Jul 20, 2020 | hardscape, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, retaining wall
You are looking at your home in all its homeliness and just think to yourself, “This house is the best house in the world, and nothing can possibly destroy it.”
Well, not so fast. There is a secret menace that lurks in the wind and water that is plotting to destroy your home.
This villain’s name? Soil erosion, and it can wipe your home off the face of the earth in a matter of minutes.
But how does soil erosion work its horrible magic? When torrential rain comes falling, it lands on the ground, right? Well, when there is a slope in your yard, that water goes down that slope, taking soil along with it, which can cause your abode to be flooded with water, causing thousands in damage to your home.
But do not fear, as there are many things you can do to keep your house safe. One of the most effective of these is the use of a retaining wall to keep that soil from being swept away.
But what is a retaining wall? Think of a retaining wall as a sort of dam for soil that keeps it where you want it to be. Most of the time, they are used to prevent water from sweeping soil and nutrients down a slope and careening towards your house, causing severe damage to your home. Essentially, they are a simple way to prevent flash flooding that can wreak havoc on your house.
They can be made of just about anything that is strong enough to keep soil at bay, so anything from simple bricks to large rocks is fair game to make a retaining wall with.
But retaining walls do not just keep soil from moving. A good retaining wall needs to satisfy the following requirements:
It can hold soil in place
It can drain away water and channel it properly
If your retaining wall satisfies both, your defenses are nice and strong, and you can rest assured that your house is safe. They can also serve a decorative purpose as they can be used to create multiple terraces on which you can grow a garden to give yourself another layer of protection. If you are still anxious after using these techniques, you can use other methods like natural barriers to keep water away from your home.
So, retaining walls do sound like a good idea, but should you build your own retaining walls? It can be done given the right amount of time and lots of research, but you should seriously consider what is at stake: your own home. An improperly built retaining wall can make the problem worse than it already is and lead to severe damage, particularly to your basement and foundation.
It is a much better idea to enlist the services of a respectable contractor like Fritz Stoneworks. Contact them at 636-861-1530 to enlist their services to help you keep your home safe from soil erosion and its horrific effects.
Jul 9, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, retaining wall
Happy to be home right now? What if your home just disappeared suddenly?
Unfortunately, this happens quite often due to an unlikely foe: soil erosion. On average, 75,000 Americans are driven from their homes due to flash flooding from soil erosion every year.
This is an appalling statistic that should not exist. Luckily, there are things we can do to keep things like this from happening. One thing we can do is install a retaining wall that holds soil in place and channels water away from your house, keeping you and your family safe from flash flooding.
But what is so special about retaining walls? Here are five reasons why you should invest in a retaining wall installation as soon as possible.
They are a great decorative feature.
Retaining walls do not have to be boring and bland. In fact, it is encouraged to make retaining walls look good in whatever way possible. Whether it be a terrace garden, LED lighting, or interesting materials, anything that does not sacrifice the ability to hold soil in place or channel water away from your home is fair game.
They prevent sinkholes.
Let’s face it, sinkholes are terrifying. At the drop of a hat, one could open under you and you could never be seen again. One man was swallowed up by a sinkhole while he was sleeping, never to be seen again.
Thankfully, retaining walls are particularly good at preventing things like this from happening. They do this by keeping soil where it should be and by keeping pools of water from forming, which makes sure the conditions needed for a sinkhole do not happen in your backyard.
It can make your property more manageable.
Getting a retaining wall for your property is one of the best ways to prevent soil erosion from wreaking untold havoc on your property. It does this by not only keeping wet soil in one place, but also channels water in a way that directs away from your house, keeping any erosion that takes place away from your home and out of mind, giving you confidence that your home will be safe from a flash flood.
It raises your home’s resale value.
Since retaining walls can be dolled up to look as good as possible, they can help your home attract far more prospective buyers when it comes time to sell. It shows them the property was well cared for and that it is a safe place to live, driving up its value as a result.
It can create more space.
If your yard is very hilly, a retaining wall can free up space for you to use. You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, wouldn’t that reduce the space you have?” Well, there are many outdoor activities that require a flat piece of land, like gardening. A retaining wall can open up flat land your gardening partner or relative can use to train their green thumbs.
So as you can see, retaining walls have plenty of benefits that you will definitely appreciate in your life. If you want to learn more about other benefits like these, contact Fritz Stoneworks at 636-861-1530 to learn how a retaining wall may be just the thing you need.
Jun 13, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscape, pavers, retaining wall, stone
You are looking at your home in all its homeliness and just think to yourself, “This house is the best house in the world, and nothing can possibly destroy it.”
Well, not so fast. There is a secret menace that lurks in the wind and water that is plotting to destroy your home.
This villain’s name? Soil erosion, and it can wipe your home off the face of the earth in a matter of minutes.
But how does soil erosion work its horrible magic? When torrential rain comes falling, it lands on the ground, right? Well, when there is a slope in your yard, that water goes down that slope, taking soil along with it, which can cause your abode to be flooded with water, causing thousands in damage to your home.
But do not fear, as there are many things you can do to keep your house safe. One of the most effective of these is the use of a retaining wall to keep that soil from being swept away.
But what is a retaining wall? Think of a retaining wall as a sort of dam for soil that keeps it where you want it to be. Most of the time, they are used to prevent water from sweeping soil and nutrients down a slope and careening towards your house, causing severe damage to your home. Essentially, they are a simple way to prevent flash flooding that can wreak havoc on your house.
They can be made of just about anything that is strong enough to keep soil at bay, so anything from simple bricks to large rocks is fair game to make a retaining wall with.
But retaining walls do not just keep soil from moving. A good retaining wall needs to satisfy the following requirements:
- It can hold soil in place
- It can drain away water and channel it properly
If your retaining wall satisfies both, your defenses are nice and strong, and you can rest assured that your house is safe. They can also serve a decorative purpose as they can be used to create multiple terraces on which you can grow a garden to give yourself another layer of protection. If you are still anxious after using these techniques, you can use other methods like natural barriers to keep water away from your home.
So, retaining walls do sound like a good idea, but should you build your own retaining walls? It can be done given the right amount of time and lots of research, but you should seriously consider what is at stake: your own home. An improperly built retaining wall can make the problem worse than it already is and lead to severe damage, particularly to your basement and foundation.
It is a much better idea to enlist the services of a respectable contractor like Fritz Stoneworks. Contact them at 636-861-1530 to enlist their services to help you keep your home safe from soil erosion and its horrific effects.
Jun 5, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, pavers, retaining wall, stone
Happy to be home right now? What if your home just disappeared suddenly?
Unfortunately, this happens quite often due to an unlikely foe: soil erosion. On average, 75,000 Americans are driven from their homes due to flash flooding from soil erosion every year.
This is an appalling statistic that should not exist. Luckily, there are things we can do to keep things like this from happening. One thing we can do is install a retaining wall that holds soil in place and channels water away from your house, keeping you and your family safe from flash flooding.
But what is so special about retaining walls? Here are five reasons why you should invest in a retaining wall installation as soon as possible.
They are a great decorative feature.
Retaining walls do not have to be boring and bland. In fact, it is encouraged to make retaining walls look good in whatever way possible. Whether it be a terrace garden, LED lighting, or interesting materials, anything that does not sacrifice the ability to hold soil in place or channel water away from your home is fair game.
They prevent sinkholes.
Let’s face it, sinkholes are terrifying. At the drop of a hat, one could open under you and you could never be seen again. One man was swallowed up by a sinkhole while he was sleeping, never to be seen again.
Thankfully, retaining walls are particularly good at preventing things like this from happening. They do this by keeping soil where it should be and by keeping pools of water from forming, which makes sure the conditions needed for a sinkhole do not happen in your backyard.
It can make your property more manageable.
Getting a retaining wall for your property is one of the best ways to prevent soil erosion from wreaking untold havoc on your property. It does this by not only keeping wet soil in one place, but also channels water in a way that directs away from your house, keeping any erosion that takes place away from your home and out of mind, giving you confidence that your home will be safe from a flash flood.
It raises your home’s resale value.
Since retaining walls can be dolled up to look as good as possible, they can help your home attract far more prospective buyers when it comes time to sell. It shows them the property was well cared for and that it is a safe place to live, driving up its value as a result.
It can create more space.
If your yard is very hilly, a retaining wall can free up space for you to use. You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, wouldn’t that reduce the space you have?” Well, there are many outdoor activities that require a flat piece of land, like gardening. A retaining wall can open up flat land your gardening partner or relative can use to train their green thumbs.
So as you can see, retaining walls have plenty of benefits that you will definitely appreciate in your life. If you want to learn more about other benefits like these, contact Fritz Stoneworks at 636-861-1530 to learn how a retaining wall may be just the thing you need.
Apr 22, 2020 | aroma therapy, hardscape, home appeal, landscape, lanscape company, lighting, natural landscape, retaining wall, waterfall
In this hectic world that we live in stress has become a number one problem. To reduce stress you need to have a place where you can relax and take time to rejuvenate yourself. You need this relaxing space to be close to home so you can visit it often. Just imagine having your own Puerta Vallarta or Turks and Caicos and it be just mere steps away. You need an at-home oasis that you can kick your shoes off, grab a beer, take a deep breath, and let out the deepest sigh imaginable.
To establish a relaxing space that is close enough to visit often you only need to look as far as your backyard. On your own property you can create a unique and inviting spot to relax and enjoy. The majority of the time when we think about creating outdoor spaces on our property we think about creating spaces where the children can play or where we can entertain. It is time to forget the kid’s desires and forget entertaining guests; you need to concentrate on an outdoor spot that is designed for you.
Waterfalls are Relaxing
Have you ever listened to a waterfall cascading over rocks? The sound is calming and makes you feel at peace with nature and with yourself. While listening to the water gently flowing over the rocks you can push the stresses of work, family and life aside and allow yourself to relax.
Waterfalls are great features to add to the landscape of your property. The size of the waterfall will depend on your personal preferences, and the size of the space you are creating. The waterfall can be used as a water feature that brings water to plants and shrubs, or it can be made to deliver water to your pool.
Aroma Therapy
Certain aromas can put the most stress-induced person into a calmer state. For instance, the smell of lavender can easily relax you and your partner after a long day at work. To help create a space where you can relax and leave the cares of the world behind you can plant lavender, and other aromatic plants close to your space.
Aloe Vera plants improve the quality of the air you breathe. Gerbera daisies also help improve the air by removing some of the toxins. Rosemary is an herb that helps reduce stress and improve your memory.
When you picture your relaxing spot in your back yard picture the sounds of a waterfall and the aromas of stress reducing plants.
A Living Space
You need a comfortable place to sit and enjoy these sounds and aromas. Creating a small patio space with pavers will allow you to have a spot to place a comfortable furniture set, or just a couple of chairs. You need some tables beside those chairs so you can set your iced tea glass down, and a fire-pit or outdoor fireplace will allow you to enjoy your space even when autumn starts to bring a chill to the air.
Establishing an area that has pavers as a foundation will keep you from having to move the furniture so you can mow. It keeps the furniture cleaner, and allows everything to sit level.
If you want to know more about how to establish an outdoor space that is perfectly relaxing call the experts at Fritz Stonework and Retaining Walls, (636-861-1530). You can also visit their website to get inspiration for your personal oasis. https://fritzstonework.com/
Feb 17, 2020 | home appeal, landscape, landscaping, natural landscape, retaining wall
Many people are reluctant to build on properties that are going to require a retaining wall. People often view retaining walls as structures that are less than attractive. They try doing things like planting shrubbery in front of the wall to hide its existence.
Instead of not building because you need a retainer wall or building a wall that you feel the need to hide, why not build a retaining wall that is so attractive that you want to showcase it. Make your retaining wall an aesthetically pleasing addition to your property décor.
Review your options. A retaining wall can be constructed from many different brick and stone options. You can use the look of the material that you choose to enhance the look and feel of your property. This is your Shangri-La and it should be the mystical, harmonious space that you envision.
Make it curvy. A retaining wall can be shaped so that it does its duty and adds a unique and flagrant touch to your architectural design. These walls can be curved, or straight. They can be tall and majestic or shorter and low profile. The possibilities are endless, and only your imagination can hold you back from creating a wall that is alluring and inviting.
Use patterns. Consider building a basic retaining wall and then at the top of the wall create patterns out of the rock or stone that will be unique. You can install bricks and leave open spaces, you can create a look that resembles the top of a castle wall, how about installing glass bricks or colored mirror balls to create a fantasy area?
Add some color. Your wall can bring an old world feel to your property with the right material and design choices. You can also showcase a beautiful rose garden, or flowering display, behind a short wall of natural stone.
Make it shine. Strategically placed lighting can enhance the beauty of the wall at night, and it can create a softer image. The lighting can also help safe guard your home from uninvited guests.
Make some steps. Build your steps out of the same material as the wall, or build steps out of a contrasting material to create an eye-catching entrance. You can use pavers to create an artistic design on the area behind, or in front of the wall. You can use pavers to create a walkway that matches, or contrasts the wall you have designed.
You can choose materials that fit into the natural landscape so the wall is less noticeable. By using stone that is similar to the natural stones of the area your retaining wall can blend into the natural surroundings and become a part of the landscape.
A properly designed retaining wall can actually increase the value of your property. When you build a beautiful structure you increase the curb appeal of the property, and property that is nicer to look at, and more functional, is worth more money if you ever decide to sell.
The team of professionals at Fritz Stonework & Retaining Walls can help you to create a wall that will be functional, beautiful, and unique. Give them a call today and let them show you what they can do with your ideas.
