Retaining Wall Cost

It is a known fact, that retaining walls are built to prevent landslides, soil erosion and land mass disintegration. The basic function of such a wall is to hold soil in place and preserve the natural shape of land. Retaining walls are commonplace in mountains and winding roads, as they hold up the shape of hill, prevent soil erosion and refrain the down-slope movement of large landmasses. From the point of view of physics, retaining walls restrict the effect of gravity on mountainous structures and also prevent them from getting eroded. Building a really good, long-lasting and sturdy retaining wall is important as a slight mistake may turn into a disaster. A cost per foot is the cost unit that is employed by many engineers for costing purposes. There are other factors that one must be aware of before building a retaining wall. Some factors that you need to thoroughly consider and analyze include the following.

• Strength of the wall
• Length
• Material of construction
• Climatic conditions
• Size and surface area of the land mass that is to be withheld

These are some primary factors, but the entire design is quite complex due to which, you need to consult a civil and structural engineer to get perfect dimensions and specifications. After all the wall has to stand firm, and should be able to withstand any weather conditions.

How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost?

Depending upon its load-bearing capacity and size, the material of construction of the wall varies. In some places it is safe to construct a simple wall with lumber or even boulders. However, in others you will definitely require a wall that is made up of enforced concrete and solid metallic foundations. Here's an overview of the different options that will help you in cost computation of a retaining wall.

• Retaining walls with low strength were conventionally built with the help of timber. However, due to the recent reduction in forest cover, engineers have come up with an ingenious idea of making pre-cast block walls. Made with the help of enforced concrete, the blocks are designed in such a manner that they interlock into each other, thereby forming the entire wall. The cost of building such a wall would be about $15 to $30 per square feet. In addition to that, you may also have to consider labor and foundation cost.
• As mentioned above, wooden or timber walls are going out of practice. However, if your local government permits a plain timber wall, then it might cost you about $20 to $30 per square feet.
• The structure of the wall is something that you should view quite seriously. A wall with metal foundation and enforced concrete is the most expensive one. The cost in such a case, will be as high as $50 per square feet. There are however some variants that you might want to consider. A concrete wall with simple foundation might also come at a low price of around $35 per square feet. However, more complex the design gets, more is the price rate.
• A stone wall is also not a very bad option. In such a scenario, you may also build a simple wall with stones held together by a high tension mesh. The second option is that you may enforce it with concrete. In such a case the cost may vary from $30 to $40.

It must be noted that the above costs are mere estimates calculated upon building material costs. However, other costs are also involved while building a retaining wall, such as labor cost, that vary according to the location of the wall. Building a retaining wall is not at all a simple task and you will need to do a lot of groundwork before you actually build the wall.