining wall fix my drainage problem? It helps, but a wall alone isn't a drainage solution. Combined with proper grading, swales where runoff concentrates, and the wall's own drain system, yes. We look at where water is actually coming from before quoting. ### Still have a question? Call or text us Monday to Friday, 8 to 6. We'll give you a straight answer, no pressure. Call (385) 549-3038 [tel:+13855493038 →](tel:+13855493038) Get a Free Estimate [/contact/ →](/contact/) ## Related services ![Natural basalt boulder wall running through a rural Utah landscape](/images/misc/natural-basalt-boulder-wall-accent-running-through.webp) ### Rock Walls Decorative natural boulder and rock walls. Fieldstone and basalt for rural-lot aesthetics and low retaining use. [Rock Walls →](/rock-walls/) ![Skid steer finish-grading a residential Utah yard to create positive drainage away from the house](/images/misc/skid-steer-finish-grading-a-residential-utah-yard-.webp) ### Grading Rough and finish grading with drainage correction: positive slope, foundation and lawn prep to keep water moving the right way. [Grading →](/grading/) ![Paver patio with a stone fire pit and seating wall in a Utah back yard](/images/misc/paver-patio-with-a-stone-fire-pit-and-seating-wall.webp) ### Patios & Outdoor Living Patios, walkways and outdoor living spaces: paver, flagstone and concrete options with proper base prep and fire pit add-ons. [Patios & Outdoor Living →](/patios-outdoor-living/) ![YLC Landscaping crew completing retaining walls on a Utah property](/images/hero/long-segmental-block-retaining-wall-with-terraced-.webp) Free on-site quotes, Mon–Fri 8–6 ## Ready to get your retaining walls quoted? Free on-site estimate with an itemized bid. Mon–Fri 8–6, across the Tooele and Salt Lake valleys. Get a Free Estimate [/contact/ →](/contact/) Call or text (385) 549-3038 [tel:+13855493038 →](tel:+13855493038) - Licensed & insured - Itemized, line-by-line bids - Family-owned since 2018