Block & Brickwork

Why retaining walls fail

The most common reason a retaining wall bulges, cracks, or fails outright isn't the blockwork itself — it's water pressure building up behind it with nowhere to go. A wall built without proper drainage behind it is effectively holding back both soil and water, which is far more load than the same wall with correct land drainage installed. Because drainage is our background, we build that in from the start rather than treating it as optional.

Footings are dug to proper depth and width for the height and load of the wall, not guessed at, and blockwork is built plumb and true throughout — not just at the corners.

What we build

• Retaining walls, with proper land drainage installed behind them
• Garden and boundary walls, with engineering brick damp-proof coursing where it meets ground level
• Structural blockwork for extensions, outbuildings and garden structures
• Brick piers and corners, built plumb and true with consistent, weather-tight pointing
• Repair of existing walls showing cracking, bulging or lean

How we approach it

We dig proper footings sized to the wall's height and the ground conditions, and for retaining walls we install a land drain and permeable backfill behind the structure so water pressure doesn't build up over time. It's the difference between a wall that lasts decades and one that needs rebuilding in five years.

Frequently asked questions