Retaining wall cost in Lake Charles, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,500 – $12,500
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $32.50 – $60.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #205
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Lake Charles area: $6,500 to $12,500 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 8% lower than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $27.62 an hour in the Lake Charles area, 8% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Lake Charles, LA, standard level
$8,300 to $10,700
About $40.50 to $52 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $4,100 | $4,500 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $280 |
| Total | $8,300 | $10,700 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Lake Charles, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,600 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 52% |
| Labor | $3,850 | $4,300 | $4,750 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $210 | $390 | 2% |
| Total | $6,500 | $9,500 | $12,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Lake Charles 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 $27.62 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Lake Charles is 0.91 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 45% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Lake Charles is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $4,950 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 85.9: $45 to $390.
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 Lake Charles. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Lake Charles
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Lake Charles. 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
$6,500 to $8,900
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,300 to $10,700
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,100 to $12,500
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,300 – $4,550 | $4,200 – $5,500 | $5,150 – $6,400 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,650 – $3,650 | $3,400 – $4,450 | $4,200 – $5,200 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,200 – $7,150 | $6,650 – $8,600 | $8,100 – $10,000 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,800 – $10,600 | $9,900 – $12,700 | $12,000 – $14,900 |
The best months for retaining wall in Lake Charles
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Lake Charles (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 Lake Charles are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Lake Charles gets about 60 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, June and August (6.5 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and March are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 88 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 | 63 | 43 | 5.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 47 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 53 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 59 | 4.4 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 67 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 74 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 76 | 5.7 | Hot |
| Aug | 93 | 75 | 6.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 71 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 60 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 72 | 51 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 65 | 45 | 4.6 | Workable |
Who does the work: Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles the blend is 0.91.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Lake Charles metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $27.62 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.05 and $29.23 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $21.75 an hour, which is 4% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.37 and $25.18 an hour. BLS counts 2,130 of them working in the area, 209.5 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 $23.69 an hour, 18% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.27 and $29.07 an hour. About 410 work in the metro. That is 40.3 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 $130 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $360. That is a swing of roughly 3.8% to 1.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Lake Charles has 101,690 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 202nd 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% | $23.05 | $27.62 | $29.23 | $29.87 | 0.92 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.37 | $21.75 | $25.18 | $22.66 | 0.96 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.27 | $23.69 | $29.07 | $28.78 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Lake Charles
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.
Related projects, priced for Lake Charles
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Lake Charles wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (−4%) and concrete driveway lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,950 | −8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,050 | −7% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $8,200 | −11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,350 – $3,000 | −9% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,550 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,500 – $105,000 | −7% |
How Lake Charles 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 $9,150 to $9,750 across Lake Charles and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LAthis page | $6,500 – $12,500 | $9,500 | |
| Beaumont, TX60 miles | $6,550 – $12,500 | $9,550 | +1% |
| Lafayette, LA65 miles | $6,350 – $12,200 | $9,300 | −2% |
| Alexandria, LA95 miles | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −3% |
| Baton Rouge, LA125 miles | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | level |
| Houston, TX130 miles | $6,600 – $12,900 | $9,750 | +3% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −2% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Lake Charles ranks #205 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Lake Charles is 2% above the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $6,500 – $12,400 | $9,450 | level |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | level |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $6,350 – $12,200 | $9,300 | −2% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −2% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −2% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lake Charles against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $7,250 – $13,400 | $10,300 | +9% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $8,700 – $15,200 | $11,900 | +26% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | +3% |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 98,500 jobs | $7,950 – $14,800 | $11,400 | +20% |
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Retaining wall in Lake Charles: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Lake Charles?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,500 to $12,500 in the Lake Charles area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,300 to $10,700. 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 Lake Charles?
About $32.50 to $60.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $390 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Lake Charles or Beaumont?
Beaumont is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,550, which is 1% more than Lake Charles ($9,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lake Charles?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $4,300 out of $9,500. Materials are 52% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Lake Charles?
$5,200 to $10,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Lake Charles?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $390 for fees in the Lake Charles area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lake Charles expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Lake Charles is 2% above the Louisiana statewide estimate ($9,300 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Lake Charles?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $27.62 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.05 to $29.23.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Lake Charles?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,500 to $8,900 and premium work $10,100 to $12,500. 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 Lake Charles?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and March 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 Lake Charles
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.