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How Much Does It Cost to Build a Retaining Wall?
Build a 30 ft long, 3 ft tall retaining wall
DIY range
$600-$2,500
Professional range
$2,500-$9,000
What drives the cost
- Wall material — timber, segmental block, or poured concrete
- Wall height — walls over about 4 ft usually require an engineer and permit
- Drainage — gravel backfill and drain pipe behind the wall
- Soil type and slope, which affect excavation difficulty
Height is the biggest single driver of both cost and risk: a short garden wall under about 3 feet is a realistic weekend DIY project, while anything taller is holding back enough soil and water pressure that engineering and permits become necessary.
Put this into practice
- Concrete CalculatorHow much concrete do I need?
- Project Cost EstimatorWhat will this project cost me?
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