Retaining wall cost in Des Moines, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,450 – $13,600
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $37 – $66
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +3%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #109
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a retaining wall in Des Moines, plan on $7,450 to $13,600 for 200 sq ft of wall face, all in. Per sq ft of wall face, that is $37 to $66 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $36.45 an hour in the Des Moines area, 22% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Des Moines, IA, standard level
$9,300 to $11,800
About $45.50 to $57.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $5,100 | $5,550 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $300 |
| Total | $9,300 | $11,800 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Des Moines, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,600 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 47% |
| Labor | $4,800 | $5,350 | $5,900 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $7,450 | $10,500 | $13,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Des Moines number
The wage side of the estimate leans on brickmasons and blockmasons, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $36.45 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Des Moines is 1.14 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 51% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Des Moines metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $4,950, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.7) and land at $45 to $410.
Related projects, priced for Des Moines
Because every project leans on different trades, Des Moines's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs +5% and French drain level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | level |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,750 | +5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,650 – $9,350 | +1% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,550 – $3,400 | +3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,100 – $10,200 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,900 – $115,000 | +2% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Des Moines bid
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.
Climate in Des Moines: timing your retaining wall job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Des Moines Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Des Moines (7 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, 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 128 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Des Moines gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 22 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 | 31 | 14 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 62 | 41 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.6 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in Des Moines
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Des Moines 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
$7,450 to $9,900
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,300 to $11,800
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,200 to $13,600
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,750 – $5,050 | $4,750 – $6,050 | $5,700 – $7,050 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,000 – $4,100 | $3,800 – $4,900 | $4,600 – $5,700 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,950 – $8,000 | $7,500 – $9,500 | $9,000 – $11,000 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,950 – $11,900 | $11,100 – $14,100 | $13,300 – $16,300 |
Des Moines labor market for retaining wall
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 Des Moines is 1.14 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $36.45 an hour, 22% above the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $27.92 and $36.45 an hour. About 80 work in the metro. That is 2.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.67 and $28.91 an hour. About 3,510 work in the metro. That is 86.9 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 $30.10 an hour, which is 5% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $28.03 and $37.62 an hour. BLS counts 1,260 of them working in the area, 31.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.45 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $0. At the 25th percentile ($27.92) it shrinks by about $670. The total moves by 0.0% or 6.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 404,130 jobs in the Des Moines-West Des Moines area. That makes it the 64th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.26% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $27.92 | $36.45 | $36.45 | $29.87 | 1.22 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.67 | $24.03 | $28.91 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $28.03 | $30.10 | $37.62 | $28.78 | 1.05 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
Des Moines against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Des Moines. Omaha is the lowest at about $10,000 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IAthis page | $7,450 – $13,600 | $10,500 | |
| Waterloo, IA95 miles | $7,700 – $14,000 | $10,800 | +3% |
| Iowa City, IA110 miles | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −3% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA115 miles | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,300 | −3% |
| Omaha, NE120 miles | $6,950 – $13,100 | $10,000 | −5% |
| Sioux City, IA145 miles | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −3% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −3% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −3% |
Across 300 US metros, Des Moines comes in at #109 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, Des Moines is 3% above the Iowa figure.
Other Iowa metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $7,400 – $13,600 | $10,500 | −1% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,300 | −3% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −3% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $7,700 – $14,000 | $10,800 | +3% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −3% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −3% |
Cities with a workforce like Des Moines's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Des Moines against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $7,500 – $13,900 | $10,700 | +2% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −13% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $6,000 – $12,000 | $9,000 | −15% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −12% |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Des Moines, IA, $9
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Retaining wall in Des Moines: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Des Moines?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,450 to $13,600 in the Des Moines area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,300 to $11,800. 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 Des Moines?
About $37 to $66 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $410 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Des Moines or Waterloo?
Waterloo is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $10,800, which is 3% more than Des Moines ($10,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Des Moines?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $5,350 out of $10,500. Materials are 47% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Des Moines?
$5,950 to $11,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Des Moines?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $410 for fees in the Des Moines area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Des Moines expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Iowa?
Des Moines is 3% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($10,200 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Des Moines?
The BLS median is $36.45 an hour in the Des Moines area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.92 to $36.45.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Des Moines?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,450 to $9,900 and premium work $11,200 to $13,600. 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 Des Moines?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. 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 Des Moines
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.