Retaining wall cost in Idaho
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,000 – $13,200
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $34.50 – $64
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $10,300
- Metros covered
- 3
What does it cost to build a retaining wall in Idaho? Plan on $7,000 to $13,200 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Wages (1.01x the US blend), materials (price index 96.3) and permit costs (95.5) put the state below the national midpoint by 2%.
Inside Idaho, the metros we cover range from $10,100 (Boise) to $10,300 (Idaho Falls) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Idaho (statewide), standard level
$8,850 to $11,300
About $43.50 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 | $4,550 | $4,950 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $320 |
| Total | $8,850 | $11,300 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Idaho
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,250 | $4,750 | $5,250 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $430 | 2% |
| Total | $7,000 | $10,100 | $13,200 | 100% |
Idaho seasons and retaining wall
Season matters for retaining wall. For each Idaho metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Coeur d'Alene has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Idaho at 7 months (April through October); Idaho Falls has the shortest at 5 (May through September). Rainfall runs from 10 inches a year in Idaho Falls to 25 inches in Coeur d'Alene.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 26 | 93 | 12 | 6: March through June and September through October |
| Idaho Falls | 12 | 87 | 10 | 5: May through September |
| Coeur d'Alene | 26 | 83 | 25 | 7: April through October |
Idaho metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $10,100, and the top-to-bottom gap is 2%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | $7,200 – $13,400 | $10,300 | +2% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | $7,100 – $13,400 | $10,200 | +2% |
| Boise, ID | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | level |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Idaho
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.
How Idaho compares with nearby states
Idaho ranks 27 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. Idaho sits at $10,100. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 270 miles away | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −2% |
| Utah | 280 miles away | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | −1% |
| Oregon | 350 miles away | $8,050 – $15,000 | $11,500 | +14% |
| Washington | 380 miles away | $8,500 – $15,400 | $12,000 | +19% |
| Nevada | 460 miles away | $7,100 – $13,400 | $10,200 | +2% |
If you are planning more than one job in Idaho
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Idaho wages and prices. Against national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+1%) and sprinkler system lowest (−5%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | +1% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,000 – $5,400 | −1% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,550 – $9,000 | −2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,300 | level |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,450 | −5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,300 – $110,500 | −2% |
Quality levels and sizes in Idaho
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Idaho wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$7,000 to $9,450
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,850 to $11,300
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,700 to $13,200
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,500 – $4,850 | $4,500 – $5,800 | $5,500 – $6,800 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,800 – $3,900 | $3,650 – $4,700 | $4,450 – $5,550 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,600 – $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 | $10,600 – $13,500 | $12,800 – $15,700 |
What brickmasons and blockmasons and the other trades earn in Idaho
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 1.01 for Idaho.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.06 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $25.34 and $36.52 an hour. About 320 work in the state. That is 3.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $22.57 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.02 and $26.46 an hour. About 10,850 work in the state. That is 126.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $29.66 an hour, which is 3% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.28 and $36.25 an hour. BLS counts 4,270 of them working in the state, 49.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for brickmasons and blockmasons ($36.52 an hour) would add about $510 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($25.34) would take off about $370. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 857,440 jobs across Idaho (May 2025), which is 0.6% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $25.34 | $30.06 | $36.52 | $29.87 | 1.01 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $19.02 | $22.57 | $26.46 | $22.66 | 1.00 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $25.28 | $29.66 | $36.25 | $28.78 | 1.03 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.01 | |||||
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Retaining wall in Idaho: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Idaho?
$7,000 to $13,200 for 200 sq ft of wall face, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Idaho can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Idaho is cheapest for retaining wall?
Boise at about $10,100 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). The priciest is Idaho Falls at $10,300.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Idaho than the US average?
It is 2% cheaper: $10,100 against $10,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Idaho?
About 47% ($4,750). Materials are 51%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.01x the national wage level.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Idaho?
The BLS statewide median is $30.06 an hour, against $29.87 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.34 to $36.52.
+Where does Idaho rank for retaining wall costs?
27th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $10,100 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Idaho?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,000 to $9,450 and premium work $10,700 to $13,200. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Does the season matter for retaining wall in Idaho?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Idaho metros we cover, Coeur d'Alene has the most comfortable months (7 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 Idaho
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.