What is a retaining wall and why would I need one?

Retaining walls help stabilize sloped yards, prevent erosion, and create level areas for patios, gardens, or play spaces. They also add visual structure to your landscaping.

What type of retaining wall is best for my yard?

Concrete blocks are ideal for long lasting residential use. Natural stone is popular for decorative landscaping. Wood walls are an option but have a shorter lifespan.

How long do residential retaining walls last?

A well built residential retaining wall typically lasts 25 to 50 years, depending on material and site conditions. Engineered walls are designed for a 75 year life span.

What does the installation process involve?

We excavate the slope, install a compacted gravel base, add drainage, place the blocks or stone, and backfill in layers to keep the wall stable.

Do I need engineering or permits?

In Calgary, residential walls over a certain height may require engineering. We can help determine if your project needs permits. Any retaining wall that exceeds 1.0m high exposed face, requires engineering. We include engineering in our pricing, if required.

What affects the cost of a residential retaining wall in Calgary?

Costs depend on the height of the wall, material choice, excavation needs, disposal, access, and whether engineering is required.

How much does a residential retaining wall cost in Calgary?

Prices vary depending on size and materials. Small garden walls fall in the lower range, while larger structural walls cost more. We provide site specific quotes.

Can you build a retaining wall on a steep slope?

Yes. Steep yards often require tiered or reinforced walls, and we design them to be both safe and attractive.

What plants work well around a retaining wall?

Shallow rooted plants like ornamental grasses, groundcovers, and native shrubs enhance the wall without adding pressure to it.

Residential Retaining Wall Contractors In Calgary

Simply Stone has completed over 1000 projects in the Calgary area for multi-family projects.

We install various types of retaining walls including Allan Block, Redi-Rock, MagnumStone, Verti-Block, Lego Block, and other segmental retaining systems.

Simply Stone installed the largest volume of Allan Block retaining walls in Calgary, and have been for years. In 2024, we installed over 60,000 Allan Block units.

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Types of Retaining Walls in Calgary

Retaining walls play a key role in managing Calgary’s varied landscapes, from sloped yards to large commercial sites. With our city’s freeze-thaw cycles and diverse soil conditions, choosing the right retaining wall system is critical for long-term stability and performance. At Simply Stone, we design and build retaining walls that are both durable and visually appealing for Calgary homes, businesses, and public spaces.

simply stone residential steps with retaining wall

1. Gravity Retaining Walls

Perfect for smaller applications or decorative features, these walls use their own weight to hold back soil. In Calgary, they’re a popular choice for garden walls, planters, and residential landscaping.

2. Cantilevered Retaining Walls

Built with reinforced bases, cantilevered walls provide the strength needed for medium to tall walls. They are ideal in Calgary neighborhoods where space is limited but structural support is essential.

3. Anchored Retaining Walls

Using cables or reinforcements driven deep into the soil, anchored walls are excellent for challenging Calgary soils or sites that must withstand heavy loads.

4. Reinforced Segmental Retaining Walls

Interlocking blocks with geogrid reinforcement make these walls flexible and durable, a smart choice for large-scale projects across Calgary, including commercial developments and sloped residential lots.

5. Natural Stone Retaining Walls

For homeowners and businesses looking to enhance curb appeal, natural stone offers a timeless aesthetic that complements Calgary’s natural beauty while providing lasting performance.

featured Calgary Retaining Wall Projects

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Engineered Retaining Walls in Calgary

For projects that demand advanced stability and compliance with local regulations, Simply Stone provides fully engineered retaining wall solutions. These walls are designed in collaboration with engineers to handle higher loads, complex soil conditions, and Calgary’s unique freeze-thaw climate. Engineered retaining walls are often required for taller structures, commercial developments, and municipal projects, ensuring safety, durability, and long-term performance.

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Calgary Retaining Wall & Hardscaping Services

At Simply Stone, we design and build retaining walls that combine strength, durability, and aesthetics. Our services include but are not limited to:

Subgrade preparation, compaction, and testing of subgrade.

Supply and installation of geotextiles such as bi-axial geogrid, combi-grid, and various geotextiles.

Granular base installation including 25 mm and 80 mm road crush.

Compaction of bases with appropriate water content to achieve optimum compaction.

Compaction testing.

Levelling material supply and installation.

Installation of unit pavers with desired pattern, colors, and textures.

Precision cutting of pavers using various cutting devices including quick-cut saws, water-fed table saws, dustless saws, and occasionally laser cutting.

Supply and installation of various types of paver restraints.

Supply and installation of jointing material including 3 mm washed sand and different types of polymeric sand.

Integration of paving stone features into hardscape landscaping, including borders, steps, and decorative elements.

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Retaining Wall Options

Not all stone is created equal, and the right choice depends on your project's purpose, load requirements, and aesthetic vision. Simply Stone carries a wide range of paving stone options to suit everything from high traffic commercial developments to refined residential finishes. Browse our selection below to find the material, texture, and style that fits your build.

Natural Options

retaining wall simply stone Calgary step stones natural

Modern Finishes

retaining wall modern simply stone Calgary

retaining wall simply stone Calgary grey

retaining wall simply stone Calgary smooth grey

Textured Finishes

retaining wall textured simply stone Calgary

retaining wall simply stone Calgary textured

retaining wall simply stone Calgary orange

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Why Choose Simply Stone for Your Calgary Retaining Walls?

Simply Stone’s internal quality management is very stringent,we prefer to address any deficiencies before they’re ever pointed out.

With 29 years of paving stone installation experience in Calgary, we follow a proven quality management process that helps prevent issues before they occur. Our team understands what residential properties require for long term performance.

Simply Stone: Our Calgary Team & Equipment

Simply Stone Landscapes Calgary icon paper and person

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Over 125 years of combined experience among our top 8 employees
5 full-time installation crews
40+ staff including estimators, project managers, site foremen, lead hands, labourers, internal mechanic, truck drivers, safety and office support

Certifications & Credentials

COR Certified with a comprehensive safety program
$5,000,000 in liability insurance
Fully licenced for the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta
Able to provide labour, materials, and performance bonding on any project
Prequalified with the City of Calgary for retaining wall construction
29 years of experience in the hardscape industry

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Fully Equipped For Projects

10 compact loaders
Excavators ranging from 3 ton to 22 ton
Sheep’s foot roller compactors
Smooth drum ride-on compactors
Walk-behind double drum packers
Diesel plate tampers
Hoe packs
Tandems, truck and pups
And many other specialized equipment pieces

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Retaining Wall FAQS

Contact Simply Stone For Your Residential Retaining Wall Needs

Simply Stone installs retaining walls every day, it’s what we do. We strongly recommend hiring landscaping professionals for softscaping work like tree planting and sod, but leaving the retaining walls to the specialists.

We would be honored to bid on your residential retaining wall project or help with budget pricing. We’re confident we’ll be a great partner for your team.

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