French drain cost in Yuma, AZ
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $590 – $2,050
- Per linear ft
- $9.75 – $34
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #170
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Yuma, plan on $590 to $2,050 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $9.75 to $34 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.2).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Yuma, AZ, standard level
$1,000 to $1,600
About $17 to $27 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $540 | $850 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,600 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Yuma, AZ
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 47% |
| Labor | $310 | $690 | $1,100 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $590 | $1,300 | $2,050 | 100% |
What is behind the Yuma number
Labor is 53% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), pipelayers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Yuma the blended ratio comes out at 0.99.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Yuma 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 (92.7) 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 Yuma. The wage table below marks each row.
Why two Yuma 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.
Yuma 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 Yuma is 0.99 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $20.80 an hour, 8% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.60 and $22.84 an hour. About 570 work in the metro. That is 82.8 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 $26.09 an hour, which is 9% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.99 and $28.47 an hour. BLS counts 180 of them working in the area, 26.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Yuma 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 ($22.84 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $30. At the 25th percentile ($17.60) it shrinks by about $50. The total moves by 2.4% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 68,880 jobs in the Yuma area. That makes it the 262nd 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% | $17.60 | $20.80 | $22.84 | $22.66 | 0.92 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.99 | $26.09 | $28.47 | $28.78 | 0.91 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $27.17 | $30.16 | $31.59 | $23.56 | 1.28 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Yuma
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Yuma 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
$590 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,000 to $1,600
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,450 to $2,050
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $290 – $590 | $510 – $800 | $730 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $590 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,050 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,350 | $2,050 – $3,200 | $2,950 – $4,100 |
Climate in Yuma: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Yuma Mcas (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
November through April is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Yuma (6 of 12 months). May, June, July, August, September and October have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Yuma gets about 3 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, September and December (0.7 inches in September). Inside the workable window, April and November are the driest, at 0.1 and 0.2 inches. The station averages about 181 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 | 70 | 48 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 73 | 50 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 80 | 55 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 86 | 60 | 0.1 | Workable |
| May | 94 | 67 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Jun | 103 | 75 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 107 | 83 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 106 | 83 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 101 | 78 | 0.7 | Hot |
| Oct | 90 | 66 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Nov | 78 | 54 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 68 | 47 | 0.4 | Workable |
Yuma against nearby metros and the rest of Arizona
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 $1,300 to $1,600 across Yuma and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma, AZthis page | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | |
| El Centro, CA85 miles | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +18% |
| Phoenix, AZ110 miles | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +4% |
| Tucson, AZ130 miles | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ150 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
| San Diego, CA165 miles | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | +22% |
| Arizona (statewide) | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
Across 300 US metros, Yuma comes in at #170 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, Yuma is 3% below the Arizona figure.
Other Arizona metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +4% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | 56,490 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like Yuma's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Yuma against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | 69,530 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | +19% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +5% |
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +14% |
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
Planning more than one job in Yuma?
Because every project leans on different trades, Yuma's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −5% and concrete slab −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,650 – $12,800 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,400 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,000 – $106,000 | −6% |
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 $1,000 to $1,600 for Yuma, AZ is attached.
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Multi-page report for Yuma, AZ: 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 Yuma: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Yuma?
For 60 linear ft, expect $590 to $2,050 in the Yuma area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,000 to $1,600. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Yuma?
About $9.75 to $34 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 Yuma or El Centro?
El Centro is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,550, which is 18% more than Yuma ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Yuma?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $690 out of $1,300. Materials are 47% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Yuma?
$590 to $2,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Yuma?
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 Yuma area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Yuma expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Arizona?
Yuma is 3% 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 Yuma?
The BLS median is $20.80 an hour in the Yuma area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.60 to $22.84.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Yuma?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $590 to $1,150 and premium work $1,450 to $2,050. 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 Yuma?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are November through April. April and November 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 Yuma
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.