French drain cost in Arizona
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $600 – $2,100
- Per linear ft
- $10 – $35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 6
What does it cost to install a French drain in Arizona? Plan on $600 to $2,100 for 60 linear ft. Wages (1.05x the US blend), materials (price index 95.4) and permit costs (100.7) put the state above the national midpoint by 1%.
Inside Arizona, the metros we cover range from $1,300 (Tucson) to $1,350 (Phoenix) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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 Arizona (statewide), standard level
$1,050 to $1,650
About $17.50 to $27.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $760 |
| Labor | $580 | $900 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Arizona
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $620 | $960 | 46% |
| Labor | $330 | $740 | $1,150 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
French drain: what moves the price in Arizona
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.
Quality levels and sizes in Arizona
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Arizona wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
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
| 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 |
French drain cost by metro in Arizona
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,350, and the top-to-bottom gap is 5%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Yuma, AZ | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −4% |
| Tucson, AZ | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −4% |
Weather windows across Arizona
Season matters for French drain. For each Arizona metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Phoenix has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Arizona at 7 months (October through April); Flagstaff has the shortest at 5 (May through September). Rainfall runs from 3 inches a year in Yuma to 21 inches in Flagstaff.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 44 | 104 | 9 | 7: October through April |
| Tucson | 41 | 100 | 11 | 7: October through April |
| Prescott Valley | 26 | 90 | 13 | 7: March through June and August through October |
| Yuma | 48 | 107 | 3 | 6: November through April |
| Flagstaff | 18 | 82 | 21 | 5: May through September |
| Lake Havasu City | 43 | 109 | 4 | 7: October through April |
Arizona versus the states around it
Arizona ranks 24 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. Arizona sits at $1,350. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 340 miles away | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +5% |
| New Mexico | 340 miles away | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −10% |
| California | 430 miles away | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +22% |
| Utah | 500 miles away | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −2% |
| Colorado | 590 miles away | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +2% |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in Arizona
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 3 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.05 for Arizona.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $22.40 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.04 and $24.82 an hour. About 37,630 work in the state. That is 116.2 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 $29.14 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.62 and $31.43 an hour. BLS counts 13,200 of them working in the state, 40.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $30.16 an hour, 28% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $27.17 and $31.59 an hour. About 480 work in the state. That is 1.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($24.82 an hour) would add about $35 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($19.04) 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 3,239,430 jobs across Arizona (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $19.04 | $22.40 | $24.82 | $22.66 | 0.99 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $24.62 | $29.14 | $31.43 | $28.78 | 1.01 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $27.17 | $30.16 | $31.59 | $23.56 | 1.28 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
If you are planning more than one job in Arizona
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Arizona wages and prices. Against national midpoints, concrete slab comes out highest (−2%) and retaining wall lowest (−3%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,800 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,950 | −2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −2% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,100 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,900 – $9,700 | −3% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,100 – $109,500 | −3% |
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 $1,050 to $1,650 for Arizona is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
The report lays out the french drain numbers for Arizona line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Arizona: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Arizona?
$600 to $2,100 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Arizona can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Arizona is cheapest for French drain?
Tucson at about $1,300 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Phoenix at $1,350.
+Is French drain cheaper in Arizona than the US average?
It is 1% more expensive: $1,350 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Arizona?
About 54% ($740). Materials are 46%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.05x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Arizona?
The BLS statewide median is $22.40 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.04 to $24.82.
+Where does Arizona rank for French drain costs?
24th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,350 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Arizona?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $600 to $1,200 and premium work $1,500 to $2,100. 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 Arizona?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Arizona metros we cover, Phoenix has the most comfortable months (7 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 Arizona
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.