Retaining wall cost in Savannah, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,150 – $12,200
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $30.50 – $58.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #268
- 1 = most expensive
Savannah homeowners pay roughly $6,150 to $12,200 to build a retaining wall at 200 sq ft of wall face, or $30.50 to $58.50 per sq ft of wall face (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Savannah is 11% lower. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $24.35 an hour in the Savannah area, 18% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Savannah, GA, standard level
$7,950 to $10,400
About $39 to $50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $3,650 | $3,950 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $7,950 | $10,400 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Savannah, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 56% |
| Labor | $3,400 | $3,800 | $4,200 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $430 | 3% |
| Total | $6,150 | $9,150 | $12,200 | 100% |
Why Savannah prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: brickmasons and blockmasons at 50%, construction laborers at 30%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 20%. Weighted together, Savannah wages are 0.81 times the national level. Labor makes up about 42% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Savannah metro is 96.3 (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 (95.2) and land at $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 Savannah. The wage table below marks each row.
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Savannah
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.
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 Savannah is 0.81 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Savannah metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median: $24.35 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.00 and $32.90 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $18.12 an hour, 20% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.71 and $21.63 an hour. About 1,210 work in the metro. That is 61.0 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 $23.47 an hour, which is 18% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.61 and $29.15 an hour. BLS counts 720 of them working in the area, 36.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($32.90 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $670. At the 25th percentile ($18.00) it shrinks by about $500. The total moves by 7.4% or 5.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 198,360 jobs in the Savannah area. That makes it the 116th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.13% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $18.00 | $24.35 | $32.90 | $29.87 | 0.82 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $14.71 | $18.12 | $21.63 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.61 | $23.47 | $29.15 | $28.78 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Savannah
Because every project leans on different trades, Savannah's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −6% and concrete driveway −15%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,800 | −12% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,750 | −15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,100 | −9% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,100 – $100,500 | −11% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Savannah
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Savannah 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
$6,150 to $8,550
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$7,950 to $10,400
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,750 to $12,200
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,100 – $4,350 | $4,050 – $5,350 | $5,000 – $6,300 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,500 – $3,550 | $3,300 – $4,350 | $4,050 – $5,100 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $4,950 – $6,900 | $6,400 – $8,350 | $7,850 – $9,800 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,350 – $10,200 | $9,500 – $12,400 | $11,600 – $14,500 |
When to schedule retaining wall in Savannah
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Savannah Intl 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 Savannah (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Savannah gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 81 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 | 61 | 40 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 55 | 3.4 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 6.7 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 5.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 73 | 5.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 69 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 59 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 48 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 3.2 | Workable |
Is Savannah cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (200 sq ft of wall face), priced for the nearest metros. Jacksonville is the priciest of the group at $9,650.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah, GAthis page | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | |
| Hilton Head, SC30 miles | $6,350 – $12,400 | $9,350 | +2% |
| Charleston, SC95 miles | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,300 | +2% |
| Augusta, GA100 miles | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | level |
| Jacksonville, FL135 miles | $6,550 – $12,700 | $9,650 | +5% |
| Columbia, SC135 miles | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | +1% |
| Georgia (statewide) | $6,250 – $12,400 | $9,300 | +2% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +12% |
Across 300 US metros, Savannah comes in at #268 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, Savannah is 2% below the Georgia figure.
Other Georgia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $6,600 – $12,900 | $9,750 | +7% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | level |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −1% |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | level |
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −1% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Savannah's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Savannah against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NH | 199,560 jobs | $7,150 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +13% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $8,200 – $15,100 | $11,700 | +28% |
| Santa Maria, CA | 200,760 jobs | $7,800 – $14,600 | $11,200 | +23% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $6,400 – $12,300 | $9,350 | +2% |
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Retaining wall in Savannah: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Savannah?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,150 to $12,200 in the Savannah area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,950 to $10,400. 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 Savannah?
About $30.50 to $58.50 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 Savannah or Hilton Head?
Hilton Head is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,350, which is 2% more than Savannah ($9,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Savannah?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $3,800 out of $9,150. Materials are 56% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Savannah?
$4,950 to $9,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Savannah?
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 Savannah area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Savannah expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Georgia?
Savannah is 2% below 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 Savannah?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $24.35 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.00 to $32.90.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Savannah?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,150 to $8,550 and premium work $9,750 to $12,200. 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 Savannah?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and November 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 Savannah
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.