Hey everyone! I have a failing retaining wall made of cinder blocks that's about 100 ft long and 3.5 ft high. It's meant to hold back a hill from encroaching on my house, and I'm considering upgrading to Cambridge Sigma 8 blocks since that's what my wife wants (she's been pushing for this!), but I want to know how much I should expect to spend. I know I'll need a solid foundation with rebar and a footing below the frost line. I'm located in central NJ. Any thoughts on what this might cost?
3 Answers
Ballpark? Around $40k. You have about $7k in block materials, plus costs for stabilizing and backfilling, equipment rental, labor, and a $5k footing. Keep in mind that costs can vary widely by area, but this should give you a solid starting point!
From what I've seen, if you grade it down to about 3 ft, you might not even need a footer or rebar, depending on local regulations. A lot of those shorter walls fail because they weren't properly set up. Make sure the wall is backfilled with drain rock and has a drain tube at the bottom. I haven't contracted one out myself, so I can't give you exact costs, but remember that each site is unique. Accessibility and equipment will greatly influence the price!
I’d say you’re looking at around $20k as a rough estimate for this setup. Just an idea!