6 Important things to know about Retaining Walls
Many times, contractors can cut corners to save money on estimates.
Here's 6 quick things to ask your contractor about before having a retaining wall installed on your property. These 6 key points can be the difference between a retaining wall that performs well over time, or suffers from premature failure like so many do.
200'+ VersaLok Retaining Wall
This 200'+ VersaLok retaining wall featured multiple grade level changes, 3 sets of steps, and various challenges to work around during construction.
This month's featured video
Overgrown and failing timber retaining wall transformation in Plymouth, MA.
Yard Expansion for Shed Pad
Here we install a reinforced timber retaining wall with proper drainage, utilizing a dual-reinforced system of timber tie-backs and geo-grid structural fabric to expand this clients yard to make room for an elevated 12'x22' shed pad.
Let's be clear. Quality Retaining walls are not cheap.
The photo below is an example of what can go wrong when you go with a "cheaper" estimate.
This is an actual photo of a client's wall (not one of ours)
Why did this wall fail? What shortcuts do other contractors take? What should I look for in my wall?
- No drainage or drainage aggregate was installed behind the wall. This caused hydrostatic (water) pressure to build and blow out the wall
- The hollow blocks were not filled with stone as they should have been at time of installation. We prefer to use solid blocks for this reason. Solid blocks are slightly more expensive, but much more solid.
- Walls like this must be reinforced with "Geo-Grid Mesh" tieback material, which ties the wall itself into the load behind it. This makes the load itself help hold the wall in place.
- The walls were "terraced" too close to each other. When "stacking" multiple walls, the rule of thumb is they must be spaced back at least double the height of the lower wall.
- A proper gravel base was not installed under the base block
- Any wall over 4' in height MUST be engineered. Meaning the plans must be approved by an engineer. This costs money - but prevents this disaster. This wall clearly was not engineered, or else this would not have happened.
Video
In this 4 minute video, I'll walk you through an analysis of a failing retaining wall and common reasons why they fail.
Additionally, I'll explain what we do to build a quality retaining wall that will last for years and years to come.
We use quality Versa-Lok blocks for our Retaining Walls
Frequently Asked Questions
We can install decorative block landscape walls - or work with an engineering team to construct a fully engineered, structural retaining wall. Additionally, we can repair failing or older retaining walls which are bowing or leaning, creating an unsafe condition.
Reach out for a free estimate.
A retaining wall is structurally built to hold back a "load" such as dirt or a gravel parking area against a sloped transition, and is usually 4' high or taller.
A landscape wall has no/little structural value and is built less than 4' tall to define a small grade change, or perhaps contain and border a mulch or flower/shrub bed.
Anytime a retaining wall is 4' tall or higher, it is required to be designed by a civil structural engineer who can certify the design and construction methods to accomodate loads and soil conditions.
Want more info?
Get in Touch!
We strive to be in constant communication with our customers until the job is done. If you have questions or special requests, just drop us a line.
To get a free estimate simply click below, or call/text us at 781-974-7298.
Feel free to attach any photos or a description of your project that will help us understand your needs.
Contact us at your convenience with any questions. We look forward to working with you!
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