As climate change continues to affect our Los Angeles region, we see year after year of record rainfall which unfortunately, floods the basements and crawlspaces of both residential homes and commercial businesses with water runoff. For those who own a structure that is built on or near a hillside, water, mud, and debris are now a continuous threat to the stability and safety of their property. Having said that, a well-built retaining wall can help prevent soil erosion, manage water runoff, and add style to any property! In case you were wondering, this blog provides the top reasons for LA homeowners and developers to invest in retaining walls!
What Are Retaining Walls and Why Do You Need Them?
While there are various types of retaining walls, they are all structures that are designed to hold back water, prevent erosion in sloped areas, and improve drainage control so that the risk of mudslides or landslides during inclement weather is reduced. Such retaining walls can stabilize sloping areas next to a building, level out uneven terrain, and create useful outside spaces such as terraces for outdoor activities. And it is also worth mentioning that retaining walls have tremendous “curb appeal” and can substantially increase a property’s value!
How do Retaining Walls Prevent Soil Erosion?
One of the most significant threats to a building, especially one built on or near a hillside, is soil erosion. Over time, rainwater coming down the hillside can erode the soil on the slope above the structure, pushing against it. The weight of the soil pushed against the building can be enormous, and at some point, all it takes is one significant rainfall or a small earthquake to shake the soil loose and sent it crashing against the building. A properly designed and constructed retaining wall can provide valuable erosion control support and protection for homes and commercial buildings, holding back water, soil, and debris, from crashing against and damaging these properties!
How Can a Homeowner Improve Drainage?
If you are a homeowner wondering how you can improve drainage around your home, then you are asking the right question! Look, when water is not properly drained away from your home, it can accumulate around the structure and then seep inside, inundating and damaging your property, sometimes beyond repair. This is especially true in those cases where the soil around the home has been already saturated by water after a severe rainfall.
As such, because gravity forces water to move downward, it is important to control where, how, and at what speed water is draining down outside the home. You can control drainage by using erosion control mulch and curb inlet protection, as well as creating swales and grading that use the natural flow of gravity to reshape and resurface your landscaping to ensure that water is draining away properly. You can also lay erosion control matting, erosion control mesh, or erosion control rolls, to help control the speed of run-off water. Finally, you can add decorative rock basket gabions as retaining walls to provide superior protection, as well as add a beautiful aesthetic value to your property.
Retaining Walls can Increase Property Value and Curb Appeal!
Thankfully, investing in a landscape retaining wall is not just a great way to protect your home or commercial business from devastating mudslides and water runoff, it’s also an excellent way to increase the value of your property! Ask any real-estate agent about this and they will surely tell you that a decorative retaining wall can be a wise investment in that it beautifies your home and address tremendous “curb appeal” to the property!
How to Find the Right Retaining Wall Contractor?
At the end of the day, a beautiful and functional retaining wall can be built in many shapes and sizes, as well as building materials. Depending on where the retaining wall is built, it can be erected pretty quickly, if it is done by an experienced retaining wall contractor such as Weinstein Construction! But not every contractor can build a retaining wall! Improper design or unskilled construction can hold up a project, cause it to be more expensive than it needs to be, and at the end of the day, such a faulty wall can fail a city inspection.
As such, it is important to hire an experienced retaining wall contractors in Los Angeles such as Weinstein Construction, who have built many thousands of square feet of retaining walls for both homeowners and commercial businesses. At Weinstein Construction, we provide trusted retaining wall solutions across Los Angeles, and we can bring in the right engineering support for such projects in your own neighborhood!
The retaining wall professionals at Weinstein Construction are experienced and have the tools and technology to construct every type of a landscape retaining wall. We will always work with you to find the most cost-effective way to build your retaining wall the way you want it, the way you need it, and within your budget!
Build a strong, beautiful retaining wall – get your free quote today by calling Weinstein Construction at (800) 862-6582! Schedule a free retaining wall consultation and protect your home or commercial against the effects of the next catastrophic weather event! Prevent erosion and boost property value – contact us today!
Planning a project? Check out our blog on Retaining Wall Cost Breakdown for LA Homeowners.