Retaining wall cost in Idaho Falls, ID
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,200 – $13,400
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $36 – $65
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #123
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in Idaho Falls, ID usually costs $7,200 to $13,400 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $36 to $65 per sq ft of wall face before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $33.20 an hour in the Idaho Falls area, 11% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Idaho Falls, ID, standard level
$9,050 to $11,600
About $44.50 to $56.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $4,800 | $5,200 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $9,050 | $11,600 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Idaho Falls, ID
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 49% |
| Labor | $4,450 | $5,000 | $5,500 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $240 | $420 | 2% |
| Total | $7,200 | $10,300 | $13,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Idaho Falls number
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, Idaho Falls wages are 1.06 times the national level. Labor makes up about 48% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Idaho Falls is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,100 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 94.4: $45 to $420.
Cost by quality level and size in Idaho Falls
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Idaho Falls. 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
$7,200 to $9,700
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,050 to $11,600
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,900 to $13,400
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,600 – $4,950 | $4,600 – $5,950 | $5,600 – $6,950 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,900 – $4,000 | $3,700 – $4,800 | $4,550 – $5,650 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,750 – $7,800 | $7,300 – $9,300 | $8,800 – $10,800 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,650 – $11,600 | $10,900 – $13,800 | $13,100 – $16,000 |
What nearby projects cost in Idaho Falls
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Idaho Falls wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+1%) and sprinkler system lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| 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 | $3,450 – $8,750 | −5% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,150 | −4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,700 – $111,500 | −1% |
Idaho Falls weather and the retaining wall calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Idaho Falls Fanning Fld (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 Idaho Falls are May through September: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, October, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, October, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 182 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Idaho Falls gets about 10 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are April, May and June (1.6 inches in May). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 0.5 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 26 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 | 29 | 12 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 34 | 16 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 47 | 25 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 58 | 31 | 1.0 | Cold |
| May | 67 | 38 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 45 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 49 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 48 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 41 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 31 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Nov | 43 | 22 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 30 | 13 | 0.8 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Idaho Falls
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 Idaho Falls the blend is 1.06.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $33.20 an hour, which is 11% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $25.04 and $33.20 an hour. BLS counts 40 of them working in the area, 4.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $22.05 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.83 and $26.56 an hour. BLS counts 970 of them working in the area, 118.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $30.73 an hour, 7% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.14 and $44.52 an hour. About 470 work in the metro. That is 57.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $0 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $640. That is a swing of roughly 6.2% to 0.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Idaho Falls has 81,840 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 233rd 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% | $25.04 | $33.20 | $33.20 | $29.87 | 1.11 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.83 | $22.05 | $26.56 | $22.66 | 0.97 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $24.14 | $30.73 | $44.52 | $28.78 | 1.07 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.06 | |||||
How Idaho Falls 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 $9,900 to $10,300 across Idaho Falls and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, IDthis page | $7,200 – $13,400 | $10,300 | |
| Logan, UT125 miles | $6,800 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −4% |
| Bozeman, MT145 miles | $7,050 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Ogden, UT175 miles | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | −3% |
| Boise, ID190 miles | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −2% |
| Salt Lake City, UT210 miles | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,000 | −3% |
| Idaho (statewide) | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −2% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Idaho Falls ranks #123 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Idaho Falls is 2% above the Idaho figure.
Elsewhere in Idaho
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, ID | 391,790 jobs | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −2% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 72,280 jobs | $7,100 – $13,400 | $10,200 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Idaho Falls against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $6,350 – $12,400 | $9,350 | −9% |
| Johnson City, TN | 81,690 jobs | $6,650 – $12,800 | $9,700 | −6% |
| Bowling Green, KY | 82,160 jobs | $6,750 – $12,800 | $9,800 | −5% |
| Odessa, TX | 80,910 jobs | $6,400 – $12,300 | $9,350 | −9% |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Idaho Falls
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.
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Retaining wall in Idaho Falls: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Idaho Falls?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,200 to $13,400 in the Idaho Falls area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,050 to $11,600. 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 Idaho Falls?
About $36 to $65 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $420 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Idaho Falls or Logan?
Logan is 125 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,900, which is 4% less than Idaho Falls ($10,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Idaho Falls?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $5,000 out of $10,300. Materials are 49% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Idaho Falls?
$5,750 to $10,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Idaho Falls?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $420 for fees in the Idaho Falls area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Idaho Falls expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Idaho?
Idaho Falls is 2% above the Idaho statewide estimate ($10,100 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Idaho; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Idaho Falls?
The BLS median is $33.20 an hour in the Idaho Falls area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.04 to $33.20.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Idaho Falls?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,200 to $9,700 and premium work $10,900 to $13,400. 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 Idaho Falls?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. July and August 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 Idaho Falls
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.