Block wall fence installation
A masonry wall is the most permanent fence you can put on a Southern Utah property line. Here's what goes into a good one.
Block walls have been fencing yards in Washington County for decades. They're quiet, private, fireproof, unaffected by sun and termites, and when they're built right they outlast the house's roof and paint. They're also heavy, which means everything depends on what's underneath: the footing, the steel and the soil.
What makes a block wall last?
- A real footing. A concrete footing sized for the wall's height and the soil, not a few blocks laid on scraped dirt.
- Steel and grout. Vertical rebar grouted into the cores at regular spacing, plus horizontal reinforcement, keeps a tall wall from cracking or tipping.
- Control joints. Long walls need planned joints so movement shows up as a neat line instead of random cracks.
- Water kept away. Sprinklers that soak the base of a wall every night, or runoff that pools against it, can let swelling clay or soluble gypsum soils shift the footing.
- A cap. Cap blocks shed water and finish the top.
What finishes are available?
- Standard gray or tan block, sometimes painted to match the house
- Split-face or ground-face block for texture
- Stucco over block to match the home
- Block pilasters with iron or vinyl panels between them
Height, grade and permits
In St. George, a block fence on a side or rear line is held to the same 6 foot 4 inch limit as any other fence, and berms can't be used to gain height. When one yard sits higher than the next, the lower courses are holding soil and become a retaining wall, which has its own rules: retaining walls 4 feet and taller need a city permit, and concrete and block walls are measured from the top of the footing. If your project includes a grade change, ask for a design that treats it as a retaining wall, not just a fence.
Sharing a wall with neighbors
Property-line walls often get shared. Confirm the line first, agree on cost and finish in writing, and decide which side gets the "good" face if they differ.
Pricing comes from the contractor after they've measured the run, looked at the ground, the grade between lots and the gates you want, and talked through materials. We don't quote prices, and any figure given over the phone before someone has seen the yard is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I add height to my existing block wall?
Sometimes. It depends on whether the original footing and reinforcement can carry more height, and on the height limit for your lot. Many older walls weren't built to be extended.
Is a block wall a fence or a retaining wall?
A freestanding privacy wall on level ground is treated as a fence. If it holds back soil because the yards are at different levels, the retaining part falls under retaining wall rules.
Related services
More background: St. George fence guide.
Bare backyard, broken vinyl or a gate that won't latch?
Call the number above and a local fence contractor will come look at the job and quote it directly.