Retaining wall cost in Montgomery, 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
- #288
- 1 = most expensive
Montgomery homeowners pay roughly $6,050 to $12,000 to build a retaining wall at 200 sq ft of wall face, or $30 to $58 per sq ft of wall face (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Montgomery is 12% lower. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $23.90 an hour in the Montgomery area, 20% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Montgomery, AL, standard level
$7,800 to $10,200
About $38.50 to $49.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $3,500 | $3,850 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $300 |
| Total | $7,800 | $10,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Montgomery, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 57% |
| Labor | $3,300 | $3,700 | $4,050 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $220 | $400 | 2% |
| Total | $6,050 | $9,000 | $12,000 | 100% |
Why Montgomery prices look the way they do
Labor is 41% of the midpoint bill here, against 46% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is brickmasons and blockmasons (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Montgomery the blended ratio comes out at 0.78. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Montgomery metro is 96.4 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $5,100, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (89.7) and land at $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 Montgomery. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Montgomery
Because every project leans on different trades, Montgomery's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −8% and concrete driveway −17%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,600 – $4,700 | −13% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,100 – $7,600 | −17% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,550 – $8,900 | −11% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,400 – $98,300 | −13% |
When to schedule retaining wall in Montgomery
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Montgomery Ap (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Montgomery (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Montgomery gets about 51 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, July and December (5.2 inches in March). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.7 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 93 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 37 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 40 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 53 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 92 | 69 | 4.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 94 | 72 | 5.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 71 | 4.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 80 | 55 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 43 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 62 | 39 | 5.0 | Workable |
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Montgomery
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Montgomery wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,050 to $8,400
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$7,800 to $10,200
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,600 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 | $3,200 – $4,250 | $4,000 – $5,050 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $4,850 – $6,750 | $6,300 – $8,200 | $7,750 – $9,700 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,250 – $10,100 | $9,350 – $12,200 | $11,500 – $14,300 |
Is Montgomery cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (200 sq ft of wall face), priced for the nearest metros. Birmingham is the priciest of the group at $9,250. Dothan is the cheapest at $8,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, ALthis page | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,000 | |
| Auburn, AL50 miles | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Birmingham, AL80 miles | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,250 | +2% |
| Columbus, GA90 miles | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Dothan, AL95 miles | $5,950 – $11,900 | $8,900 | −1% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL95 miles | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Alabama (statewide) | $6,100 – $12,000 | $9,050 | +1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +14% |
Across 300 US metros, Montgomery comes in at #288 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $13,500; the cheapest is El Paso, TX at $8,850 (midpoints, 200 sq ft of wall face). Statewide, Montgomery is 1% below the Alabama figure.
Other Alabama metros
| 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% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | +1% |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Montgomery's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Montgomery against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $8,600 – $15,100 | $11,800 | +31% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | +2% |
| Lubbock, TX | 166,780 jobs | $6,000 – $11,800 | $8,900 | −1% |
| Beaumont, TX | 163,220 jobs | $6,550 – $12,500 | $9,550 | +6% |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Montgomery
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
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.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Montgomery is 0.78 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Montgomery 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.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $17.61 an hour, 22% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.10 and $21.41 an hour. About 1,040 work in the metro. That is 62.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $21.57 an hour, which is 25% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $17.49 and $23.74 an hour. BLS counts 580 of them working in the area, 35.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($27.55 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $290. At the 25th percentile ($18.98) it shrinks by about $390. The total moves by 3.2% or 4.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 165,550 jobs in the Montgomery area. That makes it the 142nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.11% of US employment.
| 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% | $14.10 | $17.61 | $21.41 | $22.66 | 0.78 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $17.49 | $21.57 | $23.74 | $28.78 | 0.75 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.78 | |||||
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Detailed retaining wall report for Montgomery, AL, $9
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Retaining wall in Montgomery: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Montgomery?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,050 to $12,000 in the Montgomery area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,800 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 Montgomery?
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 Montgomery or Auburn?
Auburn is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,050, which is 0% more than Montgomery ($9,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Montgomery?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $3,700 out of $9,000. Materials are 57% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Montgomery?
$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 Montgomery?
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 Montgomery area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Montgomery expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Alabama?
Montgomery is 1% 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 Montgomery?
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 Montgomery?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,050 to $8,400 and premium work $9,600 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 Montgomery?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. September 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 Montgomery
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.