Concrete block walls in Lehi UT - a wall that drains and holds its line
Slope washing out or a yard you want closed off? We build block fences and retaining walls with drainage and crack control planned first.
Does your yard need a block fence or a retaining wall?
A concrete block wall is usually one of two things. It's either a fence that closes off your yard or a retaining wall that holds back the soil behind it, and we build both in Lehi and the cities around it, from Provo up into the Salt Lake Valley.
Most calls start with a slope that keeps washing onto the patio, or a property line you want closed off with something sturdier than wood. The first thing I ask is whether the wall will have soil behind it, because that decides how it's built. The price moves with the wall's length and height, how much soil it holds back and how hard your yard is to reach. The schedule turns on the weather and, for a taller retaining wall, on the engineer's plans and the permit. When your wall needs a permit, we handle the application and book the inspections with the city, and your own number comes from the estimate.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Block walls and the masonry around them
How we build a concrete block wall
We start by finding out where your water comes from, whether that's the roof, the lawn or the neighbor's yard, because a wall holding back wet soil is fighting water pushing on it from behind. For segmental walls, national block guidance calls for steering water away and adding drainage wherever water still reaches the wall, so erosion and that water pressure don't go to work on it. Next we decide where the wall is allowed to crack by placing control joints. Those are planned breaks that let the block shrink without splitting at random, and we work them out along with the drainage before the first block is set. After that we dig and pour the footing and set the block course by course. On a fence, we finish with a coping, a cap along the top that keeps water out of the block and gives the wall a cleaner look.
If the block will be holding up part of your house instead of a yard, that's foundation block wall installation, and it gets planned for the house's weight. When a new wall is the start of a backyard project, we can build a counter or grill surround as outdoor kitchen masonry in the same block, so the two match.
Why Lehi homeowners call us for block walls
The owner plans and builds it
I come out myself to look at the slope, the soil and where your water runs, and our crew of masons builds the wall with me on site. We've been in business since 2021, and the person who worked out your wall's drainage is the one checking it as each course goes down.
Laid out to Lehi's wall rules
Lehi requires a retaining wall's footing to sit below frost depth, measured from the wall's front face. The city also doesn't allow any part of the wall or its construction to cross your property line without your neighbor's written easement, so we mark the line before we dig. Near a driveway, the city's fence rules drop any fence to 3 feet for the required 20-foot sight triangle when the driveway is within 10 feet of the property line.
Licensed and insured, with a guarantee
We're licensed and insured, so the work on your property is covered while our crew is on it. Every wall we build is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
On a block wall, the plan for water and cracking matters more than the block itself. Tell us about your wall or call (385) 338-6022, and I'll come take a look.
Get a plan and an estimate for your block wall
Send the wall's length, how much soil it holds back, how we'd get into the yard and a few photos. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate with no obligation.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What happens after you call about a block wall in Lehi?
Call or send a message
Call us or send the form with a few details about the wall, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit. Photos of the slope or the line you want closed off help me come prepared.
I walk the site with you
I come out myself to check the slope, the soil, where water runs and how we'd get block into the yard, and to see what's behind any wall that's already failing. The estimate tells you which wall I'd build, how we'd drain it, what permit or engineering it calls for and what it costs.
We handle the permit steps
When your retaining wall needs a permit, your engineer's stamped plans go to the city, and Lehi reviews them before it issues the permit, so that review sets the start date. We file the application and book the inspections.
We build it and walk it
Our crew of masons builds the wall with me on site, from the footing to the cap. When it's done, we walk the finished wall with you and clean up before we pack up.
Block wall questions from Lehi homeowners
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Lehi?
Yes. Lehi requires a building permit for any retaining wall that holds back 4 feet of soil or more, and the city's Building and Inspection Department issues it. The city reviews the plans for changes to an existing wall too, so a rebuild or extension goes through the same steps.
Who designs a taller retaining wall in Lehi?
In Lehi, a Utah-registered civil, structural or geotechnical engineer with experience in that type of wall has to stamp the plans for any retaining wall that needs a permit. You'll want to hire that engineer first, because the stamped plans go in with the permit request. We build to those plans and take the application from there.
What is the best way to choose between a block wall and a segmental retaining wall?
Go segmental when your yard is hard to reach or you want curves. Its units stack dry, without mortar, so they fit where access is tight and bend into tight curves and odd layouts, and national block guidance calls these walls durable and long lasting. A mortared block wall is the usual choice for a fence or a straight wall with room to work, and I'll tell you at the estimate which one I'd build on your lot and why.
How do I keep a concrete block wall from cracking?
You can't stop block from shrinking, but you can control where it cracks. A national guide on block fences recommends horizontal reinforcement plus control joints placed the way local practice calls for. That's why we set the joints before the first block goes down, as described above, so any shrinkage shows up as a straight line at a joint instead of a jagged crack across the face.
Can block walls be built in cold weather in Utah?
Yes, but anything below 40°F calls for extra care. The national masonry specification treats 40 to 90°F as normal working weather and says special procedures should be considered when it's colder. If your build lands in a Lehi winter, ask us what protection the new block and mortar will get, and I'll walk you through it at the estimate.
How much does a concrete block wall cost in Lehi?
A block wall in Lehi is priced mostly by its length and height and by how much soil it holds back, and I give you your own number at the estimate rather than a guess over the phone. Tight access, drainage work, a decorative cap and the engineering and permit a taller retaining wall needs all push the price up. A straight, low fence on open ground sits at the easier end.
Work that goes with concrete block walls
Foundation block wall installation
If the block will hold up an addition, garage or basement instead of soil or a property line, it's a foundation wall built to carry the house's weight.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
A new retaining wall often levels the ground for a patio, and a block counter or grill surround built alongside it can match the wall's finish.