Whether it’s for structural purposes or to inject a dose of aesthetic appeal to your home or outdoor living space retaining walls are highly functional and beautiful. This is why across the length and breadth of the country, retaining walls are built for reasons that are either structural or aesthetic purposes such as when property owners want to create a tiered effect for their yard or when the slope of the property is for environmental or topographical reasons, undesirable. This is why retaining walls are absolutely necessary in Pittsburgh, considering the hills and streams that are present therein. This is done mainly in order to prevent the soil from eroding and to keep the soil from unwarranted areas.
As a result of this, homeowners in Pittsburgh would truly benefit from erecting a retaining wall but residents should also keep in mind the peculiarities of the land on which their properties are sited and know what options are available to them if they choose to install one.
Structurally speaking, flat and level pieces of land will, in most cases have no need for a retaining wall. Although soil erosion does occur on flat land, the culprit is usually wind, not water. But in the case of Pittsburgh, which has an abundance of hills and streams, retaining walls are in order to reduce the amount of soil that gets displaced during heavy rainfall and also reduce the effects of rainwater on sloppy lands.
Home owners that have a stream that flows through their property can, in particular, benefit from by building a retaining wall. The quantum of soil that gets carried away during and immediately after a heavy downpour can be much more than that caused by water that’s just flowing downhill. This is even more recognizable when there are no trees or vegetation to hold the soil together. Thus, a retaining wall erected near where land meets water will go a long way in reducing soil erosion and preventing debris and dirt from getting into the water.
Besides the obvious structural benefits of retaining walls, one can actually take advantage the aesthetic benefits of retaining walls as well. For example, due to the sloppy nature of a lot of the lands in Pittsburgh, a series of retaining walls erected to create tiers can be a very effective and visually appealing landscaping method. Besides the fact that it changes the look of your land, it can also help you cultivate decorative plants successfully by curbing the flow of rain water or water from sprinklers.
Retaining walls are made in different ways and from different materials, depending on the purpose they may are intended to serve. They can be made of poured concrete set in mold or in a dry stone method, or they can be made of stone or brick and mortar. However, in situations where a great deal of structural strength is required, Versa Lok pinning walls are recommended as walls made of dry stone are usually structurally incapable in this regard when they get above 3 feet high.
As regards cost, the price of erecting a retaining wall in the Pittsburgh area ranges widely and is dependent on a number of factors such as the length and height of the wall and how it is constructed, materials to be used, the type of land on which it is to be installed among others. You can build one for under $2,000 while others can cost as much as $15,000. Keep in mind, however, that the average national cost for building a retaining wall is around $7,000. Dry stone walls are the cheapest followed by poured concrete walls. The most expensive kind of walls to erect are Masonry walls because they take the most time and effort to erect.
If you’re considering building a retaining wall, one company that is highly recommended is Damico's Landscaping. Irrespective of the purpose of the wall – whether it’s structural, aesthetic or both and irrespective of the materials you choose - Versa Lok block, Omni stone or Patio pavers, Damico’s Landscaping can do it all.
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Chris R. Jul 29, 2016
Outdoor Landscaping
Verified Review
"Frank contacted me quickly with a quote. He followed up without badgering me and came to visit to review the work needed. After agreeing on a price, he started work quickly at a time that worked for me. Not only did he start when it worked for me, but he was done quicker than he estimated."
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