Jun 2, 2026 10:07:53 AM
In many cases, retaining walls are a structural necessity when incorporating new landscaped areas at your Memphis property. Because they hold back soil erosion and water, they can be critical solutions that make your outdoor living room even possible!
But beyond their functional purpose, retaining walls definitely add aesthetic value…when designed and built well. Retaining walls can be beautiful additions that actually raise the curb appeal and overall value of your home.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of retaining walls and why they’re such a valuable addition to your Memphis property. We’ll cover some of the potential challenges and why it’s so imperative that they’re built properly.
At the end of the day, we want to help you get the most possible value and enjoyment out of your home and retaining walls play a key role in that dream.
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Retaining walls are often added to landscaping projects for structural support and to prevent erosion. It’s often a necessary addition if a property has any sort of slope and hardscaping (like a patio) is being added.
You don’t want the addition of hardscaping to suddenly mean you have erosion and runoff problems on the property.
But retaining walls can also hold tremendous aesthetic value by creating visual interest and defining outdoor spaces.
Retaining walls can also double as extra seating. A retaining wall around a patio might be used as overflow wall seating when hosting larger gatherings and parties. In fact, this is such a popular purpose that some homeowners choose to add a “seat wall” even when a true retaining wall is not needed for erosion purposes.
In summary, here are some of the key benefits of retaining walls that you can anticipate.
When built right, the cost vs. value for retaining walls is strong. You’ll typically get a good ROI on a retaining wall addition. Since it’s often added for necessity purposes, it’s essential in order to even have an outdoor living area.
But building a retaining wall is a complex endeavor and when built poorly, a retaining wall might detract from the value of your home. In fact, a retaining wall could end up failing, costing you much more in the long run.
It is important to remember that a retaining wall is an engineered structure that must be designed to resist large amounts of soil and water pushing against it. This makes the foundation preparation a critical stage. The retaining wall must be deep enough to ensure stability.
The higher the retaining wall gets, the more complex the engineering process gets as well.
Our region also brings its own complexities to the project. Our expansive clay soil, heavy rains, and commonly sloped lots make constructing a retaining wall even more complicated.
All of this must be taken into consideration in order to maintain the wall’s integrity as well as making it a true value-add to the property.
Yes, retaining walls and home value in Memphis can go hand-in-hand. Retaining walls can definitely add value to your property when built right.
Here are a few things to consider.
Often, retaining walls are a structural necessity that allows you to add an outdoor living area. Many sloped properties require re-grading in order to incorporate outdoor living rooms and this makes retaining walls vital. These additions directly contribute to the usability and functionality of your property.
In fact, you could likely argue that the retaining wall investment return (ROI) is highest when retaining walls solve a problem (like erosion, drainage, and overall property usability). That means it’s not just the retaining wall that adds value but even more so, it’s what the retaining wall can help you achieve for your outdoor space.
As we’ve said, without a retaining wall, an outdoor living area might not even be possible.
Retaining walls also add aesthetic appeal. They can create visual interest and be a defining feature of your space. There are various choices for pavers that can be used to create a beautiful retaining wall on your property.
Sometimes homeowners incorporate added features in and around their retaining walls. For instance, homeowners like to incorporate lighting into their retaining walls.
The landscaping around the retaining walls can also add to their beauty. The right plants can help to soften the look of any hardscaping.
We’ve also talked about how retaining walls might incorporate added seating. Sometimes a ledge is built into the retaining wall with seating in mind.
Depending on the grading and how you move about your property, it’s also possible that steps and railings could be part of the design.
Also important to the future is the fact that professionally designed and built retaining walls can reduce future maintenance problems at your property.
Yes, you should hire an experienced landscape contractor if your property needs a retaining wall. Usually, this is going to be a feature that is incorporated into the total outdoor living design.
Hiring an inexperienced contractor or even attempting a DIY retaining wall is not advised. There is so much more to this construction than just stacking pavers. As we mentioned previously, it is the engineering of the wall’s base that really ends up being most important to its structural integrity. Knowing how deep to build is critical.
The last thing that you’d want is for something to go wrong. Not only is retaining wall failure expensive, but it can also be dangerous. A retaining wall is designed to hold back soil erosion, often in sloped areas. When a retaining wall fails, it can lead to erosion, landslides, property damage, and even accidents/injuries.
Signs of a poorly built retaining wall (or one that is failing) include:
Whenever getting started on any outdoor living project, we want to stress the importance of finding a design/build landscape firm that handles everything in-house. We have seen too many projects go wrong with mistakes that could have been prevented because two different companies were involved in the process.
It’s also critical what kind of oversight your project is getting. Who is handling the big decisions and overseeing everything from a higher level?
At Mid South Irrigation & Landscape, Owner and President Jesse Wisley oversees all of the landscape design and installation projects.
When you begin a landscape project with Mid South Irrigation & Landscape, you are beginning a landscape project with Jesse himself. Jesse only takes on two or three projects at a time in order to ensure maximum service is provided to his clients. Throughout the duration of your landscaping project with Jesse, you will develop a personal relationship with him, and will always be able to contact him directly. That makes all the difference when it comes to getting the best results.
At Mid South Irrigation & Landscape, the process begins with a high-quality and detailed landscape design that incorporates your wants, needs, and ideas.
Then, we move on to the expert installation of your outdoor living area, including the retaining wall.
There are plenty of companies in Memphis offering design/build services, but you want to make sure that you choose wisely. When you make a good choice in landscape design/build firms, you gain valuable peace of mind that your investment in your property is going to get long-term enjoyment and value.
Are you ready to enjoy more time outside? Give us a call. We’re excited to get started bringing your vision to life.
Ready to talk about ideas and have your new landscape designed and built? Request a consultation today.
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