Guide
Signs Your Retaining Wall May Be Failing
Retaining walls usually give warning before they fail. Here is a checklist of what to look for, what you can safely check, what not to do, and when to call a contractor or engineer. We can't diagnose a wall from a web page.
If a wall is moving, bulging or leaning toward a building, pool, driveway or people, keep clear of the base and the downhill side and get it evaluated promptly. We can't say whether any wall is safe.
The checklist
- Leaning or tilting: the top of the wall has moved outward compared with the bottom.
- Bulging: a belly in the face of the wall.
- Cracks: stair-step cracks in block or mortar joints, or long, widening cracks in concrete.
- Gaps at the cap or between courses that weren't there before.
- Water or soil at the base: pooling, staining, washed-out soil or white mineral residue.
- Clogged or missing weep holes and drain outlets.
- Things above the wall moving: a tilting fence, cracked patio or settling paving.
- Rot, insect damage or splitting in timber walls.
Angi's repair guide lists shallow footings, lack of weep holes, significant leaning and wide cracks among the warning signs (Angi).
Why water is a common thread
Wet soil is heavier and pushes harder on a wall. Drainage behind a wall gives water somewhere to go. Brentwood's rain is concentrated between October and April (Weather Spark), so problems often show after the first big storms.
What you can safely do
- Take dated photos from the same spots, so changes are easy to see.
- Look from a safe distance; don't stand under or close to a leaning wall.
- Check whether downspouts, sprinklers or grading send water toward the wall.
- Note what is above the wall (driveway, slope, building) and what is below it.
What not to do
- Don't dig at the base or remove soil from the wall.
- Don't add weight or soil on top of the wall, or park vehicles near its top edge.
- Don't plug weep holes or drains.
- Don't assume a small crack is harmless, or that a large one is a minor repair.
When to call someone
Call a licensed contractor or engineer promptly if the wall is leaning or bulging, cracks are widening, or it is near a structure. See retaining wall repair, and how to choose a contractor. For prices, see the cost guide.
Failing retaining wall questions
What are the signs of a failing retaining wall?
Common warning signs are leaning or tilting, bulging, stair-step or widening cracks, gaps at the cap, water or soil collecting at the base, clogged weep holes, and fences, paving or patios above the wall that are tilting or settling. Angi's repair guide lists shallow footings, missing weep holes, significant leaning and wide cracks.
Can I fix a leaning retaining wall myself?
We don't give DIY repair instructions. A leaning wall is holding back soil, and digging at the base or loading it can make it worse. Have a licensed contractor or engineer evaluate it.
Is a cracked retaining wall dangerous?
Not every crack is serious, but we can't tell you which are. A crack that is wide, growing, or paired with leaning or bulging calls for prompt professional evaluation, especially near a structure, pool, driveway or neighbor.
Request help with a retaining wall
Tell us the wall height, length and what is happening. We pass your request to an independent local contractor serving East Contra Costa, who contacts you to look at the project and quote it. There's no cost to send a request.
- Takes about a minute
- No obligation to hire
- Ask for a written, itemized quote