French drain cost in Tuscaloosa, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $530 – $1,850
- Per linear ft
- $8.85 – $31
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #274
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Tuscaloosa, plan on $530 to $1,850 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $8.85 to $31 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 12% lower than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $17.53 an hour in the Tuscaloosa area, 23% below the US median of $22.66.
Estimate your french drain cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Tuscaloosa, AL, 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 | $690 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $930 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Tuscaloosa, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 52% |
| Labor | $250 | $570 | $880 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $530 | $1,200 | $1,850 | 100% |
Why Tuscaloosa prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%, pipelayers at 20%. Weighted together, Tuscaloosa wages are 0.81 times the national level. Labor makes up about 48% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Tuscaloosa 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 (87.7) 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 Tuscaloosa. The wage table below marks each row.
French drain: what moves the price in Tuscaloosa
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.
How Tuscaloosa 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 $1,250 across Tuscaloosa and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, ALthis page | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | |
| Birmingham, AL60 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +4% |
| Montgomery, AL95 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Decatur, AL105 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Huntsville, AL130 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Auburn, AL140 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Alabama (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +13% |
Across 300 US metros, Tuscaloosa comes in at #274 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, Tuscaloosa is 0% below the Alabama figure.
Other Alabama metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +4% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Tuscaloosa's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Tuscaloosa against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laredo, TX | 109,370 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −3% |
| Bend, OR | 108,240 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +26% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +10% |
| Columbia, MO | 107,680 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,350 | +15% |
Tuscaloosa labor market for French drain
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 Tuscaloosa is 0.81 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $17.53 an hour, 23% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.59 and $20.69 an hour. About 1,110 work in the metro. That is 102.3 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 $22.94 an hour, which is 20% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $20.77 and $27.34 an hour. BLS counts 650 of them working in the area, 59.9 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 Tuscaloosa 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 ($20.69 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $50. At the 25th percentile ($14.59) it shrinks by about $45. The total moves by 4.1% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 108,460 jobs in the Tuscaloosa area. That makes it the 192nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.07% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $14.59 | $17.53 | $20.69 | $22.66 | 0.77 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $20.77 | $22.94 | $27.34 | $28.78 | 0.80 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.52 | $21.42 | $23.90 | $23.56 | 0.91 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Climate in Tuscaloosa: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Northport 2 S (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Tuscaloosa (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Tuscaloosa gets about 57 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are February, March and April (5.6 inches in February). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.5 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 89 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 | 56 | 35 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 61 | 38 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 45 | 5.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 76 | 52 | 5.4 | Workable |
| May | 84 | 60 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 68 | 5.3 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 71 | 4.9 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 71 | 4.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 65 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 78 | 53 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 67 | 42 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 37 | 5.2 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Tuscaloosa
Because every project leans on different trades, Tuscaloosa's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −8% and gravel driveway −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,050 – $12,000 | −12% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $8,900 | −13% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,600 | −12% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,000 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,700 – $99,200 | −12% |
Tuscaloosa: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Tuscaloosa 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
$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
$1,300 to $1,850
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $260 – $530 | $460 – $730 | $660 – $930 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $530 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,850 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,100 | $1,850 – $2,900 | $2,650 – $3,700 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $930 to $1,450 for Tuscaloosa, AL is attached.
Detailed french drain report for Tuscaloosa, AL, $9
Multi-page report for Tuscaloosa, AL: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
French drain in Tuscaloosa: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Tuscaloosa?
For 60 linear ft, expect $530 to $1,850 in the Tuscaloosa area. A standard-spec job lands at $930 to $1,450. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Tuscaloosa?
About $8.85 to $31 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 Tuscaloosa or Birmingham?
Birmingham is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,250, which is 4% more than Tuscaloosa ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Tuscaloosa?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $570 out of $1,200. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Tuscaloosa?
$530 to $1,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Tuscaloosa?
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 Tuscaloosa area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Tuscaloosa expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Alabama?
Tuscaloosa is 0% below 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 Tuscaloosa?
The BLS median is $17.53 an hour in the Tuscaloosa area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $14.59 to $20.69.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Tuscaloosa?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $530 to $1,050 and premium work $1,300 to $1,850. 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 Tuscaloosa?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. 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 Tuscaloosa
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.