Retaining walls that lean, crack, bulge or leak soil. We find out why the wall is failing, then repair, stabilise or rebuild it with proper footings and drainage so it does not happen again.
A retaining wall holds back tonnes of soil, and that soil gets much heavier when it is wet. If water cannot drain out from behind the wall, the pressure builds until the wall leans, cracks or bulges. That is why poor or blocked drainage is the most common cause of retaining wall failure in Sydney.
The other usual causes are footings or posts that were too shallow for the height, rotting timber sleepers and posts, corroding steel posts in sleeper walls, and new loads added above the wall such as driveways, pools or extra fill.
Some walls can be repaired: drainage installed or cleared, the load relieved, and the wall stabilised. Many older or undersized walls are better rebuilt. We will tell you honestly which makes sense, and price both where both are viable.
If any of these sound familiar, it is worth a free site visit. We will tell you straight what your site needs.
A wall that is out of plumb, especially if the lean is getting worse after rain.
A belly in the face of the wall shows pressure building behind it.
Cracks through blocks or concrete, or opening up in the ground above the wall.
Soft timber, rusted steel posts or sleepers popping out of their slots.
Wet patches, staining or soil washing out through gaps after rain.
Soggy ground above the wall long after rain means the drainage has failed.
Wall moving quickly or above a path or driveway? Keep people clear and call us straight away.
We repair and rebuild all wall types, and recommend whichever fix will actually last.
Excavating behind the wall to install or replace ag pipe, aggregate and geotextile, and connect to stormwater.
Relieving load and stabilising walls with sound materials, designed by an engineer where required.
Rotted timber walls replaced with concrete sleeper, block or sandstone walls built to last.
Corroded or undersized steel posts replaced and re-footed, and damaged sleepers swapped out.
Displaced blocks reset, fretting stone replaced and drainage added to older sandstone walls.
Demolition of the failed wall and a new engineered wall with proper footings and drainage.
A selection of recent retaining wall repairs across Sydney.
View all projects
Every retaining wall repair follows the same five steps.
We inspect the wall, the ground behind it, the drainage and what sits above it, and measure the lean, cracking or movement.
We work out why it is failing and bring in a structural or geotechnical engineer where the height, load or boundary requires it.
A written quote that sets out repair or rebuild options, drainage, access, approvals and timing. No vague lump sums.
Our crew stabilises or replaces the wall with proper footings, ag drainage, aggregate, geotextile and weep holes.
Clean site, photos of the footings and drainage before backfill, and engineer sign-off where applicable.
Drainage, footings and the right wall type for the load. We fix the reason the wall failed, not just the part you can see.
Most of the walls we are called to fix were built without proper drainage or footings. We build every repair the way the original should have been built.
Every wall we build or repair gets ag drainage, clean aggregate, geotextile and weep holes. Water is what breaks walls.
Walls over about a metre, on boundaries or holding up driveways are designed by an engineer to AS 4678.
Builder Licence 384697C, $20M public liability and workers compensation on every site.
We check council rules, prepare the paperwork and lodge the CDC or DA when a wall needs one.
Concrete sleeper, timber, sandstone, gabion, block and reinforced concrete. We recommend what suits the site, not what we prefer to sell.
Family builders on Sydney sites since the 1970s, including steep blocks other builders walk away from.
Real reviews from homeowners, strata and builders.
Our sandstone wall was crumbling and the whole garden was sliding. Constantine came out the next day, explained everything clearly, and the new wall is rock solid.
Two-tier sleeper wall on a steep slope. Other builders said it was too hard. METCON got it done, engineered and council-approved.
Had a concrete sleeper wall built along our driveway. Perfectly level, well-finished, and the drainage is spot on. No more water pooling.
Straight answers from the builder. Anything else, just ask.
Sometimes. If the wall materials are sound and the lean is moderate, fixing the drainage and relieving the load can stabilise it. Old timber walls, walls with rotted or corroded posts, and walls built without proper footings are usually better rebuilt. We will tell you honestly which applies.
It depends on the height and length of the wall, access, whether it can be repaired or must be rebuilt, drainage, and engineering. We inspect for free and give you an itemised quote, with repair and rebuild options where both are viable.
In almost every case, yes. Poor drainage is the number one cause of retaining wall failure. We install ag-drainage, gravel backfill and weep holes as standard on every wall.
It depends on the height and location. As a general guide in NSW:
We check your council's rules and handle the application for you.
Not sure this is the right wall for your site? Compare the other systems we build, or ask the builder.
Back to Retaining WallsPlain-language guides from our team on the questions we are asked most.
From the Eastern Suburbs and Northern Beaches to the Sutherland Shire and the Hills, we repair walls across Sydney.
A few photos showing the lean, cracks or bulging, plus the height and length, is enough for an initial view.
