French drain cost in Prescott Valley, 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 – $35.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #130
- 1 = most expensive
Prescott Valley homeowners pay roughly $600 to $2,100 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $10 to $35.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Prescott Valley is almost level. Construction laborers earn a median of $22.17 an hour in the Prescott Valley area, 2% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Prescott Valley, 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 | $900 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Prescott Valley, AZ
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 46% |
| Labor | $330 | $740 | $1,150 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
Why Prescott Valley prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $22.17 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Prescott Valley is 1.05 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 54% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Prescott Valley 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 (98.3) 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 Prescott Valley. The wage table below marks each row.
How Prescott Valley compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Prescott Valley. Lake Havasu City is the lowest at about $1,300 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 100 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescott Valley, AZthis page | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | |
| Flagstaff, AZ95 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ100 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −4% |
| Phoenix, AZ105 miles | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Yuma, AZ150 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Las Vegas, NV175 miles | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +2% |
| Arizona (statewide) | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
Across 300 US metros, Prescott Valley comes in at #130 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, Prescott Valley is 0% above the Arizona figure.
Other Arizona metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −4% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | 56,490 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −4% |
Cities with a workforce like Prescott Valley's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Prescott Valley against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −13% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 72,280 jobs | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +4% |
| Bloomington, IN | 73,240 jobs | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +3% |
| Bangor, ME | 72,270 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −5% |
Cost by quality level and size in Prescott Valley
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Prescott Valley 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 | $760 – $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 – $3,350 | $3,000 – $4,250 |
Planning more than one job in Prescott Valley?
Because every project leans on different trades, Prescott Valley's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs −2% and concrete slab −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,000 | −2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,300 – $4,950 | −5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,100 – $109,500 | −3% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Prescott Valley bid
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.
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 Prescott Valley is 1.05 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $22.17 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.09 and $23.38 an hour. About 1,100 work in the metro. That is 152.1 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 $29.24 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.00 and $30.16 an hour. BLS counts 770 of them working in the area, 106.5 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 Prescott Valley 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 ($23.38 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $20. At the 25th percentile ($18.09) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 1.4% or 4.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 72,300 jobs in the Prescott Valley-Prescott area. That makes it the 253rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.09 | $22.17 | $23.38 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $25.00 | $29.24 | $30.16 | $28.78 | 1.02 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $27.17 | $30.16 | $31.59 | $23.56 | 1.28 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
When to schedule French drain in Prescott Valley
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Prescott Love Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through June and August through October are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Prescott Valley (7 of 12 months). January, February, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February, 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 113 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Prescott Valley gets about 13 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are February, July and August (2.5 inches in August). Inside the workable window, April and June are the driest, at 0.5 and 0.3 inches. The station averages about 51 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 | 53 | 26 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 56 | 29 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 62 | 34 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 39 | 0.5 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 47 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 56 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 63 | 1.9 | Hot |
| Aug | 88 | 61 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 54 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 73 | 42 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 62 | 32 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 52 | 26 | 1.0 | Cold |
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French drain in Prescott Valley: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Prescott Valley?
For 60 linear ft, expect $600 to $2,100 in the Prescott Valley 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 Prescott Valley?
About $10 to $35.50 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 Prescott Valley or Flagstaff?
Flagstaff is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,350, which is 0% less than Prescott Valley ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Prescott Valley?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $740 out of $1,350. Materials are 46% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Prescott Valley?
$600 to $2,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Prescott Valley?
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 Prescott Valley area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Prescott Valley expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Arizona?
Prescott Valley is 0% above 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 Prescott Valley?
The BLS median is $22.17 an hour in the Prescott Valley area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.09 to $23.38.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Prescott Valley?
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 Prescott Valley?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and August through October. April 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 Prescott Valley
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.