Retaining wall cost
What moves the price per metre
Retaining Walls
What moves the price per metre
Retaining walls get priced by the square metre of wall face, and the range is wide - a short timber wall on easy ground is a very different job to an engineered wall holding back a steep bank. Here's what actually drives the number, so you know what you're looking at before you get a quote. If your wall is over 1.5m or carries load above it, it will likely need building consent too.
The things that move the price
Height and length set the size of the job. The material - timber pole, blockwork, concrete crib - changes the rate. Then there's the ground: what you're holding back, how good the access is, whether the wall needs an engineer's design, and the drainage behind it. Two walls the same length can be worlds apart on price once those factors are in.
Don't skip the drainage
Water is what kills retaining walls. A wall built without proper drainage behind it holds back saturated ground it was never designed for, and it fails. We engineer drainage into the build every time - it's not an optional extra, it's the difference between a wall that lasts and one that doesn't.
One contractor, design to finish
We advise at the design stage, carry out the earthworks and drilling, build the retaining wall to your specifications, sort the drainage, and cover the final touches like lawn prep and concrete. One contractor start to finish, so nothing falls between the cracks.
Indicative retaining wall costs
General New Zealand ballparks per square metre of wall face - to set expectations, not a quote from us. Your site, height and material decide the real number.
Timber pole wall
Common residential choice
~$400 - $700 / m²
Engineered / blockwork
Design, height and materials add up
Higher
Drainage & finishing
Not an optional extra
Included in the build
Figures are indicative market ranges at the time of writing, not a Tracktion price list. Every wall is quoted on its own site - call for a free quote.
Common questions
Retaining wall cost
Because cost tracks the area of wall face - height times length - plus the ground behind it. A taller or longer wall holds back more, needs more structure and more drainage.
Free quotes & estimates
Let's get itunderway
Tell us about the site and what you want out of it. We'll advise at the design stage and give you a straight answer on cost and timing.
- Call
- 027 319 9414
- Send an enquiry
- Owner
- Brett Holmes