Concrete block walls in Midland TX - straight, reinforced walls that stay put
Need a wall for privacy, screening or a slope that keeps washing out? We build it straight, steel-reinforced and grouted where it counts.
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What does it take to build a block wall that lasts?
A concrete block wall is block and steel tied together with grout, and we build them in Midland, TX, for privacy, screening and holding back soil. Done right, the grout makes the block and steel work as one, so the wall stands up to the loads on it instead of leaning or splitting.
Most calls start with a wood fence that's had enough of the wind, a shop lot that backs up to houses, or a slope creeping into the yard, and that last one is really a retaining wall job. Price comes down to the wall's length and height, whether it holds back soil, how much of it gets grouted and the face you pick. The schedule turns mostly on whether a tall retaining wall needs an engineer's design and whether the city wants a permit. I'll put your own numbers in a written estimate with what's included spelled out.
How we build your concrete block wall
I start by walking the line with you and asking what the wall has to do, because a yard divider, a screening wall and a wall holding back dirt get built differently. Before we lay a block, I show you where the control joints go and why. Those are the planned vertical seams where the wall is meant to crack, so it cracks where we planned instead of where it feels like it. I also go over how the wall gets grouted and where the steel sits, since steel makes the wall stronger against the loads on it and horizontal bars help it resist shrinkage cracks. Then we dig and pour the footing, lay the block straight and level course by course with the steel going in as we climb, fill the cores, cap the top and clean the face, because mortar smeared down a new wall is nobody's idea of a finish.
A block wall often ties into other work. If the block is going below your floor, our foundation block wall installation covers the walls a house or addition sits on. If the wall is the start of a backyard setup, outdoor kitchen masonry puts the same block and steel under a grill, counter or bar.
Concrete block walls in Midland and the city's rules
The City of Midland's residential permit list names new construction, additions, remodeling, repairs and detached accessory buildings. Block walls aren't on it by name, so whether your wall needs a permit isn't settled until someone asks the city's building permits office. When a job calls for a permit, we handle the paperwork with the right city or county office and wait for it before we start. The city issues permits only to the property owner or the owner's licensed and bonded contractor. Contractors who build there also have to register with the city and get a $10,000 bond approved by the City Attorney before any permits are issued, so it's fair to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring about it. If your property sits where a business zone meets a residential one, the zoning rules call for a masonry screening wall unless the City Council finds it physically impractical. A required wall runs at least 8 feet and no more than 10 feet tall unless the city approves otherwise, and split-face concrete block is one of the allowed materials, along with brick and stone.
On jobs around here we mostly see privacy walls on house lots, screening walls behind shops and offices, and short walls holding up a raised bed or a grade change. Hot, dry, windy days pull water out of fresh mortar and grout fast, so we keep the new work damp and covered until it sets. We do the same on jobs in Odessa and Big Spring, and we're based in Midland and also work in West Odessa and other cities around it.
Concrete block walls up close
Get a written estimate for your block wall
Send this and I'll reply within one business day to set a time to come look at the wall myself. The estimate is free, done on site and written out with what's included, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
(432) 219-3791Block wall questions from Midland owners
How much does a concrete block wall cost in Midland, TX?
Across the US, installing a concrete block wall usually runs about $16 to $19 per square foot, and that's a national figure, not our price for a Midland wall. Height, length, how much of the wall gets grouted, the face you choose and whether it holds back soil all move it. I'll come look and put a written number on yours.
Do I need a permit to build a block wall in Midland?
Midland's residential permit list doesn't name block walls, so whether yours needs one is the city's call, and we ask before anything gets built. If it does need a permit, the paperwork is ours to handle.
Will my concrete block wall crack?
Block shrinks a little as it cures, and the cracks that come from that aren't a structural concern. Exposed walls above ground typically need control joints, which keep the wall looking right and limit moisture and air getting through. Ask how much horizontal steel the design uses too, because a wall with enough of it may not need control joints at all.
When does a block retaining wall need an engineer?
A builders' field guide puts the line at 5 feet, saying retaining walls under that height can follow set guidelines and taller ones should be designed by a qualified engineer. If you're planning a taller wall that holds back soil, budget time for that design before building starts.
What causes a block retaining wall to fail?
Poor drainage is a big one, because backfill that drains badly, or no drainage at all, greatly raises the odds a retaining wall fails. The same field guide calls for sand or gravel backfill and drains that let water out from behind the wall, so ask any contractor how they plan to handle it.
How long does it take to build a concrete block wall?
Laying the block is usually the quick part, and the waits come before it, from an engineer's design on a tall retaining wall and any permit the city requires. Length, height and how much of the wall gets grouted set the rest, and I'll walk you through the schedule for your wall when I come out.
Get your Midland block wall priced
Call (432) 219-3791 any weekday until 10 PM with the wall's length, height, purpose and whether it holds back soil, and we can skip the guesswork on the first visit.