Retaining wall cost in Utah
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,900 – $13,100
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $34 – $63
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $10,300
- Metros covered
- 5
What does it cost to build a retaining wall in Utah? Plan on $6,900 to $13,100 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Wages (0.99x the US blend), materials (price index 96.4) and permit costs (98.9) put the state below the national midpoint by 3%.
Inside Utah, the metros we cover range from $9,600 (St. George) to $10,100 (Provo) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Utah (statewide), standard level
$8,750 to $11,200
About $43 to $54.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,100 |
| Labor | $4,450 | $4,850 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $330 |
| Total | $8,750 | $11,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Utah
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,150 | $4,650 | $5,150 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $250 | $440 | 2% |
| Total | $6,900 | $10,000 | $13,100 | 100% |
Other Utah jobs that often go with retaining wall
Each project weights the trades differently, so Utah's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, sod installation is level and concrete driveway −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $590 – $2,100 | −1% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,950 – $5,350 | −2% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,550 – $8,950 | −3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,300 | level |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,900 – $9,750 | −2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,300 – $110,500 | −2% |
Which Utah city is cheapest for retaining wall?
1 of the 5 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $10,000, and the top-to-bottom gap is 5%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (200 sq ft of wall face) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provo, UT | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +1% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,000 | level |
| Ogden, UT | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | level |
| Logan, UT | $6,800 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −1% |
| St. George, UT | $6,550 – $12,600 | $9,600 | −4% |
When Utah weather lets you build
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Utah is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Salt Lake City has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Utah at 7 months (March through June and September through November); St. George has the shortest at 5 (March through May and October through November). Rainfall runs from 9 inches a year in St. George to 17 inches in Provo.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 24 | 94 | 16 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Provo | 24 | 95 | 17 | 6: March through June and September through October |
| Ogden | 21 | 91 | 16 | 7: March through June and August through October |
| St. George | 28 | 102 | 9 | 5: March through May and October through November |
| Logan | 14 | 89 | 17 | 7: April through October |
What brickmasons and blockmasons and the other trades earn in Utah
Utah's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.99 times the national level.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $29.06 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $23.88 and $33.85 an hour. BLS counts 1,590 of them working in the state, 9.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $22.38 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.63 and $26.56 an hour. BLS counts 20,950 of them working in the state, 120.7 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 $29.20 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.91 and $31.46 an hour. About 7,880 work in the state. That is 45.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for brickmasons and blockmasons ($33.85 an hour) would add about $380 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.88) would take off about $410. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,735,590 jobs across Utah (May 2025), which is 1.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $23.88 | $29.06 | $33.85 | $29.87 | 0.97 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.63 | $22.38 | $26.56 | $22.66 | 0.99 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $24.91 | $29.20 | $31.46 | $28.78 | 1.01 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Why two Utah quotes can differ
Height
Walls over 4 feet need engineering, deeper excavation and more skilled labor; many cities require permits over 3-4 feet (HomeGuide).
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.
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
Utah against its neighbors
Utah ranks 29 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for retaining wall, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $13,300 and the cheapest New Mexico at $9,000, both for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint. Utah sits at $10,000. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 280 miles away | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +1% |
| Nevada | 290 miles away | $7,100 – $13,400 | $10,200 | +2% |
| Montana | 400 miles away | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −1% |
| Colorado | 410 miles away | $7,200 – $13,600 | $10,400 | +4% |
| Wyoming | 420 miles away | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −1% |
Basic, standard or premium: Utah prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid 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
$6,900 to $9,350
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,750 to $11,200
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,600 to $13,100
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,450 – $4,800 | $4,450 – $5,800 | $5,450 – $6,750 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,800 – $3,850 | $3,600 – $4,700 | $4,400 – $5,500 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,500 – $7,550 | $7,050 – $9,050 | $8,550 – $10,600 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,250 – $11,200 | $10,500 – $13,400 | $12,700 – $15,600 |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Utah, $9
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Retaining wall in Utah: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Utah?
$6,900 to $13,100 for 200 sq ft of wall face, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Utah can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Utah is cheapest for retaining wall?
St. George at about $9,600 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). The priciest is Provo at $10,100.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Utah than the US average?
It is 3% cheaper: $10,000 against $10,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Utah?
About 46% ($4,650). Materials are 51%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.99x the national wage level.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Utah?
The BLS statewide median is $29.06 an hour, against $29.87 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.88 to $33.85.
+Where does Utah rank for retaining wall costs?
29th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $10,000 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Utah?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,900 to $9,350 and premium work $10,600 to $13,100. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Does the season matter for retaining wall in Utah?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Utah metros we cover, Salt Lake City has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Retaining wall by city in Utah
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.