EP Henry block retaining walls
Authorized EP Henry installer. Segmental block walls in the EP Henry product family, the most common residential retaining wall system in the Philly suburbs. Designed to spec, set on a compacted base, batter built in.
4.8 · 187 verified reviews
BBB A+ Accredited
Family-operated since 1997
Specialty · Retaining Walls
Retaining wall installation in Philadelphia.
BBB A+ Accredited
4.8★ / 187+ reviews
Family-operated since 1997
Licensed & Insured
What we offer
Philadelphia Retaining Walls across Philadelphia.
Poured concrete retaining walls
Poured-concrete walls for taller or more demanding retaining work, reinforced with rebar, footing-anchored, finished with broom or board-form texture. The strongest residential retaining wall option per linear foot.
Field-stone retaining walls
Local field stone or Pennsylvania bluestone retaining walls, the right look on older Philly properties or where a manufactured block product would feel out of place. Slower to build, more visual character.
Retaining wall repair
Existing retaining wall failing? Bowing, leaning, blown-out section, dropped cap blocks. We assess on site and repair or replace based on whether the foundation is salvageable.
Footings & drainage
Retaining walls fail when the footing is wrong or the back-drain wasn't there. We pour footings to spec, install the drain, and backfill with crushed stone. The work behind the wall is what makes it last.
Tiered & decorative walls
Multi-step tiered walls for steeper grade changes, decorative cap details, planter walls, retaining walls that do more than hold dirt. Designed with the patio, walkway, or yard layout in mind.
From our neighbors
Real Philadelphia walls. Real customers.
★★★★★
Verified
“A short story…we needed someone who could do an emergency sidewalk repair in center city Philadelphia during the holidays! Impossible? Well, Marcello made it possible. He called back when he said he was going to call back. He showed up exactly when he said he'd show up. He arrived at…”
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“A short story…we needed someone who could do an emergency sidewalk repair in center city Philadelphia during the holidays! Impossible? Well, Marcello made it possible. He called back when he said he was going to call back. He showed up exactly when he said he'd show up. He arrived at our center city address, got out of his truck and fixed the problem. He really cared about getting it right. And…all that happened for a reasonable price. Personable, honest, man-of-his word. He's been added to my short list of trusted Philly vendors.”
★★★★★
Verified
“I contracted with Marcello Family Concrete to replace my driveway, sidewalk, and steps/walkway from the driveway to the front door. The Marcello crew was AMAZING. They showed up on time, worked efficiently, and cleaned up as they went along. The owner and his father are wonderful people. Besides, being professional,…”
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“I contracted with Marcello Family Concrete to replace my driveway, sidewalk, and steps/walkway from the driveway to the front door. The Marcello crew was AMAZING. They showed up on time, worked efficiently, and cleaned up as they went along. The owner and his father are wonderful people. Besides, being professional, honest, and dependable, they're true craftsmen who take tremendous pride in their work. It shows in the quality of the product they produce. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY.”
A family contractor
The owner does the work.
Marcello and his father pour every job themselves. The hands that quote your work are the hands that hold the trowel. No project-manager handoff, no subbed-out crew, no surprises.
Since 1997
45+ years family experience
BBB A+ Accredited
4.8★ across 177 on Google
What to expect
What happens when you hire us.
You call. We pick up.
No call center. No answering service. Most days it’s Marcello himself on the line. We’ll talk through the project and schedule a free walk-through.
We come out. Free walk-through.
We measure, talk through what you’re looking for, and walk the existing condition with you. You’ll get a written quote with a clear scope, no pushy sales.
Schedule confirmed. Materials lined up.
We confirm the start window with you, line up materials and equipment, and walk you through what to move (cars, hose reels, anything along the work line) before the crew arrives.
Excavate, set base, build wall, backfill.
Excavate to depth, compact the crushed-stone base, set the first course to grade, build up with batter, install the drain and crushed-stone backfill, cap. Most residential retaining walls wrap in 2–5 days on site depending on length.
FAQ
Philadelphia Retaining Walls questions, answered.
EP Henry block, poured concrete, or stone, which retaining wall is right for me?
Depends on grade, height, look, and budget. EP Henry block is the most common residential retaining wall, flexible, well-engineered, lots of color/style options. Poured concrete is the strongest option, right for taller walls or where load matters. Field stone is the natural look for older properties or wooded yards.
We install all three. The right one comes out of the on-site assessment.
How tall can a retaining wall be?
Up to 4′ without geo-grid reinforcement. Above that, the wall needs engineered geo-grid extending back into the retained soil; above 6′ in some jurisdictions you also need engineering stamp and possibly a permit.
For taller grade changes we sometimes recommend a tiered system (two shorter walls with a planted bench between) instead of one tall wall, better engineering, better look.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Philadelphia?
Sometimes, it depends on height, location (right-of-way vs. private), and whether structural engineering is involved. We assess case by case at the estimate. If a permit is needed, we’ll handle it or walk you through the process if you’d rather file it yourself.
How long does a retaining wall last?
Properly engineered and installed: 50+ years. The components that fail are usually the drainage (the back-drain clogs) or the cap (water gets in through the top). Both are maintainable.
Cheap or DIY retaining walls without proper base, batter, drainage, or backfill usually start failing in 5–10 years.
Can you fix an existing retaining wall that’s leaning?
Sometimes. A wall leaning slightly often has a base or drainage problem, we can disassemble, fix the base, and re-set. A wall that’s leaning visibly more than a few inches off plumb usually needs full rebuild, the geometry has gone past repair.
Free on-site assessment to make the call.
How much does retaining wall installation cost?
Cost depends on length, height, material, base depth, drainage requirements, and access. We don’t publish per-foot pricing because the variation between an easy ground-level run and a steep back-yard install is too high for a flat number to be honest.
Free on-site estimate, written quote with a single number.
Other services
Other concrete services we provide.
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Philadelphia Stone Wall Repairs
Free-standing garden walls, stone façades, retaining walls, stone wall repair, partial rebuilds, and full reconstructions when the wall is past saving. Pennsylvania bluestone, Wissahickon schist, and field-stone work by the family concrete contractor since 1997.
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Philadelphia Concrete Patios
Backyard patios, side-yard slabs, front-yard pads. Concrete patio installers that pour the slab and finish the surface with the same craftsmanship the family's been pouring driveways with since 1997.
View ServiceGet a Free Estimate
Need a retaining wall?
Free walk-through. Written quote with a clear scope. No call center, no sales script, Marcello will pick up the phone himself.
Marcello Family Cement Work
Est. 1997
BBB A+ Accredited
Licensed & Insured