Retaining wall cost in Shreveport, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,350 – $12,300
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $31.50 – $59.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #235
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in Shreveport, LA usually costs $6,350 to $12,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $31.50 to $59.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $950 less. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $27.62 an hour in the Shreveport area, 8% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Shreveport, LA, standard level
$8,100 to $10,500
About $40 to $51 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $3,950 | $4,300 |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $280 |
| Total | $8,100 | $10,500 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Shreveport, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,600 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,700 | $4,100 | $4,550 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $210 | $380 | 2% |
| Total | $6,350 | $9,300 | $12,300 | 100% |
Why Shreveport 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, Shreveport wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 44% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices). 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. Shreveport 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 84.8: $40 to $380.
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 Shreveport. The wage table below marks each row.
How Shreveport 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 $9,300 across Shreveport and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport, LAthis page | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | |
| Longview, TX55 miles | $6,250 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −1% |
| Texarkana, TX75 miles | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −2% |
| Tyler, TX90 miles | $6,250 – $12,100 | $9,200 | −1% |
| Monroe, LA100 miles | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −2% |
| Alexandria, LA105 miles | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −2% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | level |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Shreveport ranks #235 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Shreveport is 0% below the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $6,500 – $12,400 | $9,450 | +2% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | +1% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $6,350 – $12,200 | $9,300 | level |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $6,500 – $12,500 | $9,500 | +2% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $6,350 – $12,300 | $9,300 | level |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Shreveport against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $7,500 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +14% |
| Waterbury, CT | 160,710 jobs | $7,700 – $14,100 | $10,900 | +17% |
| Beaumont, TX | 163,220 jobs | $6,550 – $12,500 | $9,550 | +3% |
| Youngstown, OH | 160,160 jobs | $6,850 – $12,900 | $9,900 | +6% |
Planning more than one job in Shreveport?
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Shreveport wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−10%) and concrete driveway lowest (−14%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,700 – $4,850 | −11% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,900 | −14% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,350 – $3,000 | −10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,050 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,400 – $101,000 | −10% |
Cost by quality level and size in Shreveport
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Shreveport. 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
$6,350 to $8,700
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,100 to $10,500
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,900 to $12,300
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,200 – $4,450 | $4,150 – $5,400 | $5,050 – $6,300 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,550 – $3,600 | $3,350 – $4,350 | $4,100 – $5,150 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,100 – $7,000 | $6,550 – $8,450 | $7,950 – $9,900 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,600 – $10,400 | $9,700 – $12,500 | $11,800 – $14,600 |
What local crews earn in Shreveport
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 Shreveport the blend is 0.88.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Shreveport 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 $18.50 an hour, which is 18% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.43 and $22.95 an hour. BLS counts 1,170 of them working in the area, 71.9 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 $24.52 an hour, 15% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.57 and $31.60 an hour. About 750 work in the metro. That is 46.1 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 3.9% to 1.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Shreveport-Bossier City has 162,750 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 146th 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% | $16.43 | $18.50 | $22.95 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $22.57 | $24.52 | $31.60 | $28.78 | 0.85 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Shreveport
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).
Shreveport 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, Shreveport (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 Shreveport are October through May: 8 of 12. Outside them, June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Shreveport gets about 51 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.2 inches in April). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 4.3 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 99 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 | 58 | 37 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 41 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 48 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 54 | 5.2 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 64 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 71 | 4.8 | Hot |
| Jul | 94 | 74 | 3.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 95 | 73 | 2.9 | Hot |
| Sep | 90 | 67 | 3.5 | Hot |
| Oct | 79 | 55 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 45 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 60 | 39 | 4.9 | Workable |
Get 3 local quotes
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Retaining wall in Shreveport: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Shreveport?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,350 to $12,300 in the Shreveport area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,100 to $10,500. 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 Shreveport?
About $31.50 to $59.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $40 to $380 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Shreveport or Longview?
Longview is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,200, which is 1% less than Shreveport ($9,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Shreveport?
About 44% at the midpoint, or $4,100 out of $9,300. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Shreveport?
$5,100 to $9,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Shreveport?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $40 to $380 for fees in the Shreveport area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Shreveport expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Shreveport is 0% below 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 Shreveport?
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 Shreveport?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,350 to $8,700 and premium work $9,900 to $12,300. 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 Shreveport?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. February and November 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 Shreveport
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.