Retaining wall contractor Kingston ONKingston, Ontario is a great city of a rough population of 140K residents and expanding. The “limestone” city, situated right by the St. Lawrence rivers, boasts a culture, arts, a world-class university and various activities that suit residents of all ages and interests. Situated in Southern Ontario and because it is located by the river, Kingston does experience fluctuating temperatures and varying precipitation levels throughout the year, as is the case for most of Ontario.
We at Masonry Kingston are excited to provide the highest quality and careful construction of retaining walls in Kingston and surrounding areas. Due to the varied sloping in land dotting the landscape of Kingston, you will sometimes see retaining walls in public spaces and residential yards. Unlike garden walls, retaining walls serve a primary purpose of counteracting the lateral forces of the earth. In other words, when you’re dealing with sloped land, you may need a retaining wall constructed to prevent the effects of soil erosion and run-off, which can damage adjacent structures (i.e. decks, etc.) and compromise the foundational integrity of the property. The most common types of retaining walls used are:
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- Gravity retaining wall: this is of the poured concrete type done on site; the retention is provided by the mass of the wall structure itself
- Semi-gravity retaining wall: this is similar to the poured concrete wall, except it is slimmer due to the addition of reinforcing steel
A commonly asked question is: can a handy homeowner DIY a retaining wall?
There are a couple of considerations here. Is the handy homeowner a certified contractor? Is the wall simply a garden wall (for the purpose of beautifying a garden or raising a garden bed) rather than a wall that is needed to prevent soil run-off? If the answer is NO for those two questions, the answer should be a NO for the original question. Although garden walls in brick or stone are often mistaken for retaining walls and their appearance and function sometimes overlap, the function of the retaining wall is its main purpose, that of holding in the earth.
If there is an uncarefully constructed retaining wall, the ramifications can be bad for the nearby structures and the ground underneath can be weakened, leading to foundation problems. And there are many opportunities for mistakes along the process if you’re doing it yourself or working with an inexperienced contractor.
How much does a retaining wall cost?
This question cannot be easily answered here unless we have a few more pieces of information, such as: the square footage of the length (taking into consideration the ratio of the base layer in relation to the height), the material used, the type of retaining wall design, and the grading of the land running alongside the wall, amongst others.
If you’re looking for a retaining wall contractor in Kingston, look no further than Masonry Kingston as we have installed quality walls for decades and have a list of satisfied customers. Please give us a call so we can assess your site and discuss options that are suitable for you and your land.