Retaining wall estimating software and retaining wall estimator tool for hardscape contractors
LandscapeEstimating is retaining wall estimating software for contractors who build segmental block walls and sell them on a proposal. You draw the wall run on satellite imagery, the length comes back in linear feet, and a wall assembly built from your own numbers prices block, cap, drainage aggregate, drain pipe, fabric, labor hours, overhead and margin per foot. The client gets a branded proposal with the traced map and signs online. Plans start at $129 a month per company.
The problem
The wall is easy to sell and easy to underprice.
Why retaining wall estimates lose money
A retaining wall bid looks simple on the phone: how long, how tall, what block. The money goes missing in the parts the client never sees.
A manufacturer's block calculator answers the first question, how many units. It does not know your crew rate, your overhead or the margin you need on a 3 foot wall with a curve in it.
- The buried course gets left out, so the block count is short by a full row on every wall.
- Drainage aggregate behind the wall is priced as "a few tons" instead of a volume per foot.
- Cap block, drain pipe and filter fabric are added from memory, or not at all.
- Labor is quoted in days rather than feet per man-hour, so a wall with tight access costs the same as an open one.
- The estimate lives in a spreadsheet, and the proposal is retyped into a Word file the client cannot sign.
How it works
Trace, price, propose, sign.
How retaining wall estimating works in LandscapeEstimating
- Search the US property address and the satellite map opens on the parcel.
- Pick the Wall layer and click along the wall run. Curves are just more points, and the length updates in linear feet as you draw.
- The wall prices from your cost library. On Crew that is one cost per foot and a production rate in feet per man-hour; on Company and above it is a full wall assembly with waste.
- Patio, steps, planting beds and gravel paths behind the wall go on the same estimate as their own layers.
- Send a branded proposal with the traced map. The client opens it, picks an option and signs online, and you can download it as a PDF.
Aerial imagery gets you a defensible length from the office. Wall height, grade change and soil conditions still come from the site, so confirm them before the proposal turns into a block order. Our landscape takeoff software page covers tracing accuracy in more detail.
Wall assemblies
One assembly per wall type and height.
Retaining wall block estimator built from your own numbers
An assembly is a priced recipe tied to a layer. For walls you build one per wall type and exposed height, for example "Segmental wall, 3 ft exposed", and each item carries a quantity per linear foot, a unit cost and a waste factor. Up to eight items per assembly, up to twenty assemblies per company.
| Item in the assembly | Unit | Quantity per linear foot | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall block, 6 in. course | each | 4.67 | 7 courses (6 exposed plus 1 buried) of 18 in. long block |
| Cap block | each | 0.67 | One cap per 18 in. of wall |
| Drainage aggregate | ton | 0.23 | 12 in. drain zone the full 3.5 ft height plus a 24 in. by 6 in. leveling pad |
| Perforated drain pipe | ft | 1 | One run along the back of the wall |
| Filter fabric | sq ft | 3.5 | Between the drain zone and the retained soil |
| Geogrid | sq ft | as engineered | Added when the manufacturer chart or engineer calls for it |
These quantities are a starting point for a 3 foot exposed segmental wall with 6 inch block. Your block size, buried depth and drain zone replace them. A 4 foot wall gets its own assembly, so the estimator picks "4 ft" instead of doing the math again. Taller walls, surcharge loads and walls near structures need an engineered design first; the software prices that design, it does not replace it.
Worked example
60 feet, 3 feet exposed, one sitting.
Retaining wall estimate example for a 60 foot block wall
A homeowner in a sloped backyard wants a 60 foot segmental wall, 3 feet exposed, to level a lawn. The numbers below use example costs, 5% waste on block, 10% on aggregate and pipe, a $58 loaded labor rate, 12% overhead and a 25% target margin. Your own library replaces all of them.
| Line | Quantity from the trace | Example cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall block | 294 units | $4.50 each | $1,323.00 |
| Cap block | 42 units | $6.00 each | $252.00 |
| Drainage aggregate | 15.2 tons | $45 a ton | $684.00 |
| Drain pipe | 66 ft | $1.20 a foot | $79.20 |
| Filter fabric | 210 sq ft | $0.15 a sq ft | $31.50 |
| Labor | 40 man-hours at 1.5 ft per hour | $58 an hour | $2,320.00 |
| Overhead | 12% of materials and labor | $562.76 | |
| Price at 25% margin | $7,003.28 |
That is about $117 per linear foot, or about $39 per square foot of exposed face. If the client asks what a 4 foot wall would cost, swap the assembly and the whole line reprices with the same trace. Add the patio above the wall as a second option and the client sees both on one proposal, which is where most good / better / best upsells happen. The method behind the labor line is on our landscape production rates page.
Who it's for
Contractors who build walls for a living.
Who buys retaining wall estimating software
If your work is mostly patios, walks and full backyard builds, the landscape construction estimating software page covers base depth, pavers and good / better / best proposals for the whole project, and paver estimating software works a paver driveway from base to joint sand.
- Hardscape contractors who bid segmental block walls, seat walls and steps every week.
- Design-build landscape companies where the wall is one line in a bigger install with pavers, plantings and lighting.
- Landscape companies adding walls as an enhancement on maintenance accounts with sloped yards.
- Estimators who answer several wall leads a week and want a price out the same day instead of after a site visit.
Compare
Calculator, spreadsheet or estimator.
Retaining wall estimator tools compared
There are three common ways contractors price a wall today. Each one fits a different job.
| Tool | Measuring | Prices from your labor, overhead and margin | Proposal and e-sign | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LandscapeEstimating | Trace the wall on satellite imagery | Yes, per line, any block brand | Branded proposal, online signature, PDF | From $129 a month per company |
| Manufacturer estimating tools (for example Allan Block) | Your own measurements, some import a traced layout | Material counts and pricing for that brand's systems | Proposal output varies by tool | Free with the brand |
| Spreadsheet template | Tape, wheel or a free map tool | Yes, if you maintain the formulas | Retyped into a document | Your time |
Where manufacturer tools win: block counts and wall design details for their own product line, at no cost. Where a spreadsheet wins: total control, if one person owns it. Where we win: one estimate for the wall and everything around it, priced from your numbers with any block, and a proposal the client signs the same day.
Plans
Priced per company, not per user.
Retaining wall estimating software pricing
Satellite measuring, the Wall layer, the cost library and e-signed proposals are on every plan. Wall assemblies with waste factors start on Company.
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | Estimator seats | Satellite measurements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | $129 | $64 a month | 2 | 60 a month |
| Company | $299 | $149 a month | 6 | 250 a month |
| Operations | $649 | $324 a month | 15 | 800 a month |
Company also adds job costing, QuickBooks Online export and the AI scope writer. Full details are on the pricing page.
FAQ
- How do you estimate a retaining wall?
Measure the wall length and exposed height, add the buried course, then count block per linear foot, cap per foot, drainage aggregate by volume, drain pipe, fabric and geogrid where required. Labor comes from a production rate in feet per man-hour. Add overhead and your target margin to reach the price per foot.
- How much should I charge per linear foot for a retaining wall?
It depends on block, height, access and your costs. In our worked example a 3 foot exposed segmental wall prices at about $117 per linear foot, or about $39 per square foot of face, at a 25% margin. Build the number from your own block cost, labor rate and overhead rather than a regional average.
- How many blocks do I need for a retaining wall?
Divide the wall length by the block face length to get blocks per course, then multiply by the number of courses, including one buried course. With 18 inch long, 6 inch tall block, a 3 foot exposed wall needs about 4.7 block per linear foot before waste. Caps are counted separately.
- How much gravel goes behind a retaining wall?
A common detail is a 12 inch drainage zone of clean aggregate the full height of the wall plus a compacted leveling pad. For a 3 foot exposed wall that is just under a quarter ton per linear foot. Check the block manufacturer's installation guide, since the drain zone and pad size vary by system.
- Is there an app to estimate retaining walls?
Yes. Block manufacturers offer free estimating tools for their own systems, and estimating software like LandscapeEstimating prices any block from your own labor rate, overhead and margin. You trace the wall on satellite imagery, the wall assembly prices it, and the client signs the proposal online.
- Can I measure a retaining wall from satellite imagery?
You can measure the length of a planned or existing wall run from satellite imagery, including curves. Height, grade change and soil conditions are not visible from above, so confirm them on site before ordering block. Most contractors trace from the office to price the lead, then verify at the site visit.
Get started
Price your next retaining wall from a satellite trace today
Trace a wall on a real US address, see the length in linear feet and check what your numbers say it should cost. When it prices the way you build, create your account and send the proposal for signature.