Concrete Retaining Walls in Graham, WA

Retaining walls in Graham: what to know

For the county, height starts at the bottom of the footing and runs up to the top course of the wall. Under the handout, a wall over four feet needs a permit whether or not it carries a surcharge, and a surcharged wall above two feet needs one as well. A wall four feet high or under, with no surcharge inside the 45-degree zone, requires no permit.

For walls between two and four feet with a surcharge, the handout reads two ways, so the county confirms the case before we quote. Drainage gathered behind a wall has to exit through an outlet the parcel is able to take. We set that outlet away from the road and from neighboring ground before the footing is laid, and we confirm that the discharge will not undermine the slope below it.

Permits and rules in Graham

We measure each wall up from its footing bottom and classify any surcharge inside the 45-degree zone. Walls that need a permit get plans from a Washington State Registered Engineer, and we confirm the two-to-four-foot surcharge answer with the county before quoting. The drain outlet is settled in the same review.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Measure from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall
Sort each wall by the two-foot and four-foot thresholds
Measure the 45-degree zone for any load near the footing
Fix the drain outlet on the lot before the footing is laid

For the full process, see our Retaining Walls page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our retaining walls work, serving Graham

Examples of our work. We build retaining walls in Graham and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Graham homeowners

What height keeps a Graham retaining wall out of permit review?

Under Pierce County’s handout, a wall under two feet is exempt, and a wall four feet or under, with no load inside the 45-degree zone, needs no permit. A wall over four feet needs one whether or not it carries a surcharge.

Would a slope behind a Graham wall bring it under the surcharge rule?

A load from a slope, a structure, or a vehicle inside the 45-degree zone changes the classification, even for a short wall.

Where does a Graham retaining wall’s drain outlet go?

The outlet goes to a point on your parcel that can accept the flow, clear of the road and neighboring property. That point is settled before footing work begins.