Seattle retaining-wall inspection checklist for homebuyers

Property, deadline, and contacts

Fill these fields before the visit. Do not assume that ordering an inspection or report extends a contractual deadline.

Sources: [1], [4]

Wall and consequence

Make a simple site sketch and assign each wall or tier an identifier. Photograph only from safe, accessible locations.

• ☐ Every retaining wall, rockery, bulkhead, and visible tier is marked on the sketch.
• ☐ What each wall supports is recorded: landscaping, yard, driveway, building, sidewalk, utility, or neighboring property.
• ☐ Conditions above, below, and beside each wall are recorded.
• ☐ Face, top, toe, ends, drainage features, cracks, movement, and nearby loads are photographed where safe.
• ☐ Material, visible height, length, returns, stairs, railings, and nearby structures are recorded.
• ☐ Inaccessible, concealed, vegetated, or hazardous areas are listed instead of assumed acceptable.

Sources: [2], [3]

Documents and public record

Match every record to a wall and construction phase. Write ‘unresolved’ when the match or status is uncertain.

• ☐ Seller-disclosure answers and attachments are compared with observations.
• ☐ SDCI development site, related addresses, and Site Characteristics Report are reviewed.
• ☐ Permit status is distinguished: application, issued, expired, withdrawn, canceled, completed, or finaled.
• ☐ Plans, calculations, corrections, inspections, complaints, and violations are reviewed when available.
• ☐ Earlier reports, surveys, contracts, invoices, photographs, warranties, and monitoring records are requested.
• ☐ Each document is matched to the correct wall and phase—or marked unresolved.

Sources: [4]

Site constraints

Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________

• ☐ ECA maps are treated as screening information, not a parcel-level stability diagnosis.
• ☐ Surface runoff, wall drainage, seepage, conveyance, outlet, overflow, and maintenance access are traced as far as evidence allows.
• ☐ Downspouts, irrigation, paving, catch basins, cleanouts, pumps, and visible pipes are recorded.
• ☐ Property line, easements, ownership evidence, wall footprint, and repair access are reviewed.
• ☐ Buildings, driveways, vehicles, trees, stored material, pools, and neighboring improvements near the wall are recorded.
• ☐ Excavation, equipment, stockpile, utility, neighbor-access, and right-of-way constraints are listed.

Sources: [5], [4]

Specialist scope, timing, and price

Agreed deliverable and exclusions: ____________________________________________________________

• ☐ Home-inspection inclusions, exclusions, inaccessible areas, and referral language are identified.
• ☐ Each unresolved question is assigned to the appropriate structural, geotechnical, survey, drainage, title, legal, permit, or construction professional.
• ☐ The proposal identifies records review, site visit, participants, access, and travel assumptions.
• ☐ The written deliverable is defined: email, consultation letter, assessment, report, calculations, or permit-ready design.
• ☐ Further investigation and design are identified as included or separately authorized.
• ☐ Fee basis, reimbursables, follow-up, cancellation, expedited work, and additional-service rates are stated.
• ☐ Site-visit and written-deliverable dates leave time before the contractual deadline.

Sources: [1], [2]

Decision packet

Questions that must be answered before the deadline: ________________________________________________

Decision / next action: ___________________________________________________________________________

• ☐ Written findings state observations, limitations, urgency, further investigation, and repair-design needs.
• ☐ Cost scenarios use the same assumptions for design, permits, temporary support, access, drainage, disposal, restoration, tax, and close-out.
• ☐ Immediate safety work, investigation, temporary stabilization, and permanent work are separated.
• ☐ Unknown conditions remain explicit instead of becoming a false single price.
• ☐ Unresolved conditions reach the buyer's broker or attorney before the applicable deadline.

Sources: [1], [4]

Safety note

Do not excavate, remove support, redirect water, add loads, or enter an unstable area to complete this checklist. In the ‘Landslides’ section of SDOT's severe-weather page, the City says to move to higher, more stable ground when safe, stay away from a slide area, and call 911 if someone may be injured or trapped.

For the complete workflow, read Buying a Seattle home with a retaining wall.

Sources: [6], [2]