Retaining wall cost in Laredo, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,100 – $12,000
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $30.50 – $58
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #280
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Laredo area: $6,100 to $12,000 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 12% lower than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $27.12 an hour in the Laredo area, 9% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Laredo, TX, standard level
$7,900 to $10,200
About $38.50 to $49.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $3,700 | $4,050 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $290 |
| Total | $7,900 | $10,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Laredo, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 55% |
| Labor | $3,450 | $3,850 | $4,300 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $220 | $390 | 2% |
| Total | $6,100 | $9,050 | $12,000 | 100% |
Why Laredo 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 Laredo the blended ratio comes out at 0.82. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Texas statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Laredo is at 93.8 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 87.0: $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 Laredo. The wage table below marks each row.
Why two Laredo quotes can differ
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.
The best months for retaining wall in Laredo
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Laredo 2 (in the city). 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 Laredo are October through April: 7 of 12. Outside them, May, June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Laredo gets about 20 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, July and September (3.9 inches in September). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 0.8 and 0.7 inches. The station averages about 178 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 | 68 | 47 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 74 | 52 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 81 | 58 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 88 | 65 | 1.3 | Workable |
| May | 94 | 72 | 2.8 | Hot |
| Jun | 99 | 76 | 1.8 | Hot |
| Jul | 100 | 77 | 1.9 | Hot |
| Aug | 101 | 77 | 1.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 94 | 73 | 3.9 | Hot |
| Oct | 87 | 66 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 77 | 56 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 69 | 48 | 1.1 | Workable |
Who does the work: Laredo 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 Laredo the blend is 0.82.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Laredo metro, so we used the Texas statewide median: $27.12 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.31 and $28.57 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $16.22 an hour, which is 28% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $13.98 and $17.72 an hour. BLS counts 400 of them working in the area, 36.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $22.16 an hour, 23% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $19.06 and $23.48 an hour. About 280 work in the metro. That is 25.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer 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 $110 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $300. That is a swing of roughly 3.3% to 1.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Laredo has 109,370 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 191st 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% | $23.31 | $27.12 | $28.57 | $29.87 | 0.91 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $13.98 | $16.22 | $17.72 | $22.66 | 0.72 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $19.06 | $22.16 | $23.48 | $28.78 | 0.77 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
Is Laredo cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Laredo. McAllen is the lowest at about $8,950 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laredo, TXthis page | $6,100 – $12,000 | $9,050 | |
| McAllen, TX120 miles | $6,050 – $11,900 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Corpus Christi, TX120 miles | $6,400 – $12,300 | $9,350 | +3% |
| San Antonio, TX125 miles | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | +3% |
| Brownsville, TX160 miles | $6,100 – $11,900 | $9,000 | −1% |
| Austin, TX200 miles | $6,600 – $12,600 | $9,600 | +6% |
| Texas (statewide) | $6,500 – $12,700 | $9,600 | +6% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Laredo ranks #280 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Laredo is 6% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $6,850 – $13,300 | $10,100 | +11% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $6,600 – $12,900 | $9,750 | +8% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $6,600 – $12,600 | $9,600 | +6% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | +3% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $5,900 – $11,700 | $8,850 | −2% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $6,050 – $11,900 | $8,950 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Laredo against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $6,600 – $12,700 | $9,650 | +7% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Tyler, TX | 115,220 jobs | $6,250 – $12,100 | $9,200 | +2% |
| Bend, OR | 108,240 jobs | $7,800 – $14,600 | $11,200 | +24% |
Planning more than one job in Laredo?
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Laredo wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−13%) and concrete driveway lowest (−17%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $510 – $1,800 | −15% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,550 – $4,600 | −15% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,050 – $7,550 | −17% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,300 – $2,850 | −13% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,300 – $8,300 | −17% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $30,700 – $96,000 | −15% |
Laredo: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Laredo. 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
$6,100 to $8,450
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$7,900 to $10,200
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,650 to $12,000
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,100 – $4,300 | $4,000 – $5,250 | $4,950 – $6,200 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,500 – $3,500 | $3,250 – $4,250 | $4,000 – $5,050 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $4,900 – $6,800 | $6,350 – $8,250 | $7,750 – $9,650 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,350 – $10,100 | $9,450 – $12,200 | $11,500 – $14,300 |
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Retaining wall in Laredo: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Laredo?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,100 to $12,000 in the Laredo area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,900 to $10,200. 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 Laredo?
About $30.50 to $58 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 Laredo or McAllen?
McAllen is 120 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $8,950, which is 1% less than Laredo ($9,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Laredo?
About 43% at the midpoint, or $3,850 out of $9,050. Materials are 55% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Laredo?
$4,900 to $9,650. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Laredo?
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 Laredo area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Laredo expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Texas?
Laredo is 6% below the Texas statewide estimate ($9,600 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Laredo?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $27.12 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.31 to $28.57.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Laredo?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,100 to $8,450 and premium work $9,650 to $12,000. 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 Laredo?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through April. January and February 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 Laredo
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.