French drain cost in Santa Cruz, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $710 – $2,500
- Per linear ft
- $12 – $41.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +19%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #23
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Santa Cruz, CA usually costs $710 to $2,500 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $12 to $41.50 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $250 more. Construction laborers earn a median of $28.13 an hour in the Santa Cruz area, 24% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Santa Cruz, CA, standard level
$1,250 to $1,950
About $21 to $32.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $830 |
| Labor | $720 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,250 | $1,950 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Santa Cruz, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 43% |
| Labor | $410 | $920 | $1,450 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $710 | $1,600 | $2,500 | 100% |
Why Santa Cruz prices look the way they do
Labor is 57% 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 Santa Cruz the blended ratio comes out at 1.31.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Santa Cruz 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 109.9: $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 Santa Cruz. The wage table below marks each row.
Planning more than one job in Santa Cruz?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Santa Cruz wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+15%) and concrete slab lowest (+10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,950 – $14,800 | +11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,700 | +15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,700 | +12% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,700 – $5,700 | +10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,450 – $11,200 | +12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,900 – $127,500 | +13% |
Why two Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz compares
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. San Francisco is the priciest of the group at $1,900. Merced is the cheapest at $1,550.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, CAthis page | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | |
| San Jose, CA35 miles | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 | +15% |
| San Francisco, CA55 miles | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 | +19% |
| Salinas, CA65 miles | $730 – $2,550 | $1,650 | +3% |
| Modesto, CA65 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +4% |
| Merced, CA70 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −2% |
| California (statewide) | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +4% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −16% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Santa Cruz ranks #23 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Santa Cruz is 4% below the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $750 – $2,600 | $1,700 | +5% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 | +19% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | level |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | level |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 | +15% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Santa Cruz against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −4% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −25% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −22% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −24% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Santa Cruz
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Santa Cruz. 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
$710 to $1,400
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,250 to $1,950
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,800 to $2,500
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $360 – $710 | $620 – $980 | $890 – $1,250 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $710 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,950 | $1,800 – $2,500 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,400 – $2,850 | $2,500 – $3,900 | $3,550 – $5,000 |
Santa Cruz 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, Santa Cruz (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 Santa Cruz: 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.
Santa Cruz gets about 31 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (6.4 inches in January). The station averages about 6 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 | 63 | 41 | 6.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 64 | 43 | 6.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 44 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 46 | 2.0 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 49 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 74 | 52 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 74 | 54 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 76 | 55 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 53 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 74 | 50 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 67 | 44 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 62 | 41 | 6.0 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Santa Cruz
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 Santa Cruz the blend is 1.31.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $28.13 an hour, which is 24% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.82 and $36.00 an hour. BLS counts 520 of them working in the area, 52.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $36.36 an hour, 26% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.43 and $46.56 an hour. About 130 work in the metro. That is 13.2 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 Santa Cruz 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 $80. That is a swing of roughly 5.1% to 7.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville has 98,500 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 204th 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% | $22.82 | $28.13 | $36.00 | $22.66 | 1.24 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.43 | $36.36 | $46.56 | $28.78 | 1.26 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $29.74 | $36.63 | $45.46 | $23.56 | 1.55 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.31 | |||||
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French drain in Santa Cruz: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Santa Cruz?
For 60 linear ft, expect $710 to $2,500 in the Santa Cruz area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,250 to $1,950. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Santa Cruz?
About $12 to $41.50 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 Santa Cruz or San Jose?
San Jose is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,850, which is 15% more than Santa Cruz ($1,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Santa Cruz?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $920 out of $1,600. Materials are 43% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Santa Cruz?
$710 to $2,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Santa Cruz?
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 Santa Cruz area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Santa Cruz expensive for French drain compared with the rest of California?
Santa Cruz is 4% below 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 Santa Cruz?
The BLS median is $28.13 an hour in the Santa Cruz area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.82 to $36.00.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Santa Cruz?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $710 to $1,400 and premium work $1,800 to $2,500. 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 Santa Cruz?
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 Santa Cruz
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.