Retaining wall cost in Honolulu, HI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $9,650 – $17,200
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $48 – $83.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +31%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #2
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Honolulu area: $9,650 to $17,200 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 31% higher than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $39.00 an hour in the Honolulu area, 31% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Honolulu, HI, standard level
$11,900 to $15,000
About $58.50 to $73 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,800 | $7,050 |
| Labor | $6,950 | $7,550 |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $370 |
| Total | $11,900 | $15,000 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Honolulu, HI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,100 | $5,900 | $8,700 | 44% |
| Labor | $6,500 | $7,250 | $8,000 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $280 | $500 | 2% |
| Total | $9,650 | $13,400 | $17,200 | 100% |
Why Honolulu 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, Honolulu wages are 1.54 times the national level. Labor makes up about 54% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Honolulu is at 111.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,900 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 111.0: $55 to $500.
Is Honolulu cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (200 sq ft of wall face), priced for the nearest metros. Kahului is the priciest of the group at $13,500. Santa Cruz is the cheapest at $11,400.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HIthis page | $9,650 – $17,200 | $13,400 | |
| Kahului, HI110 miles | $9,750 – $17,300 | $13,500 | +1% |
| Santa Rosa, CA2395 miles | $8,600 – $15,600 | $12,100 | −10% |
| Santa Cruz, CA2415 miles | $7,950 – $14,800 | $11,400 | −15% |
| San Francisco, CA2415 miles | $9,400 – $16,800 | $13,100 | −3% |
| Napa, CA2425 miles | $8,200 – $15,100 | $11,700 | −13% |
| Hawaii (statewide) | $9,550 – $17,100 | $13,300 | −1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −24% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Honolulu ranks #2 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Honolulu is 1% above the Hawaii figure.
Elsewhere in Hawaii
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $9,750 – $17,300 | $13,500 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Honolulu against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $8,000 – $14,600 | $11,300 | −16% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $6,500 – $12,400 | $9,450 | −30% |
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | −30% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −31% |
Why two Honolulu quotes can differ
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.
Height
Walls over 4 feet need engineering, deeper excavation and more skilled labor; many cities require permits over 3-4 feet (HomeGuide).
Who does the work: Honolulu 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 Honolulu the blend is 1.54.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $39.00 an hour, which is 31% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $38.10 and $43.67 an hour. BLS counts 60 of them working in the area, 1.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $37.48 an hour, which is 65% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $24.21 and $41.41 an hour. BLS counts 3,040 of them working in the area, 68.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $56.55 an hour, 96% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $42.10 and $57.93 an hour. About 1,430 work in the metro. That is 32.0 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 $370 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $70. That is a swing of roughly 0.5% to 2.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Urban Honolulu has 446,380 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 56th 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% | $38.10 | $39.00 | $43.67 | $29.87 | 1.31 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $24.21 | $37.48 | $41.41 | $22.66 | 1.65 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $42.10 | $56.55 | $57.93 | $28.78 | 1.96 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.54 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Honolulu
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Honolulu wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+51%) and sod installation lowest (+17%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $830 – $2,900 | +38% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,950 – $7,150 | +31% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $5,350 – $14,100 | +51% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,750 – $3,850 | +17% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $5,400 – $13,500 | +35% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $50,200 – $156,500 | +39% |
The best months for retaining wall in Honolulu
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Honolulu Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Honolulu: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Honolulu gets about 16 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, November and December (2.4 inches in March). The station averages about 32 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 | 81 | 67 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 81 | 67 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 81 | 68 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 83 | 70 | 0.8 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 72 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 74 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 75 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 89 | 76 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 88 | 75 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 87 | 74 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 84 | 72 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 82 | 69 | 2.2 | Workable |
Cost by quality level and size in Honolulu
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Honolulu. 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
$9,650 to $12,700
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$11,900 to $15,000
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$14,200 to $17,200
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,850 – $6,450 | $6,050 – $7,650 | $7,250 – $8,850 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,900 – $5,200 | $4,900 – $6,200 | $5,850 – $7,200 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $7,750 – $10,200 | $9,600 – $12,000 | $11,400 – $13,900 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $11,600 – $15,200 | $14,300 – $17,900 | $17,000 – $20,600 |
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Retaining wall in Honolulu: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Honolulu?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $9,650 to $17,200 in the Honolulu area. A standard-spec job lands at $11,900 to $15,000. 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 Honolulu?
About $48 to $83.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $55 to $500 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Honolulu or Kahului?
Kahului is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $13,500, which is 1% more than Honolulu ($13,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Honolulu?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $7,250 out of $13,400. Materials are 44% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Honolulu?
$7,750 to $13,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Honolulu?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $500 for fees in the Honolulu area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Honolulu expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Hawaii?
Honolulu is 1% above the Hawaii statewide estimate ($13,300 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Hawaii; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Honolulu?
The BLS median is $39.00 an hour in the Honolulu area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $38.10 to $43.67.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Honolulu?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $9,650 to $12,700 and premium work $14,200 to $17,200. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Is there a bad season to build a retaining wall in Honolulu?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Retaining wall near Honolulu
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.