Retaining Wall Contractor Northern Virginia

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Retaining wall contractor Fairfax Contractor is a Northern Virginia company that can build all types of retaining wall projects. In most Northern Virginia Counties, any retaining wall over 36 inches will require a building permit. Smaller walls such as plantar walls, garden bedding walls, and small retaining walls are exempt from the building permit process. If the retaining wall project you want to construct is over 36 inches, Fairfax Contractor can utilize two methods to secure the building permit. The first way is to utilize the Fairfax County detail for retaining walls, this method utilizes plans that the county has designed for 4-foot and 5-foot tall retaining walls. Only residential retaining walls fall under the typical retaining wall detail plans in Fairfax. The Fairfax County retaining wall detail plans located on the county website shows both a wood retaining wall detail and an engineered masonry detail. One other caveat is that these walls cannot be built with any problems with soil area, tiered, or used to support a driveway or other structure. The second method to construct a retaining wall over 36 inches in Northern Virginia requires engineered stamped plans for wood, segmental block, and masonry retaining walls. If you reside in the counties of Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, or Prince William County, you will be required to submit plans to the local municipalities to obtain a building permit if your wall exceeds 36 inches. Fairfax Contractor can produce the drawings needed to secure the proper building permit to build a legal, permitted retaining wall. Don’t be fooled by some unlicensed landscape company to build your retaining wall project. They may build your wall without a permit or, even worse, have you pull the permit in your name. The Virginia DPOR licenses Fairfax Contractor with a class A license this license is endorsed with the RBC stamp. Only contractors and companies with a valid contractor’s license in Virginia with an RBC (residential building contractor) stamp can pull the permit to build a legal retaining wall.

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Types Of Retaining Walls Fairfax Contractor Builds

If you want to construct a simple plantar wall, or a critical structure retaining wall one must consider what kind of retaining wall you want to build. The 3 main types of retaining wall systems. Fairfax contractor installs include, engineered masonry retaining walls, segmental block, retaining walls, and pressure-treated lumber, retaining walls. The most common material Fairfax Contractor uses is a CMU block wall with a thin stone veneer. Many people in Northern Virginia care to build or replace their existing retaining wall with pressure-treated lumber this offers a inexpensive option for retaining wall. Some of the state-of-the-art segmenting retaining wall options include manufactures that create amazing structures that are built without mortar or any reinforcement. These segmental walls rely on using colored concrete blocks that are constructed into a retaining wall which has had soil stabilized behind the wall. The last one foot of the back fill is comprised of #57 gravel which acts as a dam to reduce any hydro static pressure against the segmental blocks. Wood retaining walls utilizes pressure-treated 6 x 6 timbers that are supported by a series of whalers and dead man in conjunction with a gravel back fill. Most masonry retaining walls are engineered by a state licensed civil engineer to stand the test of time. To build a cinder block or concrete poured retaining wall will require a number of County inspections to become a legal retaining wall. The options to veneer this wall range from building stone, then stone, and clay brick.

Retaining Wall Construction Materials

If you choose to build a masonry retaining wall through Fairfax Contractor we will either use the Fairfax County retaining wall detail, or a licensed civil engineer to design the actual retaining wall. After acquiring the permit to build the retaining wall, we will utilize the engineers plans to update the footing system and install the rebar necessary to pass the footing inspection proportion of your retaining wall project. The next step will be to lay cinder block up to the desired height of the wall. Once the cinder block has been installed, you have a choice of covering the block with either clay brick, or thin stone. We had conveniently built a slide show of the various thin stone samples that you can utilize in veneering your retaining wall project . . In addition to using thin stone to cover your retaining wall, we can utilize cultured stone that emulates the look of natural stone. Seeing that many of the homes built in Northern Virginia are colonial in style , many people prefer to have their finished retaining wall covered in face brick. There is a wide variety of colors and finishes of face bricks that can be utilized to cover your retaining wall. Face brick is typically a clay brick that is designed and engineered to be used on the façade of homes and retaining walls. These face brick come in to typical sizes, either module brick, or over sized clay brick. You should check with the 4 main brick suppliers in Northern Virginia , which include LC Smith located in Alexandria, Potomac Valley Brick located in Lorton VA, Glen Gary, brick yard located in Manassas, or General Shale brick yard located off of Balls Ford Road, in Prince William County , Virginia

Interlocking Retaining Walls

Fairfax Contractor can design and install Interlocking Retaining Wall Contractor Northern Virginia. these interlocking retaining walls also refereed as SRW. Sentimental retaining walls are built from custom engineered concrete building blocks. No, they are not mortared in like a traditional retaining wall system, yet they’re designed to alleviate a hydraulic pressure through a gravel drainage system that is installed behind the retaining wall. There are many Brands of sentimental retaining wall systems that we can utilize in your Northern Virginia home. Belgard , Anchor, Techo bloc are all well known brands that we install.These concrete retaining wall blocks are available in a myriad of colors and styles to enhance the look of your residential or commercial space. There are different kinds of textures and looks to choose from. Our experts at Fairfax Contractor can help you choose the right color and style to match and enhance your home

Engineered Masonry Retaining Walls

Fairfax Contractor builds two types of engineered retaining walls. They can either be constructed with poured concrete or constructed with CMU otherwise known as cinder blocks. Both of these retaining walls will require a building permit when the wall exceeds 3 feet in height. The cinder block walls are our most popular choice, which type of wall you choose will be determined by a number of variables. Many of our customers will have us finish the retaining wall with stone or brick.

Pressure Treated Wood Retaining Walls

Retaining Walls constructed with pressure treated wood offers an affordable alternative to masonry retaining walls. Just like all the other retaining walls permits may be required. Building the structure to code will ensure the stability and longevity of the wall. If your not sure what kind of retaining wall you want we offer free consultation and can give you an estimate on different materials so you can make the best decision for your project.

Repairing A Retaining Wall In Northern Virginia

Repairing a retaining wall in Northern Virginia maybe quite possible depending on the state of repair of your current retaining wall. Fairfax Contractor may be able to repair your current deflecting, wood or masonry retaining wall saving you thousands of dollars. Some of the most common retaining wall repair projects we undertake include failing egress retaining walls. Homes built in the 1960s through the 1980s have poorly constructed egress retaining walls. If your egress retaining wall system is starting to fail, we can remove the brick rowlock brick, and install rebar and fill the cells of the cinder block with concrete. This technique for repairing egress retaining walls can save you a lot of money. If some of the cinder block in your egress walkout retaining walls have deflected, we can reset the cinder block before the very expensive repairs necessary. Give us a call if you have a failing egress retaining wall in your Northern Virginia home.