French drain cost in Decatur, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $540 – $1,900
- Per linear ft
- $8.95 – $31.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #260
- 1 = most expensive
Decatur homeowners pay roughly $540 to $1,900 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $8.95 to $31.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Decatur is 11% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.11 an hour in the Decatur area, 20% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Decatur, AL, standard level
$940 to $1,500
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 | $450 | $710 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $940 | $1,500 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Decatur, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 52% |
| Labor | $260 | $580 | $910 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $540 | $1,200 | $1,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Decatur number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $18.11 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Decatur is 0.83 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 48% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Decatur metro is 96.4 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $620, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (87.2) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Decatur. The wage table below marks each row.
When to schedule French drain in Decatur
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Decatur Pryor Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through June and September through December are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Decatur (9 of 12 months). January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 62 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Decatur gets about 49 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are February, March and December (5.2 inches in December). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 64 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 32 | 4.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 55 | 35 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 42 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 50 | 4.5 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 59 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 67 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 4.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 68 | 3.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 85 | 61 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 50 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 62 | 39 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 54 | 35 | 5.2 | Workable |
How Decatur compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 60 linear ft range from $1,200 to $1,300 across Decatur and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, ALthis page | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | |
| Huntsville, AL30 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Birmingham, AL75 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL105 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN105 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Nashville, TN115 miles | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +8% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +12% |
Across 300 US metros, Decatur comes in at #260 from the top. The priciest is San Francisco, CA at $1,900; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $1,100 (midpoints, 60 linear ft). Statewide, Decatur is 1% above the Alabama figure.
Other Alabama metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −2% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Decatur's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Decatur against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | 61,770 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Dothan, AL | 60,720 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −4% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +12% |
| Sheboygan, WI | 60,630 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +25% |
Why two Decatur quotes can differ
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
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.
Related projects, priced for Decatur
Because every project leans on different trades, Decatur's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −6% and gravel driveway −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,100 – $12,100 | −11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,050 | −11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,100 | −9% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,100 – $100,500 | −11% |
Cost by quality level and size in Decatur
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Decatur wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$540 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$940 to $1,500
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,350 to $1,900
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $270 – $540 | $470 – $740 | $670 – $940 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $540 – $1,050 | $940 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $1,900 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,150 | $1,900 – $2,950 | $2,700 – $3,750 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Decatur is 0.83 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $18.11 an hour, 20% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $15.52 and $23.05 an hour. About 690 work in the metro. That is 112.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $23.79 an hour, which is 17% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.70 and $28.46 an hour. BLS counts 290 of them working in the area, 47.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Decatur metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $21.42 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.52 and $23.90 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($23.05 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $75. At the 25th percentile ($15.52) it shrinks by about $40. The total moves by 6.3% or 3.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 61,240 jobs in the Decatur area. That makes it the 283rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $15.52 | $18.11 | $23.05 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.70 | $23.79 | $28.46 | $28.78 | 0.83 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.52 | $21.42 | $23.90 | $23.56 | 0.91 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
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French drain in Decatur: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Decatur?
For 60 linear ft, expect $540 to $1,900 in the Decatur area. A standard-spec job lands at $940 to $1,500. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Decatur?
About $8.95 to $31.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $35.
+Is French drain cheaper in Decatur or Huntsville?
Huntsville is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 1% more than Decatur ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Decatur?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $580 out of $1,200. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Decatur?
$540 to $1,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Decatur?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Decatur area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Decatur expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Alabama?
Decatur is 1% above the Alabama statewide estimate ($1,200 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Decatur?
The BLS median is $18.11 an hour in the Decatur area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.52 to $23.05.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Decatur?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $540 to $1,050 and premium work $1,350 to $1,900. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Decatur?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through June and September through December. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
French drain near Decatur
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.