Cost to Build a Retaining Wall – 2021

| Last Updated: August 23, 2021

National Average Improvement and Repair Cost

Pro

DIY

Hours:

12.3

14

Cost:

$ 1219

$ 501

Would you do this project? According to our survey, 56% of respondents preferred DIY compared to hiring a pro.

The average price to Build a Retaining Wall noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.

What does it cost to build a retaining wall? A landscape contractor charges $1,219 to build a retaining wall or do it yourself for $501 and save 58 percent. 

Today, there are a variety of choices when it comes to choosing a retaining wall to hold back runoff in a terraced area. Those made of concrete are particularly popular because they are easy to use and come in a nice selection of natural shades and a variety of shapes and textures that enhance a landscape.

Stacking concrete blocks with an interlocking lip or tongue-and-groove systems are a good choice especially if this is your first landscaping project. But it’s tough work that takes time and involves laying out the design, digging a trench for the blocks, and hauling all the materials, including the blocks, soil, or pea gravel used for backfill.

For a 30-foot square concrete block retaining wall, a landscaper will charge $1,219 which includes labor and material. You can buy the materials for $501 and do it yourself and save 58 percent.

If more than one level and terracing are needed, and if soil erosion is an issue, consider hiring a landscape architect to design the project. Specify you want to use materials designed for a do-it-yourselfer, and get recommendations for the type of plantings to use. Large garden and lawn centers often offer this service if you buy the materials there for a nominal fee.

To help you estimate the materials for a wall project use the calculator at www.versa-lok.com.

The materials to build a retaining wall system can be heavy and bulky to transport. Unless you have a pickup truck it’s a good idea to have the supplier deliver and unload them near the job site in your yard.

The average price to build a retaining wall noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself. 

Welcome! We hope you’ll find the job costs of home improvement projects useful when you’re deciding whether to do a job yourself vs. hire a contractor. We’re the authors of 20 home improvement books, most notably Home Improvement for Dummies©, Bathroom Remodeling for Dummies©, Carpentry for Dummies©, Plumbing for Dummies©, and Painting and Wallpapering for Dummies©. Our most recent book Fix It and Flip It is in its second edition. We’ve appeared as home improvement experts on television programs such as CNN, Dateline, the Today Show, HGTV and many others.