Retaining wall cost in Mobile, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,050 – $12,000
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $30 – $58
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #279
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in Mobile, AL usually costs $6,050 to $12,000 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $30 to $58 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,200 less. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $23.90 an hour in the Mobile area, 20% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Mobile, AL, standard level
$7,850 to $10,200
About $38.50 to $50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $3,550 | $3,900 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $290 |
| Total | $7,850 | $10,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Mobile, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 56% |
| Labor | $3,350 | $3,750 | $4,100 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $220 | $400 | 2% |
| Total | $6,050 | $9,050 | $12,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Mobile number
The wage side of the estimate leans on brickmasons and blockmasons, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.90 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Mobile is 0.79 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 41% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Mobile is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,100 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 88.1: $45 to $400.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Mobile. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Mobile
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Mobile wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−8%) and concrete driveway lowest (−16%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,600 – $4,750 | −13% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,700 | −16% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,000 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,800 – $99,300 | −12% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Mobile
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Mobile. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face to 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face).
Basic
$6,050 to $8,450
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$7,850 to $10,200
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,650 to $12,000
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,050 – $4,300 | $4,000 – $5,250 | $4,950 – $6,200 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,450 – $3,500 | $3,250 – $4,250 | $4,000 – $5,050 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $4,850 – $6,800 | $6,300 – $8,250 | $7,750 – $9,700 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,300 – $10,100 | $9,400 – $12,200 | $11,500 – $14,400 |
What local crews earn in Mobile
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Mobile the blend is 0.79.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Mobile metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $23.90 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.98 and $27.55 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $17.71 an hour, which is 22% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.69 and $21.21 an hour. BLS counts 2,050 of them working in the area, 118.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $22.79 an hour, 21% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.20 and $27.09 an hour. About 990 work in the metro. That is 57.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $290 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $390. That is a swing of roughly 4.3% to 3.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Mobile has 172,550 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 135th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $18.98 | $23.90 | $27.55 | $29.87 | 0.80 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $14.69 | $17.71 | $21.21 | $22.66 | 0.78 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.20 | $22.79 | $27.09 | $28.78 | 0.79 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.79 | |||||
Mobile weather and the retaining wall calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Mobile Dwtn Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Mobile are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Mobile gets about 61 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (7.1 inches in August). Inside the workable window, February and October are the driest, at 3.8 and 3.8 inches. The station averages about 73 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 43 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Feb | 66 | 46 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 72 | 52 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 59 | 4.9 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 66 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 73 | 5.8 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 75 | 6.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 75 | 7.1 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 72 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 81 | 61 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 72 | 50 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 45 | 5.3 | Workable |
Is Mobile cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Mobile. Hattiesburg is the lowest at about $8,950 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 70 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, ALthis page | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | |
| Daphne, AL25 miles | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | level |
| Gulfport, MS50 miles | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | level |
| Pensacola, FL60 miles | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,300 | +3% |
| Hattiesburg, MS70 miles | $6,000 – $11,900 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Slidell, LA105 miles | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | +3% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $6,100 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Mobile ranks #279 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Mobile is 0% below the Alabama figure.
Elsewhere in Alabama
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,250 | +2% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | +1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,000 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | level |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Mobile against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naples, FL | 173,880 jobs | $6,700 – $12,800 | $9,750 | +8% |
| Visalia, CA | 171,140 jobs | $7,450 – $14,200 | $10,800 | +19% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $7,600 – $13,800 | $10,700 | +18% |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 170,820 jobs | $6,350 – $12,400 | $9,400 | +4% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Mobile bid
Height
Walls over 4 feet need engineering, deeper excavation and more skilled labor; many cities require permits over 3-4 feet (HomeGuide).
Material
Block, poured concrete and natural stone are priced differently; concrete and stone walls run higher than the segmental block default.
Drainage
Every wall needs drainage behind it. A French drain adds $10-$85+ per linear foot.
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Retaining wall in Mobile: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Mobile?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,050 to $12,000 in the Mobile area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,850 to $10,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of wall face and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of wall face for retaining wall in Mobile?
About $30 to $58 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $400 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Mobile or Daphne?
Daphne is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,100, which is 0% more than Mobile ($9,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Mobile?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $3,750 out of $9,050. Materials are 56% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Mobile?
$4,850 to $9,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Mobile?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $400 for fees in the Mobile area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Mobile expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Alabama?
Mobile is 0% below the Alabama statewide estimate ($9,050 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Mobile?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.90 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.98 to $27.55.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Mobile?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,050 to $8,450 and premium work $9,650 to $12,000. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+When is the best time to build a retaining wall in Mobile?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Retaining wall near Mobile
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 40% of the low installed price and 60% of the high one, since HomeGuide says labor is 40-60% of the total project cost.