French drain cost in Napa, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $740 – $2,600
- Per linear ft
- $12.50 – $43
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +23%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #16
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Napa, CA usually costs $740 to $2,600 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $12.50 to $43 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $310 more. Construction laborers earn a median of $28.75 an hour in the Napa area, 27% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Napa, CA, standard level
$1,300 to $2,050
About $21.50 to $34 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $830 |
| Labor | $760 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,300 | $2,050 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Napa, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 41% |
| Labor | $440 | $980 | $1,550 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $740 | $1,650 | $2,600 | 100% |
Why Napa 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, Napa wages are 1.40 times the national level. Labor makes up about 59% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Napa is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $680 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 112.6: $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 Napa. The wage table below marks each row.
Planning more than one job in Napa?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Napa wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+22%) and sprinkler system lowest (+14%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,200 – $15,100 | +14% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,050 – $12,400 | +22% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,800 | +15% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,900 – $6,000 | +17% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,550 – $11,400 | +14% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,400 – $132,000 | +17% |
Why two Napa 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.
How Napa 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 $1,600 to $1,900 across Napa and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CAthis page | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | |
| Vallejo, CA25 miles | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +2% |
| Santa Rosa, CA30 miles | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +3% |
| San Francisco, CA50 miles | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 | +14% |
| Stockton, CA70 miles | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −4% |
| Sacramento, CA75 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | level |
| California (statewide) | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −19% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Napa ranks #16 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Napa is 0% above the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $750 – $2,600 | $1,700 | +1% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 | +14% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −4% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −3% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 | +11% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Napa against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | 78,220 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Racine, WI | 76,280 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Merced, CA | 79,510 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −6% |
| Warner Robins, GA | 76,050 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −27% |
What local crews earn in Napa
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Napa the blend is 1.40.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $28.75 an hour, which is 27% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.80 and $36.35 an hour. BLS counts 540 of them working in the area, 69.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $43.30 an hour, 50% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.63 and $57.93 an hour. About 160 work in the metro. That is 20.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Napa metro, so we used the California statewide median: $36.63 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $29.74 and $45.46 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $120 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $75. That is a swing of roughly 4.6% to 7.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Napa has 77,860 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 242nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $23.80 | $28.75 | $36.35 | $22.66 | 1.27 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.63 | $43.30 | $57.93 | $28.78 | 1.50 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $29.74 | $36.63 | $45.46 | $23.56 | 1.55 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.40 | |||||
Napa weather and the french drain calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Napa State Hospital (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Napa: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Napa gets about 27 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (5.5 inches in December). The station averages about 33 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 40 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 42 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 44 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 72 | 46 | 1.7 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 50 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 54 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 56 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 84 | 53 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 78 | 49 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 66 | 44 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 40 | 5.5 | Workable |
Cost by quality level and size in Napa
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Napa. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$740 to $1,500
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,300 to $2,050
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,850 to $2,600
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $370 – $740 | $650 – $1,000 | $920 – $1,300 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $740 – $1,500 | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,600 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,500 – $2,950 | $2,600 – $4,050 | $3,700 – $5,150 |
Get 3 local quotes
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French drain in Napa: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Napa?
For 60 linear ft, expect $740 to $2,600 in the Napa area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,300 to $2,050. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Napa?
About $12.50 to $43 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 Napa or Vallejo?
Vallejo is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,700, which is 2% more than Napa ($1,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Napa?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $980 out of $1,650. Materials are 41% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Napa?
$740 to $2,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Napa?
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 Napa area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Napa expensive for French drain compared with the rest of California?
Napa is 0% above the California statewide estimate ($1,650 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Napa?
The BLS median is $28.75 an hour in the Napa area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.80 to $36.35.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Napa?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $740 to $1,500 and premium work $1,850 to $2,600. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Is there a bad season to install a French drain in Napa?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
French drain near Napa
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.