Retaining wall cost in Atlanta, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,600 – $12,900
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $32.50 – $62.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #184
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Atlanta area: $6,600 to $12,900 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 runs 5% lower than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $27.21 an hour in the Atlanta area, 9% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Atlanta, GA, standard level
$8,500 to $11,000
About $41.50 to $53.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,300 | $6,350 |
| Labor | $4,000 | $4,350 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $330 |
| Total | $8,500 | $11,000 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Atlanta, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $5,300 | $7,850 | 55% |
| Labor | $3,750 | $4,150 | $4,600 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $250 | $450 | 3% |
| Total | $6,600 | $9,750 | $12,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Atlanta number
Labor is 43% 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 Atlanta the blended ratio comes out at 0.89.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Atlanta is at 100.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,300 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.1: $50 to $450.
How Atlanta compares
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 $8,950 to $9,750 across Atlanta and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GAthis page | $6,600 – $12,900 | $9,750 | |
| Gainesville, GA50 miles | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
| Athens, GA70 miles | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −7% |
| Macon, GA70 miles | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
| Dalton, GA80 miles | $5,950 – $11,900 | $8,950 | −8% |
| Warner Robins, GA95 miles | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −6% |
| Georgia (statewide) | $6,250 – $12,400 | $9,300 | −4% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Atlanta ranks #184 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Atlanta is 5% above the Georgia figure.
Elsewhere in Georgia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −7% |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −7% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Atlanta against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $7,750 – $14,200 | $11,000 | +12% |
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $6,800 – $13,400 | $10,100 | +3% |
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $7,150 – $13,800 | $10,500 | +8% |
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $8,900 – $15,800 | $12,300 | +26% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Atlanta bid
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.
Planning more than one job in Atlanta?
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Atlanta wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−1%) and concrete driveway lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $570 – $2,000 | −6% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,200 | −5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $8,200 | −11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,250 | −1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,900 – $106,000 | −6% |
Who does the work: Atlanta 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 Atlanta the blend is 0.89.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $27.21 an hour, which is 9% below the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $18.00 and $35.79 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $20.20 an hour, which is 11% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.61 and $23.07 an hour. BLS counts 16,460 of them working in the area, 57.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $23.77 an hour, 17% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.23 and $28.47 an hour. About 8,360 work in the metro. That is 28.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $680 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $720. That is a swing of roughly 7.4% to 6.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has 2,889,670 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 8th 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% | $18.00 | $27.21 | $35.79 | $29.87 | 0.91 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.61 | $20.20 | $23.07 | $22.66 | 0.89 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $22.23 | $23.77 | $28.47 | $28.78 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
Atlanta: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Atlanta. 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
$6,600 to $9,100
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,500 to $11,000
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,400 to $12,900
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,300 – $4,650 | $4,350 – $5,650 | $5,350 – $6,700 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,650 – $3,750 | $3,500 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,450 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,300 – $7,350 | $6,800 – $8,850 | $8,350 – $10,400 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,900 – $10,900 | $10,100 – $13,100 | $12,400 – $15,400 |
The best months for retaining wall in Atlanta
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Atlanta Fulton Co 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 Atlanta are August through June: 11 of 12. Outside them, July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Atlanta gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are February, March and July (5.0 inches in July). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 54 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 | 54 | 34 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 58 | 37 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 66 | 43 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 74 | 50 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 58 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 67 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 5.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 69 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 84 | 63 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 51 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 64 | 41 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 56 | 36 | 4.2 | Workable |
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Retaining wall in Atlanta: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Atlanta?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,600 to $12,900 in the Atlanta area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,500 to $11,000. 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 Atlanta?
About $32.50 to $62.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $50 to $450 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Atlanta or Gainesville?
Gainesville is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,150, which is 6% less than Atlanta ($9,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Atlanta?
About 43% at the midpoint, or $4,150 out of $9,750. Materials are 55% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Atlanta?
$5,300 to $10,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Atlanta?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $450 for fees in the Atlanta area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Atlanta expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Georgia?
Atlanta is 5% above the Georgia statewide estimate ($9,300 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Georgia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Atlanta?
The BLS median is $27.21 an hour in the Atlanta area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.00 to $35.79.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Atlanta?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,600 to $9,100 and premium work $10,400 to $12,900. 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 Atlanta?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are August through June. 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 Atlanta
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.