Retaining wall cost in Kennewick, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $8,400 – $15,300
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $41.50 – $74.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +16%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #21
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in Kennewick, WA usually costs $8,400 to $15,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $41.50 to $74.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,600 more. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $40.00 an hour in the Kennewick area, 34% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Kennewick, WA, standard level
$10,500 to $13,200
About $51.50 to $64.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,600 |
| Labor | $5,800 | $6,300 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $330 |
| Total | $10,500 | $13,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Kennewick, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,950 | $5,550 | $8,200 | 47% |
| Labor | $5,400 | $6,050 | $6,700 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $250 | $450 | 2% |
| Total | $8,400 | $11,900 | $15,300 | 100% |
What is behind the Kennewick number
Labor is 51% 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 Kennewick the blended ratio comes out at 1.28. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Washington statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Kennewick is at 105.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,550 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.1: $50 to $450.
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 Kennewick. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Kennewick 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).
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Kennewick
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Kennewick. 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
$8,400 to $11,200
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$10,500 to $13,200
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$12,500 to $15,300
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,200 – $5,700 | $5,300 – $6,800 | $6,400 – $7,900 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,400 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,500 | $5,200 – $6,400 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,700 – $8,950 | $8,400 – $10,700 | $10,100 – $12,300 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $10,100 – $13,400 | $12,500 – $15,800 | $15,000 – $18,300 |
What local crews earn in Kennewick
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 Kennewick the blend is 1.28.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Kennewick metro, so we used the Washington statewide median: $40.00 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $35.14 and $49.11 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $26.32 an hour, which is 16% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.79 and $33.92 an hour. BLS counts 1,110 of them working in the area, 85.7 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 $38.39 an hour, 33% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $33.53 and $48.81 an hour. About 460 work in the metro. That is 35.5 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 $720 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $380. That is a swing of roughly 3.2% to 6.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Kennewick-Richland has 129,490 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 169th 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% | $35.14 | $40.00 | $49.11 | $29.87 | 1.34 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.79 | $26.32 | $33.92 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $33.53 | $38.39 | $48.81 | $28.78 | 1.33 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.28 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Kennewick
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Kennewick wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (+20%) and sod installation lowest (+10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $710 – $2,450 | +18% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,250 | +15% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,300 – $11,100 | +20% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,800 – $12,000 | +20% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,300 – $132,000 | +17% |
Kennewick 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, Pasco Tri Cities Ap (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 Kennewick are March through June and September through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 112 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Kennewick gets about 8 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (1.0 inches in January). Inside the workable window, June and September are the driest, at 0.6 and 0.3 inches. The station averages about 55 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 | 41 | 28 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 49 | 28 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 59 | 33 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 67 | 38 | 0.7 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 46 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 53 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 93 | 57 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 56 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 81 | 48 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 38 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 50 | 32 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 41 | 27 | 1.0 | Cold |
How Kennewick compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Kennewick. Coeur d'Alene is the lowest at about $10,200 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 150 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick, WAthis page | $8,400 – $15,300 | $11,900 | |
| Yakima, WA70 miles | $8,100 – $15,000 | $11,500 | −3% |
| Spokane, WA140 miles | $8,050 – $14,900 | $11,500 | −3% |
| Seattle, WA145 miles | $9,200 – $16,300 | $12,800 | +8% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID150 miles | $7,100 – $13,400 | $10,200 | −14% |
| Portland, OR165 miles | $8,300 – $15,300 | $11,800 | −1% |
| Washington (statewide) | $8,500 – $15,400 | $12,000 | +1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −14% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Kennewick ranks #21 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Kennewick is 1% below the Washington figure.
Elsewhere in Washington
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $9,200 – $16,300 | $12,800 | +8% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $8,050 – $14,900 | $11,500 | −3% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +3% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $8,100 – $15,000 | $11,500 | −3% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $8,350 – $15,300 | $11,800 | level |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Kennewick against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waco, TX | 129,860 jobs | $6,250 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −22% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $7,300 – $13,500 | $10,400 | −12% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +3% |
| Norwich, CT | 126,450 jobs | $7,400 – $13,800 | $10,600 | −11% |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Kennewick, WA, $9
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Retaining wall in Kennewick: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Kennewick?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $8,400 to $15,300 in the Kennewick area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,500 to $13,200. 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 Kennewick?
About $41.50 to $74.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $50 to $450 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Kennewick or Yakima?
Yakima is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,500, which is 3% less than Kennewick ($11,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Kennewick?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $6,050 out of $11,900. Materials are 47% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Kennewick?
$6,700 to $12,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Kennewick?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $450 for fees in the Kennewick area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Kennewick expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Washington?
Kennewick is 1% below the Washington statewide estimate ($12,000 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Kennewick?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $40.00 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $35.14 to $49.11.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Kennewick?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $8,400 to $11,200 and premium work $12,500 to $15,300. 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 Kennewick?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and September through October. June and September 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 Kennewick
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.