Retaining wall cost in the District of Columbia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,600 – $14,500
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $37.50 – $70
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +8%
- US $10,300
- Metros covered
- 1
District of Columbia prices for retaining wall: $7,600 to $14,500 for 200 sq ft of wall face, or $37.50 to $70 per sq ft of wall face without the permit. The state midpoint is 8% above the national one. Local wages for brickmasons and blockmasons are $30.98 an hour.
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in District of Columbia (statewide), standard level
$9,650 to $12,400
About $47.50 to $60 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,700 |
| Labor | $4,900 | $5,300 |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $360 |
| Total | $9,650 | $12,400 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in District of Columbia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,000 | $5,650 | $8,300 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,550 | $5,100 | $5,650 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $270 | $490 | 2% |
| Total | $7,600 | $11,000 | $14,500 | 100% |
When District of Columbia weather lets you build
Season matters for retaining wall. For each District of Columbia metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Washington has 9 comfortable months (March through June and August through December), with about 42 inches of precipitation a year.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 30 | 90 | 42 | 9: March through June and August through December |
Quality levels and sizes in the District of Columbia
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide District of Columbia wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$7,600 to $10,300
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,650 to $12,400
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,700 to $14,500
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,850 – $5,300 | $4,900 – $6,400 | $6,000 – $7,450 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,050 – $4,250 | $3,950 – $5,200 | $4,900 – $6,100 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,100 – $8,300 | $7,750 – $10,000 | $9,450 – $11,700 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,100 – $12,400 | $11,500 – $14,800 | $14,000 – $17,200 |
Wages behind the District of Columbia number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 3 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.09 for the District of Columbia.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.98 an hour, 4% above the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $30.75 and $40.27 an hour. About 200 work in the state. That is 2.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $24.05 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.41 an hour. About 2,090 work in the state. That is 29.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $35.87 an hour, which is 25% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $31.47 and $41.48 an hour. BLS counts 620 of them working in the state, 8.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for brickmasons and blockmasons ($40.27 an hour) would add about $730 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($30.75) would take off about $20. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 701,920 jobs across the District of Columbia (May 2025), which is 0.5% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $30.75 | $30.98 | $40.27 | $29.87 | 1.04 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $20.80 | $24.05 | $28.41 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $31.47 | $35.87 | $41.48 | $28.78 | 1.25 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.09 | |||||
Retaining wall: what moves the price in the District of Columbia
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.
Rebuilding
Replacing an old wall adds $15-$30 per linear foot for demolition plus disposal.
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
Retaining wall cost by metro in the District of Columbia
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (200 sq ft of wall face) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $7,150 – $13,800 | $10,500 | −5% |
Other District of Columbia jobs that often go with retaining wall
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide District of Columbia wages and prices. Against national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (+19%) and concrete driveway lowest (+8%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $660 – $2,300 | +10% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,900 | +8% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,950 – $9,950 | +8% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,750 | +13% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,750 – $11,900 | +19% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,300 – $126,000 | +12% |
District of Columbia versus the states around it
District of Columbia ranks 13 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for retaining wall, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $13,300 and the cheapest New Mexico at $9,000, both for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint. District of Columbia sits at $11,000. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 50 miles away | $7,050 – $13,600 | $10,300 | −7% |
| Virginia | 110 miles away | $6,700 – $13,000 | $9,850 | −11% |
| Pennsylvania | 110 miles away | $7,350 – $13,800 | $10,600 | −4% |
| Delaware | 110 miles away | $7,000 – $13,300 | $10,100 | −8% |
| New Jersey | 160 miles away | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +11% |
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Retaining wall in the District of Columbia: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in the District of Columbia?
$7,600 to $14,500 for 200 sq ft of wall face, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside the District of Columbia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in the District of Columbia is cheapest for retaining wall?
Washington at about $10,500 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face).
+Is retaining wall cheaper in the District of Columbia than the US average?
It is 8% more expensive: $11,000 against $10,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in the District of Columbia?
About 46% ($5,100). Materials are 51%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.09x the national wage level.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in the District of Columbia?
The BLS statewide median is $30.98 an hour, against $29.87 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.75 to $40.27.
+Where does District of Columbia rank for retaining wall costs?
13th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $11,000 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in the District of Columbia?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,600 to $10,300 and premium work $11,700 to $14,500. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Does the season matter for retaining wall in the District of Columbia?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the District of Columbia metros we cover, Washington has the most comfortable months (9 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Retaining wall by city in the District of Columbia
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.