Brick and stone walls in Bristol, built by hand to last generations.
Boundary walls, retaining walls, garden walls, planters and gate piers. Built by qualified bricklayers in matching brick, Pennant stone, dressed Bath stone or reconstituted stone, whatever the property calls for.
- 5-Year GuaranteeOn every installation
- Marshalls ApprovedAccredited Bristol installer
- Fully InsuredPublic liability cover
- Free Site SurveyAcross Bristol & surrounds
About walls
The right wall, built right, lasts a hundred years.
We build walls in matching brick, Bath stone, Pennant stone and reconstituted stone for boundary, retaining and decorative work across Bristol. Every wall is built by a time-served bricklayer, with proper foundations dug to a frost-safe depth and reinforced where retaining loads call for it.
Retaining walls, the ones holding back soil, are engineered to a specific load, with drainage detail behind, weep-holes where needed and reinforced concrete piers tied into the wall. We don't shortcut retaining work; the failure mode is too expensive to risk.
- Time-served bricklayers
- Engineered retaining walls
- Matching brick & stone
Engineered retaining walls
Loaded retaining walls are reinforced, drained and tied. We don't shortcut load-bearing work.
Period-matching brick & stone
We source matching brick and Bath stone for repairs and extensions on Bristol period properties.
Decorative detail
Bullnose capping, dentil courses, gate piers and built-in planters, all done by hand.
Drainage by design
Weep-holes, perforated drainage pipe and granular backfill on every retaining wall as standard.
Wall materials
Walls we build in Bristol.
From plain garden walls to engineered retaining walls. We work in whatever material suits the property.
How we build it
Our 4-stage wall construction process.
Foundation, course, capping, finish. Same sequence on a garden wall as on a 2m retaining wall, just scaled up.
Survey & design
Free Bristol visit. We assess load, ground conditions and brick/stone match, and put a fixed price in writing.
Foundation
Dug to frost depth, formed and poured in mass concrete with reinforcement bar where loads call for it.
Coursing
Brickwork or stonework built up in courses, with drainage detail behind any retaining face.
Capping & finish
Coping stones, bullnose bricks or dressed stone capping. Joints raked or struck to your preference.
Recent work
Our recent work
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need planning permission for a garden wall?
Front-facing garden walls over 1m high facing a public highway need planning permission. Rear and side walls up to 2m are usually permitted development. Listed properties and conservation areas are different, so we'll check the local Bristol planning rules for your address at the survey.
How deep are the foundations?
Minimum 600mm for a standard garden wall, deeper for retaining walls or where the ground is soft. We dig to frost depth and pour mass concrete with reinforcement where the wall calls for it. The foundation is what stops a wall leaning.
Can you match my existing brickwork?
Usually yes. Bristol Victorian and Edwardian brick is well-supplied by specialist Bristol reclaim yards. Bath stone is more limited but still sourceable. We'll bring samples to the site visit and confirm the match before any work starts.
What's the lifespan of a properly-built brick wall?
Centuries, in theory. Many Bristol Victorian boundary walls are still standing without major repair. With good foundations, lime mortar (where appropriate) and proper capping to keep water out, a brick wall outlives the people who built it.
Do retaining walls need engineering sign-off?
Retaining walls over 1.5m high usually need building control sign-off and may need engineer calculations. We handle this on your behalf and only price the wall up after the engineering brief is clear.
Get a free driveway quote in Bristol.
Free site visit, free written quote, no obligation. Smart Paving Bristol covers driveways, patios and paving across Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Booking your free survey takes under a minute.