Retaining Wall Replacement in Arlington, VA

Arlington is hillier than it looks from the Metro, and many older lots were terraced with walls of block, brick, stone, or railroad ties that are now leaning or bulging. A wall like that usually failed because water had no way out. We remove the old wall, dig a proper footing, install drain pipe and clean stone behind it, and rebuild in segmental block, stone veneer, or natural stone.

Permits and county review

Whether a replacement wall needs a building permit in Arlington depends on its height and on what it holds up, such as a driveway or a slope above it. We confirm the requirement with the county's permit office through Permit Arlington before we price the job. Bigger jobs can also need a Land Disturbing Activity permit, and walls near streams may be in a Resource Protection Area, where any disturbance needs county review first. We check the county's RPA map for your address.

Walls on older Arlington lots

Much of Arlington's single-family housing was built before 1960, and walls from that era were often dry-stacked or built without drainage. Over decades, water builds up behind them, freezes, and pushes them out. Arlington's Chesapeake Bay ordinance treats steep slopes next to stream buffers as part of the Resource Protection Area, which shows how seriously the county takes erosion on slopes. A rebuilt wall should hold soil and let water out in a controlled way, and that is how we build them.

Historic districts and tight sites

If your home is in one of Arlington's local historic districts, exterior changes other than in-kind repair need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board. A visible front wall rebuilt in a new material is a change. Many Arlington walls sit along a driveway or property line with little room for equipment. Joseph plans access, staging, and protection for the house and neighbors during the estimate.