There are many benefits to landscaping your home, including significant money savings. For instance, just three properly placed trees could save you between $100 and $250 a year in energy costs, says the U.S. Department of Energy. Good landscaping can add up to 28% to overall home value, which can seriously pay off when and if you decide to sell your home. Then there are the non-monetary benefits to landscaping — just looking at trees produces “significant recovery from stress” within five minutes, according to a Texas AandM University study. Of course, with a beautiful and hospitable outdoor area, you will be much more likely to surround yourself with friends, enjoy the outdoors, and feel great about where you live.
But where should you start when landscaping your whole outdoor space? That’s a great question, and can be answered with two words: retaining walls. If your home is built on a slope, the foundation of your entire landscaping project will depend upon these supportive walls, so check out this comprehensive list of retaining wall styles:
Gravity Walls — These are often appropriate for small jobs, and don’t usually exceed four or five feet. This kind of wall relies heavily on its weight to resist the pressure exerted from the materials behind it.
Cantilever Retaining Walls — These are single layered walls built in uniform thickness, with their base connected to a slab. These walls are very strong, and can accommodate quite large slopes. Cantilever walls require steel reinforcement, as well as complex engineering and construction. Hire a local landscaping company to do this job.
Sheet Pile Retaining Walls or Piling Retaining Walls — This type of retaining wall is usually used on soft soils where there is not enough space for wide barriers. Often, a cable is used to bond the wall to its backtie anchor.
Retaining walls are just one example of improvements you can make to your outdoor space. New siding, tree trimming, and ornamental iron work can also increase the value of your home. Make sure to find a great landscaper and company to do the work on your outdoor area efficiently and at a great price.
