Reasons to Consider a Retaining Wall for Your Yard:

In a story by Mark Twain, a rancher’s land is totally covered up by a landslide that brings his neighbor’s land and his intact house from up the hill down on his property. The downhill rancher’s property is completely buried and in effect supplanted by the landslide. A lawsuit ensues and after a fake trial the uphill rancher is given the property rights of the downhill rancher. Fake because the suit was a practical joke on the new lawyer in town.

The story illustrated many things. One thing it illustrated was the fact that the terrain was extremely hilly, and that landslides were not uncommon in the area. In the Atlanta area we are not plagued with landslides, but we do have hilly land and that land must be tamed to build and maintain homes. One method used to tame the land is the use of retaining walls by home-builders, and as needed by homeowners.

While we don't expect our property to be supplanted by the sliding land of our neighbor, it isn't necessary to picture the extreme case to understand the usefulness of an effective retaining wall. Home builders use retaining walls routinely in hilly areas like northern Georgia.

Soil erosion and water run-off on sloping lots make that a necessity. Often in tight lots in some neighborhoods a builder must carve out areas with heavy earth moving equipment to give the property the room required not only for the house itself but also for the parking pad, the lawn, and for access to other areas of the property. Other reasons include aesthetics, controlling water runoff, and landscaping...

However, often a homeowner inherits problems with a property that were not addressed by the builder or because of the age of the property. A retaining wall may need to be rebuilt because of decay. Perhaps the owner wants to give an old wooden wall a new look with a higher end look like limestone; maybe he wants to create a larger area by carving a little more land from the hillside and then building an all new wall with different engineering and style.

Whatever the reason, it will probably be with the necessity of hiring professional help with both the design and construction. Landscape designers and folks with earth moving expertise will be needed. A general contractor may be needed with more extensive needs.

If you are looking for an expert to help build a retaining wall for your home or property, consider giving us a call! We can get it done right and do the hard work for you.

--North West Sod & Erosion: 470-255-7737

(Serving Atlanta and the surrounding areas)