What happens if a retaining wall isn't built correctly?

A poorly built or under-engineered retaining wall can genuinely fail — bulging, leaning, or in more serious cases collapsing — particularly under load from retained soil after rain, when soil pressure is at its highest.

Beyond the wall itself, failure can affect what it was retaining (a driveway, a structure, neighbouring land) and create genuine safety risks, not just a cosmetic or minor structural inconvenience.

This is exactly why appropriate engineering, correct materials, and proper drainage aren’t optional extras for a retaining wall above a certain height — they’re what stands between a wall that performs safely for decades and one that becomes a genuine hazard.

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