Q1. What types of retaining walls are out there?

A. There are lots of options out there, from Segmental large and small blocks, Cast in place concrete with stone facing, Rock, Wood, Green walls using welded wire cage systems, and even old tires.

Q2. My wall is not over 4’ do I need an Engineer/Permit?

A. Most municipalities don’t require an engineer to be involved, however when in doubt contact your local engineering departments.

Q3. I have a series of walls (Terraces), do I need engineering/Permit? 

A. In most cases you would need an engineer to evaluate your project.

Q4. What is the difference between a gravity and reinforced wall?

A. Gravity walls are a retaining wall that can stand up on its own; these are typically shorter height walls 4’ or 1m or less.

Reinforced walls are when a gravity wall is not able to be constructed; usually a tieback mechanism is used such as geogrid to reinforce the soil behind the wall.

Q5. What is Geogrid?

A. Geogrid is a tieback mechanism used in reinforcing a retaining wall.  There are a couple of different types of Geogrid. Most notably HDPE or Polyester is used in construction of Segmental Retaining walls, they come in various strengths depending on a variety of factors.

Q6. What do I do if I want to build a Retaining Wall in the City of North Vancouver?

A. For Retaining Walls over 4′ you will need to contact the City of North Vancouver Building Department to start the permitting process. ValleyGeo will be able to follow up with designing, inspections, and filing letters of assurance for the construction of the wall.