A walkout basement retaining wall can include value to your home in a different ways. It can provide extra living space, increase safety, improve curb appeal, and boost resale value.
A walkout basement can give extra living area, which can be used as family room, bedroom, playroom, or home office. This include area can increase the value of your home by up to 25%.
A walkout basement retaining wall can also help to stop erosion and flooding, which can save your home from damage. This can increase the worth of your home by making it more eye-catching to buyers.
How are Retaining Walls Constructed?
Retaining walls are usually constructed on grade, with the top surface sloping slightly toward the base of the wall. For the top layer of the stone to remain in place when sufficient pressure is applied to support the weight of the load, the top layer should be at least 10% wider than the base layer. In certain circumstances, a complete foundation is not required, but rather just a few feet of soil placed directly on the grade. This type of wall is called a “base” wall because it has no superstructure above it. In other instances, several layers of stone might be on the bottom, followed by one or more layers of concrete or masonry on the top. Then, depending on the weight each type of retaining wall must bear, various kinds of retaining walls will be used on construction projects.
Things to Consider Before Making the Walkout Basement
Before making crucial decisions as such, you need to have a full-proof idea that will adorn your home in a beautiful picture. The walkout basement retaining wall adds some extra value to your home, and here are some tips you should consider before building it.
You need a lot with a slight incline if you want to have the option of a walk-out basement. The best possible scenario, from the front to the back, as well as the best, from side to side.
It is advised to have at least a 7′ to 8′ decrease in elevation in around 35′ to 65′, which is the average depth and width of a home, in order to have drainage that pushes water away from the foundation rather than towards it. Because the footers for the foundation will need to be positioned below the frost line if you have that kind of slope, adding a frost wall to the structure will result in additional expenses for you. If you have an unwanted slope, you might have to pay extra frost wall charges and fill material to level the basement and grade around the exposed basement walls. This is because you will need to level the basement.
If your lot slopes from side to side, another approach to keep site construction expenses low is to place the garage on the high side of the lot. If your lot does not slope from side to side, keep the garage where it is. Although it may not eliminate additional foundation expenditures entirely, it will help cut those prices down significantly. Suppose you maintain the garage on the lower side. In that case, you will have to pay extra for the foundation, fill material to fill in the garage, base material and stone to raise the driveway to the same level as the garage floor, and fill material to raise the driveway to the same level as the garage floor.
FAQ
You might have a few queries regarding the topic we have discussed so far. Here are some frequently asked questions that might interest you.
What is the purpose of the basement retaining wall?
Ans- While building a basement, retaining walls are a must since they stabilize the ground above it. Notably, deep basements might have several levels of a building below ground. Thus, they need to be carefully engineered to withstand very enormous forces from the ground.
What is the best size of slope for a walkout basement wall?
Ans- To have drainage that moves water away from the foundation instead of towards it, you will need at least a 7′ to 8′ drop in elevation in about 35′ to 65′, which is the average depth and width of a home.
Which type of retaining wall is used for the basement?
Ans – The term “retaining wall” usually refers to a “cantilever retaining wall,” which is a structure that stands alone and doesn’t have any support at the top. These hang off of a footing and rise above the grade on one side to keep the grade at a higher level on the other side. Hence, these are the most preferred style for a walkout basement retaining wall.
Conclusion
Homes are very personal attributes to us, and therefore, we all want our safe haven to be as picture-perfect as we can make them. Walkout basement retaining walls are like the cover photo of the house. As much as it will look wondrous at first glance, the house will have a more elegant effect. So, choose yours wisely.
