It’s Summer, and that means a lot of home renovation and home improvement projects are underway. Some of those projects involve the construction of retaining walls, and there are very good reasons for this. A good retaining walls serves a number of key functions, and the affordability of many types of retaining walls make them an easily-accessible Summer project. Here are five big reasons to consider building a retaining wall this Summer – or better yet, hiring a reputable contractor to build it for you.
- They protect your yard from flooding and landscape erosion
Homeowners don’t always realize that landscapes shift and change over time. The forces of gravity, weather, and even the shifting foundation of the home can alter the landscape in ways you didn’t intend. Sometimes, the consequences are largely aesthetic. In other situations, low and compressed areas begin to form. Flooding takes place and damages the grass or other landscape features. A quality retaining wall, built in a strategic location, can help hold the shape of the landscape, prevent unwanted shifts, flooding, and landscape erosion. If you put a lot of work into other aspects of your landscape, a retaining wall can be a particularly good investment.
- They can protect your home’s foundation
Flooding is a major concern for many homeowners, whether it’s the possibility of a tropical storm or simply a high amount of precipitation. When water pools around the foundation of a home, it’s a sign that retaining walls need to be built in strategic locations before the problem gets worse.
- They can open up more space
There are many types of properties and landscapes – those with a lot of steep slopes, for example – where it’s difficult to do much softscaping or hardscaping. You might love planting flowers or vegetables, for example – or you might want a flat space for recreation, a swimming pool, an equipment shed, or patio. Retaining walls can make things possible where they otherwise wouldn’t be. Suddenly there is more space to accomplish the things you want to accomplish with your landscape.
- They look nice
In addition to all the vital functions a retaining wall can serve – keeping the shape of your landscape, protecting plants and shrubs, and preserving your home’s foundation – it also serves a valuable aesthetic function by providing a point of focus to offset and accentuate the natural landscape. The visual appeal of a well-designed retaining wall can make a difference to the lifestyle you experience, and even to the property’s assessed value.
Not all retaining walls retain quality
It takes planning, experience, and skill to design and complete a retaining wall that looks great and lasts a long time. Avoid contractors who take shortcuts, or don’t have the requisite experience and training. Trust an expert who knows how to build a retaining wall the right way, and offers a contractual guarantee against any defect in workmanship. Finding the right contractor in your community might take a little looking, but the result will be worth it in the end.