Building a retaining wall is an excellent way to improve the look of your backyard while also potentially creating more space and stability.
While there is no one simple cost to expect, this post will cover some of the different factors involved in pricing so you can get a better sense of your choices.
What is a retaining wall?
A retaining wall’s primary purpose is to hold back soil, which can be done for several reasons including:
- To reduce damaging effects of soil erosion
- To improve drainage, or
- To create a more beautiful and attractive outdoor space
Because a retaining wall will be holding back a very heavy weight of soil indefinitely, it is very important to work with professionals who can assess the situation and ensure the retaining wall is built safely.
How much can I expect to pay for a retaining wall?
When working from scratch, you can expect the cost to be at least $4,000, though it depends on the size of the wall. There is a lot of material and labour involved in building a retaining wall, though there are several choices you can make along the way that ultimately influence both build quality and price.
The most common materials to use for retaining walls are as follows:
- Wood: Wood offers a natural look and often is one of the cheapest options for retaining walls. Wood will blend in with natural surroundings but thought needs to be given to drainage to avoid any water damage over time. Count on approximately $25 to 30 per square foot.
- Concrete: There are a handful of options involved with concrete, ranging from poured to precast. With the different options, there’s also a variety of price points, so you could be anywhere between $20 and $150 per square foot.
- Natural Stone: With a beautiful and natural look, natural stone can be a very attractive and durable option, though at a higher cost than alternatives of around $75 per square foot.
Other factors to consider when building a retaining wall
Note that costs may depend on seasonality as landscapers will be more or less busy at different times throughout the year. Costs will also be influenced by the fluctuation of the cost of materials. Your landscape contractor can arrange for the materials, or you can explore purchasing materials yourself.
As always when working with contractors, it makes sense to get quotes from multiple contractors. Take the time to read through reviews and see their portfolio to get a sense of their past work.
Many contractors will offer warranties for their work, which gives added peace of mind. You can also ask about paying in instalments in order to make the costs more manageable over time.
Resources:
https://project-landscaping.ca/cost-of-retaining-wall-ontario/
https://avantilandscaping.ca/how-much-does-a-retaining-wall-cost-to-build/
Time to get started!
Once all the questions are cleared up and confirmed, it’s time for the work to start! Having a landscape company like VS Landscape come in for an open and honest consultation is a great way to learn more about the process and any potential costs.
If you have any additional questions or if you simply want to get started with a project, reach out to us today!