A concrete block wall fence costs more up front than wood or vinyl, but it is usually the last fence you buy. Here is what drives the price of a block wall in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco and West Richland, and what to ask for when you compare quotes.
Ballpark price for a block wall fence
National cost guides put installed concrete block walls at roughly $15 to $20 per square foot. For a standard 6-foot privacy wall, that works out to about $90 to $120 per linear foot before extras like stucco, caps or decorative block (Inch Calculator cost guide).
So a 100-foot back-yard wall often lands somewhere around $9,000 to $12,000 for plain gray block, and more for split-face or colored block with pilasters and caps. Your real number depends on the site, so treat this as a starting point, not a quote.
What changes the price
- Length and height. Most of the cost is block and labor per square foot of wall, so a 6-foot wall costs roughly twice a 3-foot wall of the same length.
- Footing. Every block wall sits on a poured concrete footing below the frost line. Sandy or disturbed soil, common in parts of the Tri-Cities, can mean a wider or deeper footing.
- Reinforcement. Rebar and grout in the block cores add cost but are what keep a tall wall standing in our wind.
- Block style. Plain gray block is the most affordable. Split-face, colored block, pilasters and decorative caps cost more.
- Finish. Stucco or paint is an extra step and an extra cost per square foot.
- Removal and access. Tearing out and hauling away an old wood fence, or a yard with tight access for equipment, adds labor.
Block wall vs. wood or vinyl over 20 years
A wood fence is cheaper on day one, but it needs stain, new boards and eventually full replacement. Vinyl does not rot, but panels can crack or blow out in high wind. A properly built block wall has no boards to replace and no panels to blow down, so its cost over 20 to 30 years is often close to, or lower than, a wood fence you replace once. It also blocks more noise and dust.
What to ask for in a quote
- Footing size and depth
- Rebar size and spacing, and which cells are grouted
- Block type, caps and pilasters as separate lines
- Demolition and haul-off of the old fence
- Whether a permit is needed and who pulls it
An itemized quote makes it easy to compare contractors fairly. Also check your city’s height rules first: in Kennewick and Richland most back and side yard fences can go up to 6 feet, but front yard fences are much lower. See our guide to fence and retaining wall rules in Kennewick and Richland.
Get a block wall quote
Planning a block wall, fence or retaining wall in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco or West Richland? Request a free quote or call (509) 438-4570.