For most of us, a retaining wall solely supports the foundation and landscape of a property. While this is undoubtedly true, retaining walls can also play a great role in creating beautiful outdoor living spaces and enhancing a building’s overall aesthetic appeal.
Retaining walls are found around many homes, businesses, and schools, especially in sloped areas. However, not all walls are capable of preventing flooding and erosion. This is because retaining walls’ functionality and longevity depend largely on their construction quality. Building a durable and sturdy retaining wall requires proper skills and the use of the right materials. Projects like this are not meant to undertake on your own because if done incorrectly, it can cause damage to the property and costly repairs.
Building a retaining wall is an important project and a big investment of time and money. Since these walls serve an important function, it’s necessary to get them done right the first time. For this reason, you need to find an expert contractor who has experience in building retaining walls. However, not every contractor can construct a long-lasting retaining wall, which means you need to find a specialist. Here we’ve listed some tips to find a skilled retaining wall contractor to ensure smooth completion of the project.
Experience Counts
To build a robust concrete retaining wall, you need to hire an experienced contractor. The professional must have years of experience and skills to understand the challenges of constructing a retaining wall. A knowledgeable contractor will first assess the soil to determine how far they’ll need to dig to create a solid foundation. Moreover, only a professional company will obtain the required permits and approval before starting the project. It would also be best if you made sure that the contractor you hire ensures the proper level of the wall and appropriate drainage.
Use of Equipment and Materials
After the contractor’s skills and experience, the next important factor is the quality of material and equipment. Make sure to ask the professional what quality of material and tool they use for building the wall. You need to hire a company that makes use of industry-standard equipment and tools. This is because the different type of materials requires different installation techniques and tools.
Check Insurance
If any contractor is offering you a much lower price, chances are they are not insured. You find this low price tempting, but it’s crucial to check the retaining wall contractor’s license and insurance to avoid risks. Before hiring an individual, you need to verify the ‘general liability insurance certificate’ to prevent future hassles. This is because injuries and property damage can happen as they work on your project, and you don’t want to be held responsible.
Get Agreement in Writing
Once you have found a reliable and skilled retaining wall contractor, you need to get a written agreement or contract. This contract should include the specific details of the project, such as the cost of material and labor and the project completion date. Make sure you understand every point in the agreement before signing it.
