If Your Home is built on a hill or Slope, Retaining Walls Can Help!
A Good Retaining Wall Design Can:
- Help enhance slope stabilization
- Clear long steep slopes
- Stop your home from shifting
- Stop erosion buildup
- Prevent soil and debris from sliding
- Stop water runoff from rain and irrigation systems and
- Provide an aesthetically pleasing look, thereby increasing a home’s value.
HOW ARE RETAINING WALLS USED?
An interlocking retaining wall block design is a typical design that can hold back soil and water from down-slope movement which can cause erosion that can seriously damage a home or structure. Moreover, while many structures may have an engineer-constructed retaining wall, some homeowners wish to have retaining wall pavers built for decorative purposes, for example to organize their garden and give it better cosmetic appeal. For whatever reason you need a retaining wall, Weinstein Construction professionals retaining wall installers can build it, and there is a great variety of retaining wall blocks that we can use. Retaining wall options and costs can vary greatly, let us provide you with some retaining wall ideas for your home’s specific needs and budget!
CONCRETE RETAINING WALL CONSTRUCTION
Dirt and soil does not stand a very good chance when going up against concrete. That chances are even more limited when concrete is reinforced with steel. However, even with concrete with reinforced steel, if it is not properly constructed, is practically useless. A professional retaining wall inspector will evaluate that a proper footing is installed in the ground that will enable sufficient support for the structure and enhance slope stabilization. From there, reinforced concrete blocks are precisely stacked and aligned.
The concrete retaining walls installed by professional retaining wall contractors like Weinstein Construction are able to endure a tremendous amount of pressure and will provide more than adequate protection in defending your home from the water and debris coming down from the slope or mountain.
This method of constructing a retaining wall is also known as “Pour and Place Retaining Walls.” Without the proper design and planning taken to design this structure, it is more than likely that water and debris will start leaking through and/or the wall will gradually start to lose its support. The cost of retaining wall construction varies based on materials used, design, location and environmental factors.
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HOMES ON HILLSIDES OR A SLOPE ARE AT HIGHER RISK BECAUSE EROSION CAN:
- Can worsen slope stabilization
- Loosen soil and dirt and displace it into various locations
- Destroy a home’s valuable landscaping and vegetation
- Cause soil and dirt to clump up and develop holes and trenches and
- Crumble and loosens soil around the foundation, severely weakening the foundation.
WIND EFFECTS ON RETAINING WALLS
In areas with hills and slopes, the effects of winds on retaining wall construction are stronger than they would be normally. The steeper the slope the stronger the wind. Wind causes the soil and dirt to get displaced causing erosion.
WATER EFFECTS ON RETAINING WALLS
Rainwater and irrigation system water runs off the top of the slope and down on the property. This causes various erosion problems and you should have a retaining wall inspector evaluate and determine what, if any, proper retaining wall construction services are required.
GABION RETAINING WALL
Gabions are wire containers that are filled with hard materials, such as rocks or glass. They give appeal and protection to a home. Invented by Leonardo Da Vinci centuries ago, gabions were first used to create barricades during times of war to protect against enemy fire and invasion. Today, Weinstein Construction offer this innovative solution in retaining wall construction to protect you against your home’s worst enemy, Mother Nature. This historically used technique is extremely popular and is consistently proven to be one of the most effective types of retaining walls. Not to mention the cost to install a retaining wall like this is actually more affordable than many others.
A gabion is a container made out out of wire that is filled with rock, broken concrete, or other different materials, that can be used for a variety of different reasons besides just retaining walls and slope stabilization. Some people even use gabion to create items such as benches for their garden! When utilizing a gabion for your retaining wall, it disperses the water pressure through the openings in the rocks, which brings down soil and vegetation to create a natural drainage runoff and a very appealing effect on your wall.
SHOTCRETE/ GUNNITE RETAINING WALL
The process of using Shotcrete or Gunite to create a retaining wall, can give your home the ultimate protection. Low moisture concrete is strategically sprayed through a gigantic hose directly on to custom constructed caissons and reinforced steel. You are given the option of having a plain and smooth retaining wall or any other desirable finish to complete your home’s unique design. The wall is then left to dry.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Water from rain and other irrigation runs down a slope, causing erosion problems and damage to structures that are in the way. Moreover, dirt and debris that run down can also create a lot of pressure on your home, which then puts the stability of the structure in jeopardy. Weinstein Construction professionals can build retaining walls that hold back water, dirt, debris, and other substances from running down a slope and damaging your home. An additional, nice benefit of retaining walls is that they can also give your landscape a nice cosmetic touch-up, creating more space and a manicured appeal to your home, which in turn increases your home’s value.
If your home is built on a slope, it is more than likely than not that you should have a retaining wall as protection. As we discussed above, pressure build-up from water and soil can cause some very serious damage to your valuable property and erosion can take a toll on any structure that is not supported by a retaining wall. Look, if you live in the greater Los Angeles area, then you live in “Earthquake Country.” When (not “if”) the next “Big One” hits, you want your valuable financial investment, the home where your family lives, to have the most protection possible, at a price you can afford. A retaining wall can help give you the extra protection you need. If you are still not sure if you need a retaining wall, please call us and a Weinstein Construction professional will come to your home and give you a 100% free, no obligation inspection and consultation.
The main purpose of a retaining wall is to help protect a home that is built on a slope. However, different types of walls use different methods to offer such protection. Retaining wall contractors in Los Angeles typically build a concrete retaining wall with solid concrete blocks and steel reinforcements. Such walls are built at a 90-degree angle on a specific place on the slope that can offer the most support. These concrete blocks are able to stop much, if not all, of the water, debris, and other substances from running on to your home. Basically, the pressure that builds up from run-off on the slope can cause the soil that is holding up your home to become loose and unstable, but a retaining wall can stop all the pressure that your house would normally have to take from these substances.
The price of a retaining wall typically depends on what type of wall you’d like to build, how big and tall this wall is, and where the wall will be built. A basic retaining wall is very affordable, and prices typically start to rise for larger, more complicated walls that have very specific designs and styles. One thing typically holds true: regardless of the type of retaining wall you choose, your home will be much more protected with a wall than without one. Weinstein Construction’s expert wall builders will be happy to discuss various cost-effective options with you to suit your needs and budget.
Retaining walls are definitely made to last. Such walls are meant to be a permanent solution for your home. Unless something extreme happens and Mother Nature decides to really have her way with you, your wall should last as long as you live in your home. Once the wall is built, you should no longer need to worry about it again in the future, and your satisfaction is backed by Weinstein Construction’s exclusive service warranty!
There are quite a few types of retaining walls that can be built. We have already described a concrete retaining wall, but another example is called a “gabion retaining wall” which acts in a very similar way to a typical retaining wall, except that a gabion wall is constructed with small openings, instead of solid concrete. Gabion walls are made up from rocks (or other material of your choice) and are held together by metal wires. The small openings or spaces in the gabion wall slow down and control water flow without allowing it to damage your home. When the water flows through the gabion wall, it will not break up the soil, but rather keep it compacted. Other types of retaining walls, for example shotcrete/gunite, act in the same way as a concrete wall, but offer even more stability to your home. Why not allow one of Weinstein Construction’s experts to explain in further detail how retaining walls work and which wall is best for your home? A consultative visit is completely free of charge, and holds no obligation for you!
TESTIMONIALS
Weinstein Construction redid my foundation and retaining wall and I’m very happy with the work!
We had our basement retrofitted. Very courteous to us, very attentive. I was very impressed with the people who came to do the job. They were polite, well dressed, and really seemed to know what they were doing. We feel a lot safer now than we would have otherwise.
We had used Weinstein to earthquake retrofit our house. First, my intention was to do it myself, but we got a very nice sales rep over and he went through the whole procedure and by putting a thought into I concluded that it was not worth it for me to spend 14 days under the house. They came out, a top professional crew, they did it in a day, and we really loved what they did.
We are pleased with the results. The people were on time, they were neat, clean, and even the “big boss” was very nice and accommodating, so we’re happy with the services.
I was very happy. Very clean job. Very satisfied, and I recommend it to everybody.
We had our house retrofitted. Immediately we noticed the stability of it, even when we walked the house. Now it’s so much better and it’s stabilized, we’re very confident. It went very well and we’re very pleased.
They did a great job, they were on time, clean, and the price was right. I recommend you do the same.
House was built in 1933. They did the right job, they did a very good job and we’re very happy with the results. I recommend them.
