French drain cost in Flagstaff, AZ
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $600 – $2,100
- Per linear ft
- $10 – $35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #136
- 1 = most expensive
Flagstaff homeowners pay roughly $600 to $2,100 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $10 to $35 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Flagstaff is almost level. Construction laborers earn a median of $22.32 an hour in the Flagstaff area, 2% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Flagstaff, AZ, 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 | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $570 | $890 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Flagstaff, AZ
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 46% |
| Labor | $330 | $730 | $1,150 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Flagstaff number
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, Flagstaff wages are 1.04 times the national level. Labor makes up about 54% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Flagstaff metro is 96.2 (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 (100.3) 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 Flagstaff. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Flagstaff
Because every project leans on different trades, Flagstaff's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −1% and sprinkler system −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,750 – $12,900 | −4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,950 | −3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,300 | −1% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,100 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,800 – $109,000 | −4% |
Why two Flagstaff quotes can differ
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Flagstaff
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Flagstaff 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
$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 |
When to schedule French drain in Flagstaff
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Flagstaff Pulliam Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through September is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Flagstaff (5 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, October, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, October, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 202 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Flagstaff gets about 21 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 90 inches of snow. The wettest months are February, July and August (3.0 inches in August). Inside the workable window, May and June are the driest, at 0.8 and 0.3 inches. The station averages about 3 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 | 43 | 18 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 46 | 20 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 52 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 59 | 28 | 0.9 | Cold |
| May | 68 | 35 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 43 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 51 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 51 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 43 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 32 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Nov | 52 | 23 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Dec | 43 | 17 | 1.9 | Cold |
Is Flagstaff cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Las Vegas is the priciest of the group at $1,400. Lake Havasu City is the cheapest at $1,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZthis page | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | |
| Prescott Valley, AZ95 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ110 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −4% |
| St. George, UT135 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Las Vegas, NV185 miles | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +3% |
| Phoenix, AZ185 miles | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Arizona (statewide) | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
Across 300 US metros, Flagstaff comes in at #136 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, Flagstaff is 0% below the Arizona figure.
Other Arizona metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −4% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | 56,490 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −4% |
Cities with a workforce like Flagstaff's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Flagstaff against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +11% |
| Missoula, MT | 67,070 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 65,460 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −7% |
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 Flagstaff is 1.04 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $22.32 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.61 and $24.26 an hour. About 470 work in the metro. That is 70.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $28.23 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.79 and $29.54 an hour. BLS counts 250 of them working in the area, 37.5 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 Flagstaff metro, so we used the Arizona statewide median: $30.16 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.17 and $31.59 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($24.26 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $30. At the 25th percentile ($18.61) it shrinks by about $55. The total moves by 2.2% or 4.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 66,610 jobs in the Flagstaff area. That makes it the 272nd 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% | $18.61 | $22.32 | $24.26 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $23.79 | $28.23 | $29.54 | $28.78 | 0.98 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $27.17 | $30.16 | $31.59 | $23.56 | 1.28 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
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French drain in Flagstaff: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Flagstaff?
For 60 linear ft, expect $600 to $2,100 in the Flagstaff area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,050 to $1,650. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Flagstaff?
About $10 to $35 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 Flagstaff or Prescott Valley?
Prescott Valley is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,350, which is 0% more than Flagstaff ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Flagstaff?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $730 out of $1,350. Materials are 46% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Flagstaff?
$600 to $2,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Flagstaff?
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 Flagstaff area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Flagstaff expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Arizona?
Flagstaff is 0% below the Arizona statewide estimate ($1,350 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Arizona; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Flagstaff?
The BLS median is $22.32 an hour in the Flagstaff area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.61 to $24.26.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Flagstaff?
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.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Flagstaff?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. May and June 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 Flagstaff
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.