French drain cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (60 linear ft)
- $600 – $2,100
- Per linear ft
- $10 – $35
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $1,100
- McAllen, TX
- Priciest metro
- $1,900
- San Francisco, CA
A French drain runs $600 to $2,100 nationally for 60 linear ft, or $10 to $35 per linear ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $1,100 in McAllen, TX to $1,900 in San Francisco, CA.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in the US average, standard level
$1,050 to $1,650
About $17.50 to $27.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $500 | $790 |
| Labor | $550 | $860 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $290 | $650 | $1,000 | 48% |
| Labor | $310 | $700 | $1,100 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$600 to $1,200
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,050 to $1,650
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,500 to $2,100
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $300 – $600 | $530 – $830 | $750 – $1,050 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $600 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,650 | $1,500 – $2,100 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,200 – $2,400 | $2,100 – $3,300 | $3,000 – $4,200 |
How a French drain job goes, step by step
- Find where the water goes. Watch the yard during rain. A drain needs a place to discharge: daylight, a dry well or a storm line.
- Trench with a constant slope. Trenches fall at least about one percent along their length. Depth and width vary with the soil and the pipe.
- Line, pipe, and backfill. Fabric, perforated pipe and clean washed stone are the standard layers, topped with soil or sod.
- Tie in downspouts and test. Running water through the system shows whether it drains.
What changes the price of a French drain
Exterior versus interior
A shallow exterior French drain is $10-$35 per linear foot; an interior basement drain is $40-$85 per foot, or $4,000-$17,000 installed (HomeGuide).
Where the water goes
A sump pump adds $500-$1,800 and a dry well $50-$3,000+. Discharging to a storm drain can mean extra permit fees.
Depth and soil
Rocky or clay soil and long trenches raise excavation time.
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
Wages behind the national estimate
Construction laborers (47-2061) do the largest share of the work, about 50% of the weighting. Their national median is $22.66 an hour. Among 300 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $15.39 in Dothan, AL to $40.23 in Vineland, NJ, and the middle metro sits at $22.70. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.61 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $22.66 | 1.00 | US |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $23.40 | $28.78 | $37.10 | $28.78 | 1.00 | US |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.15 | $23.56 | $29.52 | $23.56 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Does the season matter for French drain?
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen. Using NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals for 300 metros, 25 have a comfortable season that lasts all year. A typical metro has 8 comfortable months. At the other end, Anchorage, AK, Bozeman, MT, Flagstaff, AZ and Grand Junction, CO have the fewest (5 to 5).
Local pages show a month-by-month table for each metro. We do not change prices by month, because there is no reliable published seasonal price series.
How much the price varies by city
The national midpoint of $1,350 hides a wide spread. 79 of 300 metros come in at least 10% higher and 49 at least 10% lower; 172 land in between. The cheapest, McAllen, is at $1,100, and the dearest, San Francisco, at $1,900. Half of all metros are above $1,350.
Most expensive metros for French drain
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 |
| Kahului, HI | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 |
| Honolulu, HI | $830 – $2,900 | $1,850 |
| San Jose, CA | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 |
| Vineland, NJ | $780 – $2,750 | $1,750 |
| New York, NY | $770 – $2,700 | $1,750 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 |
| Vallejo, CA | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 |
| Seattle, WA | $750 – $2,650 | $1,700 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $750 – $2,600 | $1,700 |
Least expensive metros for French drain
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| McAllen, TX | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $510 – $1,750 | $1,150 |
| Brownsville, TX | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| El Paso, TX | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| Laredo, TX | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| Little Rock, AR | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| Albany, GA | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| Dothan, AL | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| Dalton, GA | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
French drain cost by state
| State | Range (60 linear ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 |
| Alaska | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 |
| Arizona | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Arkansas | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 |
| California | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 |
| Colorado | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 |
| Connecticut | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 |
| Delaware | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 |
| District of Columbia | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 |
| Florida | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 |
| Georgia | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 |
| Hawaii | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 |
| Idaho | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Illinois | $720 – $2,500 | $1,600 |
| Indiana | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 |
| Iowa | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Kansas | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 |
| Kentucky | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Louisiana | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 |
| Maine | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 |
| Maryland | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 |
| Massachusetts | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 |
| Michigan | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 |
| Minnesota | $720 – $2,500 | $1,600 |
| Mississippi | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 |
| Missouri | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 |
| Montana | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Nebraska | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 |
| Nevada | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 |
| New Hampshire | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 |
| New Jersey | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 |
| New Mexico | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 |
| New York | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 |
| North Carolina | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 |
| North Dakota | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Ohio | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 |
| Oklahoma | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 |
| Oregon | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Rhode Island | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 |
| South Carolina | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 |
| South Dakota | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 |
| Tennessee | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 |
| Texas | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 |
| Utah | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Vermont | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 |
| Virginia | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 |
| Washington | $720 – $2,550 | $1,650 |
| West Virginia | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 |
| Wisconsin | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 |
| Wyoming | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 |
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French drain cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain?
$600 to $2,100 for 60 linear ft at national prices, including a permit of $0 to $0.
+What is the average cost per linear ft?
$10 to $35 per linear ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $22.50.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 71% above the cheapest for the same 60 linear ft job. The cheapest is McAllen, TX; the priciest is San Francisco, CA.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 52% at the national midpoint ($700). Materials are 48%.
+What do construction laborers earn on a french drain job?
The national BLS median is $22.66 an hour for construction laborers, with the middle half earning $18.57 to $28.72. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium French drain job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $600 to $1,200 and premium $1,500 to $2,100 for 60 linear ft. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Can French drain work be done in winter?
It depends on where you are. Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen. Using NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals for 300 metros, 25 have a comfortable season that lasts all year. A typical metro has 8 comfortable months. At the other end, Anchorage, AK, Bozeman, MT, Flagstaff, AZ and Grand Junction, CO have the fewest (5 to 5).
Related projects
Largest metros: French drain prices
- New York, NY$1,750 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$1,700 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$1,650 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$1,300 midpoint
- Houston, TX$1,250 midpoint
- Washington, DC$1,400 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$1,450 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$1,250 midpoint
- Miami, FL$1,350 midpoint
- Boston, MA$1,600 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$1,350 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$1,900 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$1,700 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$1,650 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$1,500 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$1,600 midpoint
- Denver, CO$1,400 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$1,600 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$1,300 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$1,400 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$1,550 midpoint
- Austin, TX$1,250 midpoint
- Portland, OR$1,600 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$1,400 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$1,850 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$1,350 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$1,550 midpoint
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a French Drain Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split (44% labor, 48% materials). It is a category average, not a French-drain figure, so the materials line here is a rough one.