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We design and build brick retaining walls in Savannah, GA that control soil, shape your landscape, and enhance curb appeal. Our masons handle footing depth, drainage, and reinforcement to keep your wall stable over time. From low garden edges to tiered landscape walls, we create brick solutions that blend strength and style.
Legendary Masonry Savannah provides professional brick retaining walls throughout Savannah, GA, Georgia and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call 912-445-7840 or request your free quote.
Brick Retaining Walls Built for Savannah Soil and Storms
Brick retaining walls in Savannah are not just decorative garden edges. They hold back our sandy and clay-heavy soils, control erosion from heavy coastal rains, and protect foundations, driveways, and landscaping. At Legendary Masonry Savannah, we design every wall around our local ground conditions and the way water actually moves across your property.
When we visit your home, we look at slope, existing drainage, tree roots, and any signs of movement like cracked patios or sinking pavers. A small garden wall near Ardsley Park has different needs than a taller structural wall off Skidaway Road. Our goal is to combine structural integrity with the traditional brick look that fits Savannah’s historic character.
We work with both homeowners and small commercial properties, including rental homes and short-term stays, so we know how to build walls that look good for guests while quietly doing the hard work of soil retention behind the scenes.
Our Process for Designing a Brick Retaining Wall That Lasts
A successful brick retaining wall starts with planning, not mortar. First, we walk the site with you and mark out where the wall should go and what height is actually needed. Overbuilding can waste money, and underbuilding can be unsafe. We listen to what you want the space to do, for example, flattening a yard for play, creating garden terraces, or supporting a driveway.
Next, we assess soil type and drainage. Much of Savannah has loose, sandy soil over heavier clay. That combination can trap water behind a wall if it is not designed correctly. We may recommend test holes or a simple probe to see how fast water drains, especially on steeper lots in the Southside area or near marshy ground.
From there, we sketch a layout that includes footing depth, wall thickness, drainage details, and any steps or curves. For taller walls, or walls supporting driveways, we may coordinate with a structural engineer to confirm reinforcement and footing size. Once you approve the layout and brick choice, we schedule the work so that demolition, excavation, and concrete work fit within Savannah’s typical weather windows and your HOA or neighborhood guidelines.
How We Build Brick Retaining Walls in Savannah Step by Step
1. Site preparation and layout: We clear vegetation where needed and paint or string-line the wall footprint. Utilities are checked before any digging starts so we avoid irrigation lines or buried cables.
2. Excavation and footing: We dig a trench below the frost line (modest in Savannah, but still important) and wide enough to handle the wall load. For most structural brick retaining walls, we pour a reinforced concrete footing with rebar sized to the wall height and soil conditions. The footing is leveled carefully because any error here telegraphs through the entire wall.
3. Drainage installation: Before a single brick is laid, we install drainage features. This usually includes a perforated drain pipe at the base of the wall, wrapped in filter fabric, and a bed of clean gravel. We slope the pipe toward a daylight outlet or tie it into an existing drainage system so water has a clear escape path.
4. Wall construction: For retaining applications, the structural core is typically concrete masonry units (CMU) or poured concrete, and the brick is used as a facing. We lay the block, install vertical and horizontal reinforcement where needed, then brick is laid on the face with properly tooled joints for weather resistance. For low garden retaining walls, full-thickness brick can sometimes serve as both structure and finish when the loading is light.
5. Backfilling and compaction: We backfill behind the wall in layers with free-draining material, compacting each lift. Heavy Georgia clay goes far from the wall or offsite so it does not trap water behind the structure.
6. Finishing details: We add brick caps, coping, or soldier courses for a finished look, clean mortar haze, and restore landscaping. If the wall includes steps, planters, or seating, those details are built and tied into the main structure for strength.
Brick Choices, Patterns, and Style Options for Your Retaining Wall
Savannah has a distinctive brick look, from weathered historic districts to newer neighborhoods. Legendary Masonry Savannah helps you choose brick that fits your home and meets the demands of an outdoor retaining wall.
We work with clay brick rated for exterior use, often in modular or queen sizes, with color blends that complement both older and newer homes. For homes near downtown, clients often like tumbled or reclaimed-look bricks that echo historic alleys. In newer subdivisions around Georgetown or Wilmington Island, smoother face brick with consistent color is more common.
Common patterns for retaining walls include running bond for a clean look, or Flemish and English bond for traditional aesthetics on the visible face. We can also add vertical elements like brick pilasters for visual rhythm on longer walls. Coping options include standard brick caps, cast stone, or bullnose brick, each affecting both durability and style.
Mortar joint profile matters too. A concave joint sheds water well in our humid climate, while flush joints give a more monolithic, modern look. We also discuss joint color so the wall either blends in or stands out, depending on your landscape design.
Costs, Permits, and Local Rules That Affect Brick Retaining Walls
The cost of a brick retaining wall in Savannah depends mostly on height, length, access for equipment, and whether the wall is primarily decorative or truly structural. Taller walls require larger footings, more reinforcement, more drainage work, and sometimes engineering, which all add to the price. Curved layouts and stepped terraces take more time than a straight run but can create more usable yard space.
Access matters. In tight historic lots or fenced backyards where machinery cannot reach, more work must be done by hand and material must be carried in, which increases labor cost. If we need to remove an old railroad-tie or failing block wall first, demolition and disposal are included in our estimate.
Within Savannah and Chatham County, permits are typically required for retaining walls above a certain height or that support a structure or driveway. Legendary Masonry Savannah can coordinate with the building department when plans and inspections are needed. Many HOAs along the islands or in planned communities require prior approval for visible retaining walls, especially those along streets or shared lakes. We provide drawings and brick samples you can submit to your HOA review board so you are not surprised mid-project.
Common Problems With Retaining Walls and How We Prevent Them
A lot of our work involves replacing old retaining walls that have failed. In Savannah, the most common issues are bulging walls, stair-step cracks, leaning sections, and water staining that never dries. These are almost always caused by poor drainage or undersized footings rather than the bricks themselves.
Hydrostatic pressure is the main enemy. When heavy rains saturate backfill, the water pushes on the wall. If there is no proper drain system or weep holes, the wall eventually moves. That is why we prioritize drainage design and use clean stone directly behind the wall face so water can move freely to the pipe.
Another problem is shallow or poorly compacted footings. Over time, soft spots in the soil settle and create dips that crack or tilt the wall. We excavate until we reach firm bearing soil and use compacted base material under the footing where needed. For walls near trees, we consider root zones so future root growth does not push against the structure.
If we are rebuilding a failed wall, we take time to diagnose the real reason it failed instead of simply copying the old design. Sometimes the replacement wall can be slightly re-routed, terraced into two shorter walls, or tied into steps or planters to reduce the load on any one section.
Why Work With Legendary Masonry Savannah for Your Brick Retaining Wall
Choosing a contractor for a brick retaining wall is not just about who can lay brick neatly. It is about who understands structure, water, and local expectations. Legendary Masonry Savannah focuses on masonry in our own community, so we know how our climate, soil, and building departments influence each project.
We explain your options in plain language, including when a lower or shorter wall will safely do the job and save you money, and when extra reinforcement or engineering is necessary. Our crews are used to working around existing landscaping, neighbors, and tight historic access, and we keep the site as orderly as possible while the work is underway.
From simple garden terraces in midtown to structural brick retaining walls supporting driveways in Southside, we build to handle coastal storms, humidity, and long-term settlement. If you are considering a new wall or worried about an existing one that is starting to lean or crack, we can inspect it on site in Savannah and provide a clear plan for repair or replacement.
