InstaBidsCost for a retaining wall?
This survey has no retaining wall-specific figure. The figure below covers all "Added or replaced fencing or walls" jobs, so read it as context, not as the price of retaining wall alone.
Context: all "Added or replaced fencing or walls" jobs
$3,800 was the median homeowner survey figure for all jobs in the full “Added or replaced fencing or walls” category, rather than retaining walls alone, for data years 2021-2023 in the United States. Households hiring out work reported a typical range (middle half of 939 American Housing Survey data points, the United States, 2021-2023) of $1,700 to $7,000.
Updated 2026-11-05
InstaBids is an AI-run marketplace for homeowners and property managers: describe a home job once, by chat or through your own AI assistant, add photos, and get multiple written quotes on the same scope, compared apples to apples, with no phone calls or home visits before you pick.
For homeowners, property managers, landlords and HOA boards.
| What was measured | Median | Typical range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| Households hiring out work reported | a median of $3,800 | the typical range (middle half of 939 American Housing Survey data points, the United States, 2021-2023) was $1,700 to $7,000 |
How measured: hired-out finished jobs, survey-weighted, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, data read 5 November 2026.
These figures are estimates from U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, data years 2021-2023, read 5 November 2026, for the United States. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
- Describe it onceBy chat, or through your own AI assistant, and add photos.
- Post it and send itContractors bid in writing on that scope.
- Compare line by lineEvery quote is written against the same scope.
- You chooseContact details stay hidden until you pick and they confirm.
At a glance
- modular blocksOne wall material in the guidanceSnohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read November 5, 2026
- four feetPortland drawing threshold in the cited ruleCity of Portland — Retaining Wall, read November 5, 2026
- one footSnohomish County drain rock width in the cited detailSnohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read November 5, 2026
For your AI assistant
MCP connector · REST API · plain HTMLHand any of these to your assistant and it can help you write this job's request; you send the request yourself. What you type in the job box above goes into the prompt these buttons carry. The connector asks you to sign in to your InstaBids account the first time.
- MCP connector URL
https://instabids.ai/api/agent/mcp - Agent API (OpenAPI)
https://instabids.ai/openapi.json - Start-request link
https://instabids.ai/intake?from=cost-retaining-wall&utm_source=us&utm_medium=page&utm_campaign=cost&page_type=cost&job=retaining+wall - Prompt for any AI, with your job
- ChatGPTOpens with the prompt
- ClaudeOpens with the prompt
- GrokOpens with the prompt
- GeminiCopies the prompt, then opens
Every page is plain HTML. Steps for every assistant: add to your assistant.
What does cost for a retaining wall cover?
The figures cover all jobs in the AHS category “Added or replaced fencing or walls”, rather than retaining walls alone.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — AHS 2023 Value Labels, read 5 November 2026.
City of Portland states: “Some sites may require a geotechnical report.”
Source: City of Portland — Retaining Wall, read 5 November 2026.
Describe the retaining wall itself on InstaBids so contractors write bids for your wall scope.
What drainage belongs in cost for retaining wall planning?
Snohomish County states: “A drainage system is a necessary component of retaining wall design. Walls can fail if water builds up within the soils behind it.”
Source: Snohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read 5 November 2026.
On InstaBids, describe the water behind your retaining wall so contractors address drainage in writing.
What materials belong in the cost of a retaining wall scope?
Snohomish County states: “Retaining walls may be constructed with a variety of materials, including modular blocks, angular boulders, gabion baskets, or poured concrete.”
Source: Snohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read 5 November 2026.
Name the retaining wall material in your InstaBids description so each contractor bids on that choice.
What outlet details belong in retaining wall cost planning?
City of San Diego states: “Site and wall drainage arranged to discharge to a stormwater collection system and/or a means to prevent stormwater from flowing onto adjoining properties.”
Source: City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, read 5 November 2026.
Put the retaining wall drain outlet in your InstaBids scope so written bids address where the water goes.
What engineering belongs in the cost of retaining wall scope?
City of Portland states: “An engineer registered in the State of Oregon must provide stamped drawings and calculations for wall(s) over four feet tall.”
Source: City of Portland — Retaining Wall, read 5 November 2026.
Include the retaining wall drawings in your InstaBids job so contractors can bid on the specified design.
What retaining wall construction includes
Where a quote below names a city or county, it is that office's own rule, shown as one example; the permit office for your home may set different rules.
| What the source says | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| San Diego, surcharge scope: “The wall supports surcharge loads. Surcharge loads include driveways, walkways, structure footings, fences, etc.” | City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, read 5 November 2026. |
| Snohomish County, backfill: “The backfill area is where the wall is supported, drainage is intercepted, and adjacent soil is stabilized.” | Snohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read 5 November 2026. |
Describe backfill and loads above your wall in the InstaBids job so contractors address the same conditions.
Line items a written bid should list
- San Diego, wall measurements: “The retaining wall length and height.”
Source: City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, read 5 November 2026.
- San Diego, footing clearances: “Distance from the wall footing to all adjacent structures, embankments, and property lines.”
Source: City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, read 5 November 2026.
- San Diego, cross-section drawing: “Provide on the construction plans, a cross-section for the proposed retaining wall.”
Source: City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, read 5 November 2026.
List wall dimensions and the cross-section in your InstaBids description for contractors to address in their written bids.
How to compare written bids like for like
Ask every contractor to bid in writing on the same line items listed above, then compare the written bids line by line.
San Diego, footing and drain location: “All elements of the wall, including that the footing and drainage system, are located on private property owned by the individual(s) listed as the property owner(s) on the permit application.”
Source: City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, read 5 November 2026.
Snohomish County, soil separation: “Prevent clogging by placing non-woven (felt-like) geotextile over the exposed soil to separate it from the drain rock.”
Source: Snohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read 5 November 2026.
Snohomish County, drain rock width: “The layer of drain rock should be at least one foot wide.”
Source: Snohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, read 5 November 2026.
Compare the footing placement and drain assembly in each InstaBids bid with your written wall scope.
Do you need a permit for retaining wall construction?
Portland, building permit triggers: “A building permit is required when constructing a retaining wall that: is more than four (4) feet high, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall; OR, supports a surcharge. A surcharge is an additional load, beyond the normal weight of a level earth backfill is to holding back.”
Source: City of Portland — Retaining Wall, read 5 November 2026.
Describe the retaining wall permit stage in your InstaBids job so contractors address that work in writing.
Get written bids
Contractors who take part bid on one written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices.
Sources for the figures on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/2023/ahs-2023-public-use-file--puf-.html, read 5 November 2026. U.S. government work; no endorsement implied.
- U.S. Census Bureau — AHS 2023 Value Labels, www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/2023/AHS 2023 Value Labels Package.zip, read 5 November 2026.
- City of Portland — Retaining Wall, www.portland.gov/ppd/residential-permitting/home-projects/retaining-wall, read 5 November 2026.
- Snohomish County — Retaining Walls & Terracing, www.snohomishcountywa.gov/6968/Retaining-Walls-Terracing, read 5 November 2026.
- City of San Diego — Information Bulletin 220, www.sandiego.gov/development-services/forms-publications/information-bulletins/220, read 5 November 2026.