French drain cost in Alabama
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $530 – $1,850
- Per linear ft
- $8.85 – $31
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 9
Alabama prices for French drain: $530 to $1,850 for 60 linear ft, or $8.85 to $31 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 12% below the national one. Local wages for construction laborers are $17.74 an hour.
Inside Alabama, the metros we cover range from $1,150 (Dothan) to $1,250 (Birmingham) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Alabama (statewide), standard level
$930 to $1,450
About $15.50 to $24.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $440 | $700 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $930 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Alabama
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 52% |
| Labor | $250 | $570 | $890 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $530 | $1,200 | $1,850 | 100% |
Why two Alabama quotes can differ
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.
Basic, standard or premium: Alabama prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$530 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$930 to $1,450
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,350 to $1,850
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $270 – $530 | $460 – $730 | $660 – $930 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $530 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,850 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,100 | $1,850 – $2,900 | $2,650 – $3,700 |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in Alabama
Alabama's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.81 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $17.74 an hour, which is 22% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.41 and $21.75 an hour. BLS counts 18,400 of them working in the state, 87.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $22.84 an hour, 21% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $19.12 and $27.66 an hour. About 9,640 work in the state. That is 45.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $21.42 an hour, which is 9% below the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $17.52 and $23.90 an hour. BLS counts 460 of them working in the state, 2.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($21.75 an hour) would add about $60 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($14.41) would take off about $50. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,113,660 jobs across Alabama (May 2025), which is 1.4% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $14.41 | $17.74 | $21.75 | $22.66 | 0.78 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $19.12 | $22.84 | $27.66 | $28.78 | 0.79 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.52 | $21.42 | $23.90 | $23.56 | 0.91 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Alabama
Each project weights the trades differently, so Alabama's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, sod installation is −8% and gravel driveway −12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,100 – $12,000 | −12% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $8,950 | −12% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,000 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,800 – $99,300 | −12% |
Weather windows across Alabama
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Alabama is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Daphne has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Alabama at 12 months; Dothan has the shortest at 9 (September through May). Rainfall runs from 49 inches a year in Decatur to 66 inches in Daphne.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 35 | 91 | 57 | 10: September through June |
| Huntsville | 33 | 92 | 54 | 10: September through June |
| Mobile | 43 | 92 | 61 | 9: September through May |
| Montgomery | 37 | 94 | 51 | 9: September through May |
| Tuscaloosa | 35 | 92 | 57 | 9: September through May |
| Daphne | 39 | 89 | 66 | 12: all year |
| Auburn | 35 | 89 | 56 | 12: all year |
| Decatur | 32 | 90 | 49 | 9: February through June and September through December |
| Dothan | 40 | 93 | 54 | 9: September through May |
Alabama versus the states around it
Alabama ranks 49 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for French drain, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,850 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,150, both for 60 linear ft at the midpoint. Alabama sits at $1,200. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 170 miles away | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Mississippi | 180 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Tennessee | 190 miles away | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +7% |
| Louisiana | 310 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +1% |
| South Carolina | 350 miles away | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +4% |
Alabama metro-by-metro prices
4 of the 9 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,200, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (60 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +4% |
| Huntsville, AL | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Decatur, AL | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Daphne, AL | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Auburn, AL | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Montgomery, AL | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Dothan, AL | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −3% |
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French drain in Alabama: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Alabama?
$530 to $1,850 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Alabama can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Alabama is cheapest for French drain?
Dothan at about $1,150 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Birmingham at $1,250.
+Is French drain cheaper in Alabama than the US average?
It is 12% cheaper: $1,200 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Alabama?
About 48% ($570). Materials are 52%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.81x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Alabama?
The BLS statewide median is $17.74 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $14.41 to $21.75.
+Where does Alabama rank for French drain costs?
49th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,200 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Alabama?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $530 to $1,050 and premium work $1,350 to $1,850. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Does the season matter for French drain in Alabama?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Alabama metros we cover, Daphne has the most comfortable months (12 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
French drain by city in Alabama
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.