Retaining Wall?

Question

How much should I pay a landscaping to build a 10 foot long by 3 foot high retaining wall?

Assume there is a slope of about 20 degrees and it is made out of simple concrete type blocks from Home Depot.

Answer 1

I own a landscape company in the upper midwest.

If you can find a trustworthy Joe Pickup Truck type dude, you might be able to get that done under $1,000. Of course, you get what you pay for.

Realistically an established company up here would charge you in the $1800-3,000 range. Depends how many guys and what equipment they're sending over. Also depends whether they will have to haul away extra sod or soil, or bring in a lot of soil to backfill.

It costs my business $450 in labor time, fuel, and driving, on average, to show up, unpack, repack, and leave a site. That's what makes those small jobs comparatively expensive. It costs us the same to show up and do a little work as it costs to come do a lot.

Answer 2

You need four or five levels of blocks, so you're looking at around $250 to $350 just for blocks. The labor isn't cheap if you want it done right. It needs to be dug out about 1 to 1 1/2 feet at the bottom then filled with drain rock before the first blocks are set. You shouldn't even see the first block set because it is there to be a foundation for the rest of the structure. The back of the wall should also have drain rock to account for the swelling and shrinking of the soil behind it. A good job will likely range between $1500 to $2000 depending on the material they have to remove at the base. Don't go cheap, or the whole project could end up shifting and having to be reset.
Good luck!

Answer 3

Wood? concrete? Keystone?

What does the wall hold up, just dirt or a surcharge such as a house or driveway?

There are a LOT of variables. Simple wood wall with steel I-beams in concrete (down 1.5x the wall height, so the holes need to be 4.5 feet deep) and pressure treated lagging maybe $2000.

Keystone or other retaining wall block you're close to the height limit for such systems without engineering. But maybe $1000 or $1500.

Answer 4

Hi there I recently constructed a retaining wall in South Oz the dimensions you state should not need engineering (lowering the costs) and dependant on what you intend the construction to be built of will vary the price considerably let me know your thoughts and I will try to help further :-)

Answer 5

You haven't given us enough information. What material is being used? Poured Concrete? Blocks? Laid Stone? Treated Timbers or Rail Road Ties? Does excavating need to be done? It could be a $1000 job, or....a $10,000 job. Flat lot or sloping? Just not enough information to give good input.