Retaining wall cost in Durham, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,400 – $12,500
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $32 – $60.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #212
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a retaining wall in Durham, plan on $6,400 to $12,500 for 200 sq ft of wall face, all in. Per sq ft of wall face, that is $32 to $60.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $24.01 an hour in the Durham area, 20% below the US median of $29.87.
Estimate your retaining wall cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Durham, NC, standard level
$8,250 to $10,700
About $40.50 to $51.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,100 |
| Labor | $3,900 | $4,250 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $320 |
| Total | $8,250 | $10,700 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Durham, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,550 | 54% |
| Labor | $3,650 | $4,100 | $4,500 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $440 | 3% |
| Total | $6,400 | $9,450 | $12,500 | 100% |
Why Durham prices look the way they do
Labor is 43% of the midpoint bill here, against 46% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is brickmasons and blockmasons (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Durham the blended ratio comes out at 0.87. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the North Carolina statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Durham metro is 96.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $5,100, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (97.6) and land at $50 to $440.
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 Durham. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Durham bid
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).
Durham against nearby metros and the rest of North Carolina
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 $9,450 across Durham and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NCthis page | $6,400 – $12,500 | $9,450 | |
| Burlington, NC15 miles | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −1% |
| Greensboro, NC40 miles | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −2% |
| Raleigh, NC40 miles | $6,400 – $12,500 | $9,400 | level |
| Fayetteville, NC65 miles | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −1% |
| Winston, NC70 miles | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −3% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $6,350 – $12,400 | $9,350 | −1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Durham comes in at #212 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, Durham is 1% above the North Carolina figure.
Other North Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $6,450 – $12,600 | $9,500 | +1% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $6,400 – $12,500 | $9,400 | level |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −2% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −3% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −1% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $6,350 – $12,400 | $9,350 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like Durham's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Durham against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $8,100 – $14,600 | $11,400 | +20% |
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $6,450 – $12,500 | $9,500 | level |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −2% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $5,900 – $11,700 | $8,850 | −7% |
Durham 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 Durham is 0.87 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Durham metro, so we used the North Carolina statewide median: $24.01 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.78 and $27.70 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $22.38 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.03 and $25.15 an hour. About 1,120 work in the metro. That is 32.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $24.44 an hour, which is 15% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.61 and $29.62 an hour. BLS counts 480 of them working in the area, 14.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($27.70 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $290. At the 25th percentile ($21.78) it shrinks by about $180. The total moves by 3.1% or 1.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 344,020 jobs in the Durham-Chapel Hill area. That makes it the 74th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.22% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $21.78 | $24.01 | $27.70 | $29.87 | 0.80 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $19.03 | $22.38 | $25.15 | $22.66 | 0.99 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $22.61 | $24.44 | $29.62 | $28.78 | 0.85 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Climate in Durham: timing your retaining wall job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Raleigh Durham Intl Ap (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through June and August through December are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Durham (10 of 12 months). January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 65 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Durham gets about 46 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (5.2 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 52 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 | 52 | 32 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 56 | 34 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 63 | 40 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 80 | 58 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 5.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 69 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 63 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 73 | 50 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 40 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 55 | 34 | 3.4 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Durham
Because every project leans on different trades, Durham's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −2% and concrete driveway −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $570 – $2,000 | −5% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,150 | −5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $8,150 | −11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,550 | −5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,700 – $105,500 | −7% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Durham
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Durham 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
$6,400 to $8,850
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,250 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 | $3,200 – $4,500 | $4,200 – $5,500 | $5,150 – $6,450 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,600 – $3,650 | $3,400 – $4,450 | $4,200 – $5,250 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,150 – $7,100 | $6,600 – $8,600 | $8,100 – $10,100 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,650 – $10,600 | $9,850 – $12,700 | $12,000 – $14,900 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $8,250 to $10,700 for Durham, NC is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
The report lays out the retaining wall numbers for Durham, NC line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Retaining wall in Durham: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Durham?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,400 to $12,500 in the Durham area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,250 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 Durham?
About $32 to $60.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $50 to $440 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Durham or Burlington?
Burlington is 15 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,300, which is 1% less than Durham ($9,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Durham?
About 43% at the midpoint, or $4,100 out of $9,450. Materials are 54% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Durham?
$5,150 to $10,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Durham?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $440 for fees in the Durham area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Durham expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Durham is 1% above the North Carolina statewide estimate ($9,350 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Durham?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $24.01 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.78 to $27.70.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Durham?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,400 to $8,850 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 Durham?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through June and August through December. 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 Durham
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.