Retaining Wall Cost in Frisco by Wall Type
Depending on the project, a retaining wall in Frisco runs $13 to $100 per square foot of wall face, installed. Where your wall lands in that range comes down to the material, the height and the site. Here is what each wall type and service runs:
- Block (segmental): $15 to $50 per square foot of wall face, installed. See block retaining walls.
- Natural stone or boulder: $20 to $100 per square foot, installed, the widest range of any wall type. See stone retaining walls.
- Timber: $13 to $30 per square foot, installed. Railroad ties are creosote-treated and rarely used now. See timber retaining walls.
- Poured concrete: $20 to $40 per square foot, installed.
- Repair: $250 to $1,250 per job. A full remove and rebuild is a different job, at $6,000 to $14,500. See retaining wall repair.
- Drainage: fixing a wall that does not drain runs $60 to $70 per linear foot, done by excavating behind the wall. See retaining wall drainage.
- Engineering: $500 to $750 per wall, or $100 to $220 per hour.
Want these numbers turned into a price for your yard? Call or send the form for a free on-site estimate.
What a Whole Retaining Wall Project Costs
Per-square-foot prices help compare materials. For budgeting, project totals help more:
- A typical complete retaining wall project runs about $3,200 to $9,400.
- All in, a retaining wall runs $20 to $65 per square foot of wall face.
- Where Frisco requires a permit, the city adds $150 per wall.
- Where the wall is tall enough to need an engineered design, engineering adds $500 to $750 per wall.
Call or send the form, and the free on-site estimate gives you the number for your wall.
What Drives Retaining Wall Cost in Frisco
These are the things that move the price. Each one gets checked at the free on-site estimate.
Height. Walls over 4 feet need engineering, permits and deeper foundations, and Frisco draws its lines lower: a retaining wall taller than 36 inches must follow a design submitted by a registered engineer, and the no-permit exemption covers only masonry retaining walls under 24 inches.
Material. The list at the top of this page and the price table show the range for each wall type.
Length. The length of the wall moves the price.
Access. Tight or difficult sites need more manual labor.
Slope. Sloped yards may need terracing, adding 50% or more, and sloped terrain can raise labor by 50% or more.
Soil. Clay-heavy soil can raise excavation labor by up to 50%, and walls built on clay often need extra reinforcement. Houston Black clay is the largest soil mapped in Collin County, where part of Frisco sits.
Drainage. Drainage is part of the price, and adding it behind an existing wall runs $60 to $70 per linear foot.
Removing an old wall. Demolition runs $15 to $30 per linear foot.
The free on-site estimate looks at each of these. Call or send the form to book it.
Permit and Engineering Costs for Retaining Walls in Frisco
Frisco’s consolidated fee schedule, effective 10/1/2026, sets the retaining wall permit fee at $150 per wall, or $300 per subdivision. The fee doubles when work starts before the permit is obtained.
Frisco’s code says no permit is required for a masonry retaining wall less than 24 inches tall; ask the city whether your wall counts as masonry. A retaining wall taller than 36 inches must follow a design submitted by a registered engineer, and that engineering runs $500 to $750 per wall.
At the state level, the Texas engineering statute’s exemption for plans for private dwellings and the structures that go with them does not mention retaining walls, so the city’s 36-inch rule is the one to plan around.
Frisco also requires contractors to hold a valid Frisco contractor registration and obtain a permit to work in the city. Permits go through Development Services, Building Inspections; check the current rules there before building.
How to Get Your Retaining Wall Price in Frisco
Every range on this page is a starting point. The real number depends on your wall, and the way to get it is to measure.
The free on-site estimate covers:
- the height and length of the wall, and whether it crosses Frisco’s permit or engineering lines;
- the material you want, priced next to an alternative if that helps;
- the slope, soil and access along the wall line;
- where water comes from and where it can drain;
- any old wall that has to come out.
Your price is set at the free on-site estimate. Call us Mon–Sat 8–6 or send the form to set it up.