One of the absolute best things about western NC is the beautiful mountainous terrain. This, however, is one of the most difficult things when it comes to building a home or maximizing our yard space. Many times a retaining wall is necessary to achieve either of these things. Below are four ways that a durable retaining wall can help improve and maintain your property for years to come.
1. Improve Drainage
A primary purpose of retaining walls is to direct the flow of water away from your house and slow the flow down. Water is held back by the wall and with the help of drainage within the wall or surrounding it, such as perforated piles and weep holes, the water flow is controlled without risk of pressure destroying the wall itself. Watch how our team remodeled this wall in P.G.
2. Flatten Slope
Retaining walls make sloped land usable by creating a flat and functional area. Flattening the slope makes for much easier access for a new place to sit patio chairs or potted plants. Landscaping also becomes simplified when you have a level area to work with. In the job pictured below, we created a new flat space that instantly became a backyard hit. Read more about that job here.
3. Retain Soil
Soil erosion from rain and wind is a natural process, but you want soil to stay where it is to keep sediment from piling up by your front door. Retaining walls hold soil back to prevent sediments from accumulating by the base of your home or business. If the sediments pile up, the soil moisture levels around the structure's foundation can become uneven, resulting in major damage. In the job pictured, another company had plowed excess dirt off the hill, so we had to come in and save this beautiful mountain home from washing away with the bank - watch our process!
4. Appearance
Adding a retaining wall to your residential or commercial property is an easy way to upgrade curb appeal. The space made by the wall allows you to get creative with any hardscape or landscape design. With material options ranging from timber to natural stone, you're sure to find a material that matches your style and budget.
When you're ready to build or re-build a retaining wall on your property, get in touch with professionals like us. While some of these walls may look simple, they are quite complex with several zoning/inspection requirements that must be met. JC Property Professionals has the valuable experience to help you avoid an engineering disaster and keep your property looking great while standing up to years of extreme weather.