Retaining wall cost in Grand Junction, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,950 – $13,100
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $34.50 – $63.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #153
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Grand Junction area: $6,950 to $13,100 for 200 sq ft of wall face. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.1).
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Grand Junction, CO, standard level
$8,800 to $11,300
About $43 to $55 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $4,500 | $4,900 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $320 |
| Total | $8,800 | $11,300 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Grand Junction, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,200 | $4,700 | $5,200 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $430 | 2% |
| Total | $6,950 | $10,000 | $13,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Grand Junction 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 $31.37 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Grand Junction is 1.00 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 47% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Colorado statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Grand Junction is at 96.1 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 95.5: $50 to $430.
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 Grand Junction. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Grand Junction
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Grand Junction. 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
$6,950 to $9,400
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,800 to $11,300
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,700 to $13,100
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,500 – $4,800 | $4,500 – $5,800 | $5,450 – $6,800 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,800 – $3,900 | $3,600 – $4,700 | $4,450 – $5,500 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,550 – $7,600 | $7,100 – $9,100 | $8,600 – $10,600 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,350 – $11,300 | $10,500 – $13,500 | $12,700 – $15,700 |
Is Grand Junction cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 200 sq ft of wall face range from $10,000 to $10,900 across Grand Junction and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, COthis page | $6,950 – $13,100 | $10,000 | |
| Boulder, CO180 miles | $7,250 – $13,500 | $10,400 | +3% |
| Denver, CO195 miles | $7,600 – $14,200 | $10,900 | +9% |
| Fort Collins, CO195 miles | $7,200 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +3% |
| Colorado Springs, CO205 miles | $7,050 – $13,300 | $10,200 | +1% |
| Provo, UT215 miles | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,100 | level |
| Colorado (statewide) | $7,200 – $13,600 | $10,400 | +3% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Grand Junction ranks #153 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Grand Junction is 3% below the Colorado figure.
Elsewhere in Colorado
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $7,600 – $14,200 | $10,900 | +9% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $7,050 – $13,300 | $10,200 | +1% |
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $7,250 – $13,500 | $10,400 | +3% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $7,200 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +3% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,100 | level |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Grand Junction against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WV | 67,370 jobs | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,250 | −8% |
| Missoula, MT | 67,070 jobs | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,950 | −1% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $6,450 – $12,500 | $9,500 | −5% |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $6,800 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −1% |
What nearby projects cost in Grand Junction
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Grand Junction wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−2%) and sprinkler system lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $590 – $2,050 | −2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,950 – $5,350 | −2% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,500 – $8,900 | −3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,250 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,000 – $109,000 | −3% |
The best months for retaining wall in Grand Junction
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Grand Junction Walker Fld (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 Grand Junction are April through June and September through October: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February, March, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 137 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Grand Junction gets about 9 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 18 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, September and October (1.2 inches in September). Inside the workable window, May and June are the driest, at 0.8 and 0.4 inches. The station averages about 68 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 | 38 | 17 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 46 | 24 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 58 | 32 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 66 | 38 | 1.0 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 47 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 57 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 95 | 64 | 0.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 62 | 0.9 | Hot |
| Sep | 82 | 53 | 1.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 67 | 40 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 28 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Dec | 39 | 18 | 0.6 | Cold |
Who does the work: Grand Junction trade wages
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 Grand Junction the blend is 1.00.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Grand Junction metro, so we used the Colorado statewide median: $31.37 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.63 and $36.12 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $21.51 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.55 and $24.79 an hour. BLS counts 570 of them working in the area, 84.9 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 $27.74 an hour, 4% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.56 and $30.03 an hour. About 390 work in the metro. That is 58.1 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 $370 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $530. That is a swing of roughly 5.3% to 3.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Grand Junction has 67,170 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 269th 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% | $24.63 | $31.37 | $36.12 | $29.87 | 1.05 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.55 | $21.51 | $24.79 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $23.56 | $27.74 | $30.03 | $28.78 | 0.96 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Grand Junction bid
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.
Rebuilding
Replacing an old wall adds $15-$30 per linear foot for demolition plus disposal.
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Retaining wall in Grand Junction: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Grand Junction?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,950 to $13,100 in the Grand Junction area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,800 to $11,300. 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 Grand Junction?
About $34.50 to $63.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $50 to $430 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Grand Junction or Boulder?
Boulder is 180 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $10,400, which is 3% more than Grand Junction ($10,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Grand Junction?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $4,700 out of $10,000. Materials are 51% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Grand Junction?
$5,550 to $10,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Grand Junction?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $430 for fees in the Grand Junction area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Grand Junction expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Colorado?
Grand Junction is 3% below the Colorado statewide estimate ($10,400 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Grand Junction?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $31.37 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.63 to $36.12.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Grand Junction?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,950 to $9,400 and premium work $10,700 to $13,100. 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 Grand Junction?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through June and September through October. May and June 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 Grand Junction
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.