Cost Guide
How much does a retaining wall cost in Wollongong?
We don't publish a universal metre rate, because it wouldn't be true. Here's what actually moves the number on a Wollongong job.
Why a single rate doesn't work
Two 15 metre walls on two Wollongong blocks can be completely different jobs. One has a driveway alongside it and a machine can reverse straight in. The other is down a set of stairs at the back of a foothill block where everything gets carried by hand.
Any number quoted before someone has seen the site — or at least clear photos of it — is a guess dressed up as a quote.
What moves the price
Wall length
The most obvious one, and the least useful on its own.
Wall height
Height changes footing depth, post spacing and often whether engineering applies.
Material
Concrete sleeper, timber and block systems sit at different price points and different lifespans.
Excavation
Benching, cutting and footing excavation on sloping ground takes time and machinery.
Access
If a machine can't get in, material and spoil move by hand. This is often the single biggest variable.
Removal of the existing wall
Demolition and handling of the old wall, particularly if it's failed and unstable.
Soil disposal
Spoil has to be loaded and taken away. Volume and tip costs add up.
Drainage
Aggregate, ag pipe, geotextile and outlets — non-negotiable, but the scope varies.
Footing and post requirements
Depth, diameter and concrete volume are set by the load, not by preference.
Engineering
Where a design is required, that's an additional cost to allow for.
Machinery access
Machine size available to the site changes both method and duration.
Site slope
Steeper ground means more setout, more handling and more preparation.
Where money is wasted
Cheap walls usually get cheap by skipping the parts you can't see — shallow footings, no drainage layer, no outlet, backfilled with the same clay that came out. It looks identical on handover day and very different after a wet Illawarra summer.
Getting a realistic starting point
Send through photos of the wall, the ground above and behind it, and the access to the site, plus a rough length and height. That's usually enough for us to give you a sensible range before anyone comes out.
Send us photos for a starting point
Send through a couple of photos and we'll get a better idea of the site.
Call us, or use the quote form. Photos of the wall, the ground behind it and the access tell us more than a description ever will.
More
Other retaining wall work
Retaining Wall Construction
New retaining walls for residential sites across Wollongong and the Illawarra.
Concrete Sleeper Walls
Concrete sleeper systems with galvanised posts, where the site suits them.
Timber Sleeper Walls
Timber systems for garden and lower-level retaining where appropriate.
Block Retaining Walls
Masonry and segmental block systems for the right applications.
Retaining Wall Replacement
Removing and replacing failed, leaning or deteriorated walls.
Retaining Wall Repairs
Repairs only where repair is genuinely the right call.
Excavation & Drainage
Excavation, site prep, ag pipe and behind-wall drainage.