How Much Does a Brick Wall Cost in 2024?

Brick or Stone Wall Fence Cost per Square Foot

Brick walls cost $15 to $60 per square foot based on thickness and type, while stone walls typically cost $10 to $75 per square foot depending on their thickness and style. Cinder block walls cost $15 to $130 per square foot, while the cost per block for traditional cinder blocks is $1 to $5.

Brick and Stone Installation Cost Factors 

There are a few factors to consider when determining brick costs for an upcoming project. Here are a few to keep in mind:

Materials

Without a doubt, the type of brick or stone you want to use for your wall will influence your project’s cost. But besides the material itself, the design you choose and its complexity will also increase the cost of your project through additional material and labor fees.

For instance, your project will cost less if you want a simple brick wall versus stone if you want one with a textured pattern. Also, if you decide to finish your brick or cinder block wall with a stucco or smooth stucco finish, that would add another layer of material and labor fees. 

Location

The location where you want your brick or stone wall installed will play a role in the project’s final price. If your land is uneven, difficult to navigate, or more complex to work with than most properties, you’ll pay more in labor fees. 

Building Permits

You’ll need a permit to build a brick or stone wall on your property. But the price will depend on its location, type, and size. On average, building permits cost $150 to $1,500. 

Land Survey 

When building a wall around your property line, you need to know your land’s exact layout to avoid legal or neighborly trouble. Most homeowners spend $400 to $800 on the cost of land surveyor fees. 

Drainage Solution 

Another factor that will impact your project’s cost is a drainage solution. Your brick or stone wall needs proper drainage to avoid erosions, flooding, or soil-related issues. Drainage solutions cost anywhere from $500 to $13,000 to install.

Footing and Foundation

To avoid your wall from collapsing under its weight, you’ll need to install a foundation or concrete footer. The actual price you can expect to pay for footing and foundation depends on the size and weight of your wall. On average, concrete footers can cost $15 to $55 per linear foot. 

Structural Engineer

To ensure your wall’s structural integrity, you may need to hire an engineer. Structural engineer rates are between $100 and $220 per hour, or 1% to 5% of the total construction cost of your new wall.

Brick Costs

Homeowners typically pay $625 for 1,000 bricks. On average, bricks cost $350 to $900 for 1,000 bricks.

Brick Project Costs

Brick Wall

Brick walls cost $8 to $60 per square foot depending on the type you choose: 

• Brick walls cost $15 to $60 per square foot. Traditional brick fences cost between $20 and $40 per square foot. 

• Veneer averages $15 to $20 per square foot. This one brick-thick (four inches) wall acts as a veneer against a steel or wood frame. Also known as a “Wythe.”

• Thin brick veneer costs $8 to $18 per square foot. These are about one inch thick and get stuck to a wall using a thin-set or similar cementing process. They add far less overall weight to the wall than a Wythe.

• Hollow brick costs $15 to $30 per square foot. 

Brick Fence Cost

A brick fence costs between $20 and $40 per square foot. Certain factors will help you accurately estimate your project’s total for building a brick fence, such as design, size, and location. 

Garden Wall

A garden brick fence costs $15 to $20 per square foot of wall surface when using natural clay material and $15 to $30 per square foot for concrete blocks. If you want a raised garden bed as well, expect to pay $1,400 to $3,500 for a five-foot by 12-foot bed made out of brick. 

Privacy Wall

Brick walls are an excellent choice for homeowners who want an attractive fence that can provide privacy for them and their families. The average cost to install a privacy wall is $35 to $45 per square foot or $210 to $360 per linear foot. 

Retaining Wall

Your property might need a retaining wall to help support the soil behind it and create level ground where it naturally wasn’t before, help with drainage, or create water features. Retaining walls cost $3,000 to $6,000 on average. Retaining wall installation requires an engineer when a retaining wall is over 4 feet tall. 

Interior Wall 

Interior brick walls are rarely made of real brick but instead are a thin veneer, so an interior brick wall costs $8 to $18 per square foot to install. 

Column or Pillar

The cost of a brick column or pillar is based on the type of column you want to build. If you want to build an ornamental brick column, it’ll cost $500 to $1,800. But if you need a structural column, it can typically cost you $2,000 to $6,000. 

Labor Costs

The recommended professional when building a solid brick wall is a mason. Masons charge $40 to $100 per hour. For thin veneer or a single wythe over concrete or wood, the labor runs $50 to $150 per hour for general contractors or carpenters. Doing an interior wall on a home is a specialized process, so it’s important to hire a skilled pro.

Stone Project Costs

Rock Wall Cost

Homeowners typically pay $10 to $75 per square foot to install a rock wall. However, the type of stone you want for your wall will impact the actual price you’ll pay. For a rock wall with natural stone tiles, stone workers charge $25 to $75 per square foot, while stone veneer averages $4 to $18 per square foot. 

Fieldstone Fence or Dry Stack Stone Wall Cost

Installing a fieldstone fence or dry stack stone wall costs $20 to $60 per square foot; factors such as size and stone type will give you a more accurate estimate. 

Accent Wall Cost

It’ll cost $1,000 to $4,500 to install a 100-square-foot stone accent wall in your home. Unless your home can support the weight of real stones, your contractor will use stone veneers. If you do want to use real stone, you’ll need to modify your home to handle the load capacity. 

Pillars

Installing stone pillars will cost $1,300 to $3,000 per pillar and can reach up to $5,000 each for solid natural stone. Factors such as stone and frame type, structural integrity, and project size will impact your final cost. 

Labor Costs

Masons charge anywhere from $40 to $100 per hour for labor, materials not included. Carpenters and other general contractors (or less experienced masons) might charge as little as $30 to $50 per hour, but this is uncommon. Hourly rates also vary from place to place. Depending on materials, about 60% to 80% of stone wall costs come from labor, especially if you source stones locally.

• Natural Stone: $15 to $30+ per square foot in labor

• Stone Veneer: $10 to $15 per square foot in labor

Additional Brick Wall Costs

Beyond the costs of labor and materials, you may have to pay for additional costs to construct a brick wall. Additional costs include:

Block Wall Costs

If you’re only planning to put brick veneer on a wall, you’ll still need to pay for the inner, structural wall beneath the surface. Cinder block walls cost $15 to $30 per square foot, or $60 to $240 per linear foot.

Wall Finishes Costs

If you’re interested in adding a finish to your brick or stone wall, here are some prices you can expect: 

• Stucco costs $7 to $17 per square foot

• Wood siding costs $2 to $6 per square foot, depending on the type of wood

• Thin brick siding costs $8 to $18 per square foot

• Painting bricks costs $2.25 to $4.20 per square foot

Budgeting for Building a Brick Wall

Building a brick wall is relatively inexpensive when it comes to material, but because of the time and effort required, the labor costs can add up quickly. Here are a few ways to make a new brick wall project more budget-friendly without compromising on quality, reducing the odds that you’ll need to pay brick repair costs in the future:

• To ensure quality work is done right the first time, hire a local bricklayer who is certified by a relevant authority (e.g., Mason Contractors Association of America, American Concrete Institute, etc.).

• When determining the size of brick wall you want, see if you can adjust it to accommodate for king or queen-sized bricks, which are larger and require less mortar and labor to build with.

• Consider opting for rougher, “antiqued” bricks, which cost less and don’t need to be installed as precisely as regular bricks.

• When possible, avoid curved surfaces, which add to the cost of labor and materials.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.