Concrete block walls in Longview TX - grout and steel where the wall needs it
Planning a new block wall or replacing one that leans? We build it with grout and steel where it counts, and show you where.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
How is a concrete block wall built in Longview?
Superior Longview Concrete and Masonry builds concrete block walls in Longview, TX by laying hollow block and filling some or all of the open cores inside each block with grout, usually with steel set in them, so the wall has the strength for the job it does.
Most folks who call us about a block wall are either planning one to hold back a slope or close in a yard, or living with an old one that's started to lean. What moves the price is the wall's length and height, how many cores get grout and steel, whether it holds back soil, how easy the spot is to reach and how you want the face finished. The schedule mostly turns on the weather and on whether the city needs a permit before we start. We're based in Longview and work across the cities around it, so call (903) 309-1954 and I'll put your own number in a written estimate once I've seen the spot.
How do you know a block wall needs work?
Wall leaning or bowing
If the top of the wall sits out past the bottom, or the middle bulges, the wall is usually losing out to what's behind it or was built without enough grout and steel to hold. A leaning wall rarely straightens itself, and the further it goes, the more of it has to come down.
Cracks stepping along joints
Cracks that climb the mortar joints like stairs usually mean part of the wall has moved. Left alone, they let water into the open cores and tend to grow, which can turn a repair into a rebuild.
Loose or broken block
Blocks that rock when you push them, chipped faces or missing cap blocks mean water has a way into the wall. One loose course left for a few seasons often loosens the ones around it.
How we build concrete block walls
On a new wall I start by marking the layout and settling the height you need, then we dig out and pour the footing, lay the block course by course and keep it level and plumb as it goes up. Steel goes into the cores marked on your quote, those cores get filled with grout, and we cap the top and clean up, so your quote shows which cores get grout and steel and you can see what's holding the wall together. If you want a water repellent on it, I'll be honest that it's upkeep you redo from time to time, not a one-time fix. When an old wall has failed, I look for why before we tear anything out, because rebuilding the same wall the same way usually gets you the same lean.
Block walls often tie into other work around the house. If the block is going below ground to carry a house, garage or addition, that's foundation block wall installation, which we also do, and if you want a grill counter or bar on the patio, block is the core we build outdoor kitchen masonry on.
Yard and privacy walls
These suit a property line or a patio you want closed in. They stand on their own and get grout and steel where the height and length call for it.
Retaining walls
These suit a yard that steps down or a slope you want leveled. They usually carry more grout and steel than a yard wall, and we work out the design at the estimate.
Plain, painted or faced block
Plain block suits a utility wall behind a shed, while paint or a stone face suits a wall everyone sees. A faced wall costs more, but the block core does the same work underneath.
Get a free written estimate for your block wall
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll come out myself, measure the wall, take photos and give you a free written estimate, with no obligation to book.
(903) 309-1954- Based in
- Longview, TX 75601
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What happens when you call about a block wall in Longview?
Here's how a block wall job runs from your first call to the last walk-through, so you know who you'll talk to and when.
Call or send a message
Call (903) 309-1954 or use the form, and tell us what the wall needs to do. We'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
I come out and measure
I'll look at the spot, take measurements and photos, and write up an estimate. It spells out the wall, the grout and steel, the finish and the price, so you know what you're paying for before you agree to anything.
We handle permits and build
Once you say go, we take care of any permit the job needs, then build the wall with our crew. We clean up as we go, so your yard isn't a mess for the length of the job.
Walk the finished wall together
Before we pack up, we walk the wall with you and point out what we did and why. If anything doesn't look right to you, that's the time to say so.
Why Longview homeowners call Superior Longview Concrete and Masonry for block walls
The owner looks at every wall
I come out myself to look at every job, and I work on site alongside our crew when the wall gets built. The person who marked which cores get steel is there when the steel and grout go in.
Building in Longview since 2023
I started this business in Longview in 2023, after learning the trade as a helper on other masons' crews, hauling block and mixing mortar until I was handed a trowel. That's where I learned to build a wall from the footing up, and it's how I still teach our crew.
Licensed and insured for your job
We're fully licensed and insured. That protects you and your property while our crew is working there.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
That's our promise, and part of keeping it is hauling off the block scraps, mortar and packaging before we go. You should be able to use your yard the day we leave.
On a block wall, the part that matters most is the grout and steel you can't see once it's built, so ask your questions before the first block goes down. Request an estimate through our contact page or call (903) 309-1954, and I'll come take a look.
Block walls, permits and the ground in Longview
Don't assume a block wall goes up without a permit in Longview, because the city's rules we've seen don't settle that for this job, and the city's Building Inspection Department is the place to ask. That office takes permit applications, and each one has to be filled out completely before it's turned in. The city's online portal is set up for contractors, licensed trades and design professionals, while homeowners who want to pull a homestead exempt permit call or visit Development Services to learn how it works. If your wall needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with the city, set up the inspections and tell you if anything needs your signature.
The city also keeps a soil map for Gregg and Upshur counties, and its database lists limits on building site development, so it's worth a look while you plan. I still look at the ground myself at the estimate, the same as we do on jobs in Kilgore and Tyler.
Questions about concrete block walls in Longview
How much does a concrete block wall cost in Longview, TX?
Installing a concrete block wall usually costs about $16 to $19 per square foot across the US, and that's a national figure for the installed wall, not our price. Your own number moves with the wall's height and length, how much grout and steel it needs and how hard the spot is to reach, so I'll put it in writing after I've seen the job.
Does a concrete block wall need rebar?
Not always, but most do. A grouted block wall isn't required to have steel in it, though it usually does because that's the economical way to design one, and any wall with steel needs grout placed around the steel. So expect to see both grout and reinforcement in the plan and the quote.
Should a block retaining wall be solid grouted?
Often, yes. Block retaining walls of the cantilever type are often filled with grout in every core, because the extra weight helps the wall resist tipping over, so a retaining wall may need more grout than a yard wall. The rest of its design is something we work out at the estimate, where I can see the slope.
How long does a water repellent last on a block wall?
Industry guidance says a properly applied coating can keep a block wall weathertight for up to 10 years in most parts of the country. Surface repellents have to be reapplied after a period of years, so plan on repeat treatments as part of owning the wall.
What is the best way to keep water out of a concrete block wall?
For a wall that's already up, a surface water repellent on the side that faces the weather is the usual route, since it goes on after the wall is built. The other kind is an integral repellent, which is part of the wall itself rather than applied to the face. Whichever you choose, ask whether the treatment lets water vapor pass, because ones that trap moisture behind the surface tend to blister and peel.
What causes white powder on my concrete block wall?
That white powder is usually efflorescence, a deposit of salts that sometimes shows up on block. It can look bad, but it won't affect how the wall performs structurally, so it's a cosmetic issue rather than a sign the wall is failing.
Related services for walls and yards
If the block is going below grade to carry a house, an addition or a garage, that's foundation work with its own layout, and we build those too.
Planning a grill station or counter on the patio? Block makes a solid core under the countertop and finish, and we can build the whole kitchen around it.
Service areas around Longview for block walls
Superior Longview Concrete and Masonry is based in Longview, TX, and builds block walls across the cities around it. We have pages for eight cities, including Marshall and Henderson, and they aren't the only places we work.
Longview, TX
Get your block wall planned right
Send photos and the wall's rough length and height with your message, and I'll come out already knowing what to look at.