Not Sure If Your Melbourne Property Needs Retaining Walls? Check For These Signs
These days, you can spot retaining walls on all types of Melbourne properties. From schools and commercial buildings to parks and homes – they’re everywhere, and for good reason. These robust and durable walls don’t just make a gorgeous addition to your outdoor landscape. They increase the amount of usable space, too. But does every property need one? If you’re not sure about whether you need retaining walls, here’s how to know.
When A Property Needs a Retaining Wall
Retaining walls are needed when the property experiences a sudden change in the land’s gradient. That’s because a sloped terrain can make it harder to control downhill erosion. You should consider building a retaining wall in the following situations:
- Debris from erosion is clogging and accumulating on different parts of your property.
- Your property is downhill below a soil fault line. During an earthquake, soil moves away from fault lines. So, even if erosion isn’t affecting your property now, certain circumstances could make it more likely.
- Your property is built on top of a hill. During a storm, rain can wash away soil and affect the land around your foundation. This can compromise your property’s stability, making it susceptible to structural damage.
- Harsh weather conditions have affected the soil around your home. With time, soil can wash away, weakening your property’s foundation. Building a retaining wall helps hold the soil in place and keeps it from moving, preserving your property’s structural integrity.
- You have fewer opportunities for landscaping. Planting flowers, trees, and shrubs isn’t easy when you’re dealing with sloped terrain. Retaining walls can create flat areas on top of slopes, allowing you to create terraces for landscaping purposes and outdoor recreation.
Additionally, experts at Jamesco Group also consider factors like the type of soil, height of the slope, and how much rainfall the area gets. Similarly, if the ground is unstable or at risk of landslides, it’s recommended that you build a retaining wall.
Benefits of Installing Retaining Walls
While the primary purpose of retaining walls is to hold soil in place, they come with other benefits too. If you’re still on the fence about installing them, these advantages are sure to help you make a decision.
They Increase Your Property’s Value
When you build retaining walls, they have the potential to increase your Melbourne property’s resale price. One of the main reasons is that they increase the amount of functional space. By creating a more livable property with room for outdoor activities and leisure, you ultimately get a higher value.
They Enhance Curb Appeal
While some people may disagree about the importance of a first impression, it definitely applies when you’re inviting valuators or potential buyers. Retaining walls can help you balance elements of hardscaping and softscaping by building terraces to plant trees and local plants. This gives your Melbourne property an eye-catching appeal that’s bound to impress your guests.
They Offer a Return On Investment
By protecting your foundation and ensuring safe drainage during a storm, retaining walls can give you a return on your investment. In the long run, you can expect to save money on repairs for your property’s foundation. Similarly, you won’t have to worry about flooding and the costly damage it can cause.
They Add More Usable Space
Retaining walls can help you make the most of your property by making usable space on top of sloped terrain. Whether you want to plant a garden or build a patio overlooking the rest of your property, there are plenty of ways to use this extra bit of space.
They Allow Safe Drainage
During a harsh storm, retaining walls can redirect water and prevent it from accumulating around your property. If your property is located downhill, it faces risks of flooding and waterlogging. In this situation, a retaining wall is a useful way to prevent extensive property damage.
Get Long Lasting, Custom Retaining Walls in Melbourne
It’s recommended that you build retaining walls if your Melbourne property is built on sloped terrain. Even if your home is built on top of a hill, retaining walls provide support to keep soil from moving downhill. They also provide other benefits like increasing your property’s value and improving curb appeal. But for retaining walls to give you a return on investment, you need to call in a specialist team, like our crew at Jamesco Group. Contact us today for a free quote.
Call Jamesco Group today for all of your retaining wall needs across Melbourne!