Average Cost to Install a Retaining Wall in 2025 | Pricing and Materials Explained

Retaining walls do more than hold soil. They reclaim yard space, protect structures, and give a clean edge to driveways, patios, and sloped lawns. If you are pricing a 100-foot run and wondering whether a landscaper can handle it or if you need a specialized contractor, this guide lays out real numbers, build steps, and who to hire in Asheville, NC. It also shows where you can save without risking failure. If you are comparing “retaining wall installers near me,” use this as a benchmark.

What drives the price of a 100-foot retaining wall

Length is only one line in the cost equation. Height, material, drainage, soil type, site access, and permitting push the total up or down. A straight 100-foot wall that is two feet tall has a different cost profile than a curved wall that is four feet tall with stairs and a fence on top. In Asheville, slopes and clay-heavy soils add a bit of complexity. That affects base prep and drainage, which are not optional.

Most homeowners ask for three numbers: budget, mid-range, and premium. For a 100-foot wall, expect these ranges in the Asheville area:

• Budget segmental block, 2 to 3 feet tall: $7,500 to $14,000 total (about $75 to $140 per linear foot), assuming easy access and no corners, steps, or railings.
• Mid-range block or natural stone veneer on a concrete core, 3 to 4 feet tall: $15,000 to $35,000 total (about $150 to $350 per linear foot). This usually includes proper drainage, geogrid where needed, and some site grading.
• Premium natural boulder or custom-cut stone, 3 to 5 feet tall: $30,000 to $60,000+ total (about $300 to $600 per linear foot). Crane access, curved lines, and aesthetic detailing land here.

If your wall exceeds four feet in exposed height, plan for an engineer’s design. That adds $1,000 to $3,500 for stamped drawings, sometimes more if the soil is poor or the wall supports a driveway.

Materials: how choices change the price and performance

Segmental concrete block (SRW). This is the most common choice for residential retaining walls in Asheville. The blocks interlock and work with gravity. They are engineered for strength and come with clear build specs from the manufacturer. Most walls from two to six feet use this system. Block cost ranges from $8 to $22 per block depending on brand and face style. With base gravel, drainage pipe, geogrid, and labor, you land in the $75 to $350 per foot range based on height and site constraints.

Natural boulders. Boulder walls look organic and fit mountain properties well. They move water through the face and can be stable when set correctly. The catch is machine time and skilled placement. Boulder supply runs $80 to $200 per ton in our region, with many 100-foot walls needing 30 to 80 tons depending on height and depth. Boulder walls often pencil out similar to mid-range block on final cost, with higher reliance on experienced operators.

CMU with stone veneer. A concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall with reinforced cores and a stone veneer gives a formal look. It requires a footing below frost depth, rebar, grout, and a veneer crew. The structural wall handles the load; the veneer is cosmetic. This method carries higher labor and material costs but a smooth face and long life if built right.

Timber. Pressure-treated timbers are fast and cheap up front. In Western North Carolina, timber walls are common for short runs under three feet. The downside is life span. Even with proper drainage, expect 10 to 15 years before replacement. Current lumber prices, long fasteners, tie-backs, and drainage still add up, and disposal costs later are higher. For a 100-foot timber wall, costs often land close to entry-level block, which lasts longer.

Poured concrete. Strong and clean-lined, but it demands a footing, forms, steel, expansion joints, and waterproofing. If you plan to face it with stone, costs rise. It shines near driveways or for higher loads when engineered.

Your best pick depends on look, height, and what the wall supports. If a wall holds a driveway, hot tub pad, or bank near your house, favor engineered solutions over the cheapest route.

Height changes everything

Retaining wall load increases with height and soil moisture. A 2-foot garden wall may need only a compacted base and a drain. Double the height and you likely add geogrid layers, more excavation, a wider base, and sometimes a design from an engineer. Pricing accelerates with height because each extra course adds material, and the base and grid depth must step back into the slope. Excavation volume, export of spoils, and machine time all grow with each foot of height.

Here’s a practical pattern we see around Asheville:

• Up to 2 feet: Often no engineering. Quick builds with block or timber. Base and drain still required.
• 3 to 4 feet: Geogrid layers every second course, deeper base, and attention to any surcharge like a fence, vehicle, or structure near the top. Many municipalities require a permit at four feet.
• Over 4 feet: Expect an engineer’s plan, permit, and inspections. You must show drainage details, soil parameters, and setback distance from property lines. If a driveway or structure sits within the failure wedge, the design becomes more robust.

If you are pricing “retaining wall installers near me,” ask how the builder handles geogrid, base prep, and drainage specific to the target height. Answers should be quick and specific.

What a proper build includes, step by step

Good retaining walls start below ground. Skipping any of these steps is how you end up with bulges, cracks, or a wall that leans after a heavy rain.

Excavation and layout. We strip sod, mark the wall line, and dig to the design depth. For a typical 3- to 4-foot SRW wall, the trench is about twice the block depth plus room behind for drainage rock. Excavation usually extends 18 to 36 inches behind the wall face for grid and rock. Spoils are staged or hauled away. In Asheville’s clay, rain turns spoils to heavy muck fast; timing matters.

Base preparation. A non-woven fabric often lines the trench to separate soil from stone. We install 6 to 12 inches of compacted, angular base stone (such as ABC or 57s depending on spec). Base is compacted in lifts with a plate compactor. The base must be dead level across length and consistent in depth. The first course of block or first row of boulders sits on this base. This step makes or breaks the wall’s straightness over 100 feet.

Drainage. A perforated pipe goes behind the bottom course with outlets every 25 to 50 feet or daylit ends where grade allows. The pipe sits in clean 57 stone. The stone backfill rises behind the wall and is wrapped or capped with fabric to keep fines out. Without this, water pressure pushes the wall forward. On slopes, we add weep outlets or daylight multiple times along the run.

Reinforcement. For SRW walls over roughly 2 feet, geogrid layers go between courses per the block maker’s table and the engineer’s callouts. Grid length is usually 60 to 100 percent of wall height, placed flat and taut into the compacted backfill. Corners and curves need careful grid overlap and staggering. If the wall supports a driveway, we increase grid length and sometimes density.

Backfill and compaction. We place structural fill in thin lifts, compact, and repeat. We never backfill with topsoil behind the structural zone. The first foot or two behind the wall is stone, then a transition to compactable fill. The final foot near the surface can receive topsoil for planting, but only after proper structural backfill.

Finish. We cap block tops with adhesive, set copings, grade the upper slope, and redirect surface water away from the wall. If a fence or guardrail is required, posts do not pierce the wall face; they sit in footings behind the geogrid zone or in engineered sleeves.

This sequence does not change much across materials, but the details do. Boulder walls, for example, rely more on keying stones into each other and using chinks to lock faces. CMU walls rely on steel and grout with a drained backfill.

Can a landscaper build my retaining wall, or do I need a specialist?

Many landscapers build short, simple retaining walls. The difference is scale, soil handling, and liability. A small garden wall with two to three courses of block is well within a landscape crew’s scope. A 100-foot wall at three to five feet tall, especially on clay or supporting a driveway, requires experience with base prep, grid, drainage, and inspection. That is where you benefit from a retaining wall specialist or a landscape company that does structural walls weekly.

Here are the signals you are talking to the right team in Asheville:

• They discuss soil type, not just block color. If they mention clay behavior, groundwater, and frost depth, that is a good sign.
• They bring up geogrid and can show install photos with grid layers exposed.
• They provide a cut sheet or manufacturer’s spec table for the chosen block and match it to your wall height and surcharge.
• They discuss pipe outlets and daylight points, and show how surface water will bypass the wall.
• They are comfortable bringing in an engineer for any wall over four feet or with a load at the top.

If a landscaper says “we don’t need drainage” or “we always bury a French drain and call it good,” keep interviewing. A proper drain is not a buried mystery; it has visible outlets or a clear daylight path.

Realistic cost breakdown for a 100-foot wall

Pricing varies by site, but a typical 100-foot by 3-foot segmental block wall with one gentle curve, built in the Asheville area with reasonable access, often breaks down like this:

• Materials: $3,000 to $7,500 for block, caps, geogrid, drain pipe, fabric, and gravel. The spread depends on block brand and face texture.
• Labor and equipment: $6,000 to $15,000. This covers excavation, compaction, setting block, backfill, and site cleanup. Curves, corners, and stairs add time.
• Haul off and disposal: $600 to $2,000 depending on spoils volume and travel distance.
• Mobilization and access fixes: $500 to $2,000 if we need to protect driveways, build temporary ramps, or move fences.
• Permits and engineering (if applicable): $0 to $3,500. If the wall is under four feet with no surcharge, you may not need this. If you do, it is worth the spend.

Total: $10,000 to $28,000 for that specific scope. You land near the low end with easy, straight runs and near the high end with curves, poor access, or fancier block.

For a 100-foot boulder wall at 3 to 4 feet tall, materials and machine time push total costs into the $18,000 to $40,000 range due to tonnage, trucking, and the excavator work required to seat each stone properly.

Permits and code in Asheville and nearby towns

Most jurisdictions in Western North Carolina flag retaining walls at four feet of height (measured from finished grade at the low side) for permits and engineering. If a wall supports a driveway, building, pool, or fence, permitting can kick in below four feet. Property line setbacks also matter; many walls must sit a certain distance from a boundary unless an engineered design shows stability within your lot.

Buncombe County and the City of Asheville often require:

• Permit if the wall is over four feet or supports a surcharge.
• Engineered drawings with soil parameters, geogrid layout, and drainage details.
• Inspections at footing or base stage and at completion for engineered walls.

If you hire “retaining wall installers near me,” ask them who handles permit paperwork and inspections. A seasoned builder has relationships with inspectors and engineers and keeps your project moving.

How drainage and soil shift your budget

Western North Carolina soils swing from sandy loam on some river terraces to heavy red clay on slopes. Clay holds water. Water adds weight. That is why drainage is non-negotiable. If your site collects runoff from uphill neighbors or a roof line, we add swales or catch basins to move water around the wall. This work adds hundreds to a few thousand dollars depending on trenching and tie-ins, but it pays for itself by preventing bulges or frost heave.

Soil type also affects compaction. Clay needs moisture at the right level to compact well. Too dry and it crumbles; too wet and it pumps under the compactor. Good crews adjust, or they bring in structural fill where native soil will not perform. Importing and compacting structural fill raises cost, but it makes the wall last.

Access, staging, and the Asheville terrain factor

A 100-foot wall requires space for pallets of block or boulders, piles of gravel, and spoils. In tighter Asheville neighborhoods like West Asheville, Montford, or Kenilworth, access often limits equipment size. Smaller machines mean more trips and more hours. If we cannot get a skid steer to the wall line, we hand-carry block or use a buggy, which raises labor. On hillside lots in North Asheville or Fairview, we may need to cut a temporary access path and restore it later. Plan for this in both budget and timeline.

Driveways and patios also need protection. We use ground mats to avoid cracking or ruts. If we cross septic fields or utilities, we stage differently and sometimes change the build sequence. A site walk with a builder who points out these issues is worth your time.

Timelines you can expect

For a 100-foot wall at 3 to 4 feet tall with decent access, the active build often runs 5 to 10 working days, assuming dry weather. Add a few days if you need permits, engineering, or weather delays. Boulder walls move quickly once stone is on site, but trucking schedules can stretch timelines. CMU and veneer add curing time and extra steps.

Most of our Asheville clients want work done before heavy spring rains or before winter. Fall is ideal: soils are workable, summer growth slows, and you enter the wet months with solid drainage.

Where it is smart to save and where it is not

You can choose a simpler block face to save material dollars without sacrificing structure. Straight runs cost less than curves. Keeping the wall under four feet can reduce soft costs if your layout allows it. Reusing suitable excavated soil for backfill beyond the structural zone also helps.

Do not cut corners on base stone, drainage pipe, or geogrid. Do not bury outlets or skip fabric separation in clay. Avoid stacking block on un-compacted soil or on a skim of sand. These shortcuts fail.

One more place to avoid saving: mixing block brands or using off-spec grid. Manufacturer systems are tested as a package. Following their charts gives you a predictable result.

Signs a failing wall is costing you more than a rebuild

We see the same early warnings across Asheville job sites: bulges at mid-height, leaning courses, capping stones that pop off, and standing water behind the wall after a storm. If you see fresh soil seep through joints or efflorescence streaks, the drain is likely clogged or missing. Timber walls rot from the back first; you might notice mushrooms or soft spots. If your driveway edge settles near the top of a wall, that is a surcharge problem. These are repairable if caught early. Once movement starts, the price of a full rebuild is often within ten to twenty percent of a complex patch, and the new wall will outlast the old by decades.

Landscaping, planting, and how to make the wall look like it belongs

A retaining wall can look harsh if it sits alone. In Asheville, most homeowners blend walls with native or adapted plants. For a 3- to 4-foot wall, low evergreen groundcovers and ornamental grasses soften the top edge and tolerate reflected heat from stone. If deer visit your yard, choose deer-resistant varieties like dwarf yaupon holly, liriope, and carex. We leave a planting strip at the top with good soil but keep woody roots out of the structural zone. Irrigation should avoid soaking the backfill; drip lines with careful zoning work well.

For boulder walls, pockets between stones invite ferns and sedums. These plantings help with small surface runoff and add a settled look from day one.

Answers to common Asheville homeowner questions

Can I build a retaining wall right on my property line? It depends on local rules and your neighbor’s grade. Many codes require setback unless you have an engineered design and a recorded agreement. It is better to stay a few feet inside your line if you can.

Can I terrace instead of building one tall wall? Yes. Two 3-foot walls separated by a 3- to 4-foot planting terrace can be more stable and friendlier to code than one 6-foot wall. The terrace must be wide enough to break the failure plane and allow planting or access.

Will a fence on top increase cost? Yes. A fence adds a surcharge and needs posts set behind the reinforced zone or engineered sleeves. Plan for this early so the wall and fence do not fight each other.

Do I need French drains uphill of the wall? If you have surface water flowing toward the wall, we grade a swale or install a drain to catch it. The wall drain handles water within the backfill, not all the hillside runoff.

How do winter freezes affect my wall? Frost heave hurts poor bases and wet backfill. A deep, compacted base and clean stone backfill with working drains limit freeze-thaw movement. Our region sees enough freeze cycles to justify careful base work.

A quick pre-project checklist

• Measure the true height and length you need, including any steps or curves.
• Note what sits above the wall: driveway, patio, slope, fence, or structure.
• Check access for equipment and material staging.
• Ask each bidder to describe base depth, drainage plan, and geogrid layout in writing.
• Confirm who handles permits, engineering, and inspections if required.

Why many Asheville homeowners choose a specialist rather than a general landscaper

Landscapers keep yards beautiful. Some build structural walls well. The risk sits with walls that hold real loads or stretch 100 feet or more. A wall failure costs more than the original install and can threaten nearby features. Specialists bring build templates refined across many sites with similar soils and slopes. They plan water paths, not just stone stacks. They also carry the right insurance for structural work and can stand behind the wall for years.

If you are searching for retaining wall installers near me and you live in Asheville, North Asheville, West Asheville, Weaverville, Arden, Fletcher, or Black Mountain, look for a team that documents the build sequence and welcomes site-specific questions. We do, and we are happy to walk you through past projects in neighborhoods like Kenilworth, Biltmore Forest, and Reynolds Mountain so you can see the difference in person.

Budget planning for a 100-foot project this season

Set a realistic budget based on height and material. For many 100-foot walls at 3 to 4 feet, plan $18,000 to $35,000 for SRW or boulder. If you need permits and an engineer, add time and $1,000 to $3,500. If your yard is tight, add a buffer for access solutions. Then decide whether aesthetics or longevity carry more weight for you. If you want a price lock, book site visits before heavy spring demand. Material lead times and trucking can stretch in April and May.

We recommend you get two detailed bids with line items for base, drainage, grid, backfill, and disposal. If a bid gives only a lump sum without scope detail, ask the contractor to break it down. This protects you and keeps everyone clear on what is https://www.functionalfoundationga.com/retaining-wall-contractors-asheville-nc included.

Ready to plan your wall?

If your yard needs a 100-foot run that will hold up through Asheville rains and freeze-thaw cycles, we can help. Our team builds SRW, boulder, CMU, and veneer walls across Buncombe and surrounding counties, and we handle engineering and permitting when required. Share a few photos and rough dimensions, or ask for a site visit. We will give you a clear scope, a line-item estimate, and a schedule that respects your property and your time.

Searches for retaining wall installers near me bring up a long list. Talk with the team that explains the why, not just the what. If you are in Asheville, North Asheville, West Asheville, Biltmore Lake, Woodfin, or Fairview, reach out today to schedule your consultation.