How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost in Pennsylvania?

A retaining wall costs $3,500 to $10,000 in one national cost guide, with a national average of $5,463. A second guide puts the average at $6,300, with most people paying $3,500 to $9,400.

Per square foot of wall face, the second guide puts most walls at $20 to $53, averaging $33. Tearing out an old wall first adds to the bill. On a Pittsburgh hillside, the height of the wall and the drainage behind it move the price too. All of these are national market numbers, not our price list.

What does it cost to build a retaining wall per square foot?

Cost guides price a retaining wall by the square foot of its face, which is length times height. A wall 50 feet long and 4 feet tall has 200 square feet of face. At $20 to $53 per square foot, that wall comes to $4,000 to $10,600 before any tear out.

The material moves the number a long way. The two guides publish these ranges per square foot for the common wall materials.

The two guides do not match row by row. Railroad ties run $10 to $15 in one and $18 to $25 in the other. Natural stone has the widest range in the table.

We build retaining walls in block, brick, stone, poured concrete and timber, railroad ties included. The right material depends on the height of the wall and the look you want.

What does a retaining wall cost per linear foot?

To get a price per linear foot, multiply the square foot price by the wall’s height. At $20 to $53 per square foot, a wall 3 feet tall comes to $60 to $159 per linear foot. At 4 feet tall, the same range comes to $80 to $212 per linear foot.

The first guide also prices some walls by the linear foot. It lists $40 to $200 per linear foot for a wall on a slope. A front yard wall runs $30 to $200.

Footings get priced by the linear foot too. A third guide lists a concrete footing at $30 to $100 per linear foot.

How much does retaining wall replacement cost?

Replacing a wall means paying to take the old one out before the new one goes in. The first guide puts removal alone at $10 to $20 per square foot. It puts a full replacement near $60 to $70 per square foot, tear out included. At that rate, replacing the 200 square foot wall above comes to $12,000 to $14,000.

This is where a company that does demolition as well as masonry helps. Demolition is our main line of work. A failed wall comes out with the excavator, skid steers and air jackhammers.

The old block, brick, stone, concrete or ties get hauled off as part of our debris removal and hauling. Then the same company sets the new footing, the drainage and the wall.

How much does retaining wall repair cost?

The first guide says retaining wall repair typically runs $200 to $1,200, depending on the repairs needed. Repair fits damage that stays local, like a few dropped units or mortar washed out of the joints.

A wall that leans out at the top or bulges in the middle is past that point. Patching that kind of wall only buys time. The number to compare is a tear out and a rebuild. We look at the wall and tell you which job it is before any work starts.

What does it cost to replace a railroad tie retaining wall?

The guides spread wide on railroad tie walls. One lists ties at $10 to $15 per square foot and another at $18 to $25. A third puts them at $25 to $30, and puts timber at $15 to $30.

That third guide lists $20 to $30 per square foot to demolish the old wall. That is before drainage or the new wall goes in. The old ties come out and leave with the rest of the debris. Then you choose ties again, or a switch to block or stone, and we build either one.

That guide also notes that railroad ties can be coated in creosote. It says that is why tie walls are less common now. It suggests checking whether ties are an approved retaining wall material where you live.

What drives the price on a Pittsburgh hillside?

Height comes first. Every added foot of height adds square feet of face. Walls over 4 feet also fall outside the state’s permit exemption.

Drainage comes next. We put clean stone behind the wall and a perforated pipe at the base to carry water out. The first guide says adding drainage can cost as much as $60 to $70 per linear foot.

Access decides how the material moves. Where a skid steer fits, block and stone move fast. In a back yard up a flight of steps, more of it goes by hand and wheelbarrow, and labor climbs. The first guide lists labor alone at $15 per square foot for a basic wall, and up to $45.

Soil and digging come with the site. The second guide puts excavation at $50 to $200 per cubic yard and grading at $500 or more.

Engineering is the last piece. Ask your code office whether your wall needs an engineer’s design. If it does, the engineer’s fee comes on top of the price of the wall. We build the wall to that design.

Do you need a permit for a retaining wall in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code exempts residential retaining walls that are not over 4 feet high from a permit. The height is measured from the lowest level of grade to the top of the wall. The exemption does not cover a wall that supports a surcharge, such as a driveway above it.

The state exemption also holds only when the work does not break a local law or ordinance. A borough or township can still set its own rules for walls.

The City of Pittsburgh draws the same line. Its list of work that needs no building permit or zoning approval includes walls 4 feet or less. The city measures the same way, from the lowest level of grade to the top. A wall supporting a surcharge is not on the list.

Outside the city, your borough or township, or the code agency it uses, handles permits. Plum Borough, for example, requires a building permit for retaining walls over 4 feet. When we quote a wall, we go over what your municipality requires and who handles each step.

Getting a price on your retaining wall

Davis Demolition and Masonry is based in Pittsburgh. We work the city, the South Hills and the eastern suburbs, plus Washington and Westmoreland counties, about 40 miles around. We have been in the demolition business since 2001, and retaining walls are part of our masonry work.

The ranges above come from national cost guides, not our price list. We look at the wall and the slope behind it, then give you a price before any work starts. Read how we repair and rebuild retaining walls, or call or text (412) 720-1866.