Rock Retaining Walls in the Fraser Valley
Large boulders set one at a time with an excavator. On the right property it is the strongest looking and longest lasting wall you can put in, and because water moves through the gaps between the rocks, it handles Fraser Valley rain better than almost anything else.
Free site visit, usually within the week · $5M insured · WCB covered · Building since 2013
We build rock walls across Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission, Langley, Agassiz and Hope. They range from short walls that terrace a back yard into usable space, up to multi-level walls holding an entire hillside.
When a Rock Wall Is the Right Choice
- Steep ground. Rock handles slope and height better than most systems, and the weight of the boulders does a lot of the work.
- Long runs. A 60 or 70 foot rock wall reads as part of the landscape instead of a manufactured product.
- Wet ground. Water drains through the face of the wall rather than building up behind it.
- Acreage and rural lots, where a uniform block wall can look out of place.
- Anywhere you want the wall to look like it has always been there.
How We Build a Rock Wall
The rock you can see is the last part of the job. Most of the work happens below and behind it.
- We dig into undisturbed ground. The base course sits below grade, not on top of existing soil.
- Compacted gravel base. Two feet of gravel underneath is normal on a large wall.
- The biggest rock goes at the bottom. Each course steps back so the wall leans into the ground it is holding.
- Clear crushed rock behind the face. Three inch clear material gives water a path out.
- Geogrid through the backfill where the height calls for it.
Chilliwack Mountain: 60 Feet Tall, 250 Feet Long
The largest rock wall we have built sits on Chilliwack Mountain. An old house on a sloped lot with trees across the bank, rebuilt from scratch. The finished wall stands 60 feet tall and runs 250 feet long, in multiple levels.
Behind the face there is three inch clear crushed rock, geogrid through the backfill, two feet of gravel under the base, and the structure is dug ten feet into the ground. It needed an engineer and a permit, and the rock alone came to between $350,000 and $400,000, sourced from Armstrong Sand and Gravel Ltd in Agassiz. Above the wall there is now a sauna, a covered structure, an outdoor kitchen and a fire pit.
What a Rock Wall Costs
Small rock wall work starts around $2,500. Most of the rock wall projects we build fall between $25,000 and $80,000. Height drives the price more than length does, because past four feet you are into permits, engineering and deeper excavation. Access matters too. If an excavator can reach the wall line, the job moves quickly.
Common Questions
Do rock walls need drainage behind them?
Yes. Rock walls drain better than solid walls because water can move through the gaps, but we still put clear crushed rock behind the face. Relying on the gaps alone is how walls end up holding back saturated soil.
How tall can a rock wall be?
Taller than most people expect. Ours on Chilliwack Mountain is 60 feet. Anything over four feet needs a permit and an engineer, and we handle both.
Rock wall or block wall?
Rock suits steep, long and rural. Block suits a clean, uniform face and tighter spaces. We build both, so the recommendation you get is not driven by what we happen to stock.
