French drain cost in Stockton, 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
- #24
- 1 = most expensive
Stockton homeowners pay roughly $710 to $2,500 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $12 to $41.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Stockton is 19% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $27.62 an hour in the Stockton area, 22% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Stockton, CA, standard level
$1,250 to $1,950
About $20.50 to $32.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $830 |
| Labor | $710 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,250 | $1,950 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Stockton, 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% |
Where the Stockton price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $27.62 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Stockton is 1.31 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 57% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Stockton metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $680, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (105.1) 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 Stockton. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Stockton bid
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.
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).
When to schedule French drain in Stockton
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Stockton Fire Stn 4 (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Stockton (8 of 12 months). June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Stockton gets about 17 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (3.6 inches in January). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 0.6 and 1.0 inches. The station averages about 90 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 | 58 | 39 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 42 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 46 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 75 | 49 | 1.4 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 54 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 58 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 95 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 95 | 60 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 92 | 57 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Oct | 82 | 51 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 69 | 44 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 39 | 3.1 | Workable |
Cost by quality level and size in Stockton
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Stockton 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
$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 |
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 Stockton is 1.31 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $27.62 an hour, 22% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.65 and $37.23 an hour. About 1,470 work in the metro. That is 50.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $37.22 an hour, which is 29% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.54 and $57.72 an hour. BLS counts 760 of them working in the area, 26.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Stockton 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.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($37.23 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $150. At the 25th percentile ($22.65) it shrinks by about $75. The total moves by 9.3% or 4.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 289,660 jobs in the Stockton-Lodi area. That makes it the 88th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.19% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.65 | $27.62 | $37.23 | $22.66 | 1.22 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.54 | $37.22 | $57.72 | $28.78 | 1.29 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $29.74 | $36.63 | $45.46 | $23.56 | 1.55 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.31 | |||||
How Stockton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton, CAthis page | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | |
| Modesto, CA30 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +4% |
| Vallejo, CA45 miles | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +6% |
| San Francisco, CA55 miles | $840 – $2,950 | $1,900 | +19% |
| Merced, CA60 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −2% |
| Sacramento, CA60 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +4% |
| California (statewide) | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +4% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −16% |
Across 300 US metros, Stockton comes in at #24 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, Stockton is 4% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| 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% |
Cities with a workforce like Stockton's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Stockton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −11% |
| Portland, ME | 288,480 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −14% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 | −31% |
| Lexington, KY | 286,910 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −16% |
Related projects, priced for Stockton
Because every project leans on different trades, Stockton's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs +15% and concrete slab +8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,150 – $15,100 | +13% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,700 | +15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +10% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,650 – $5,600 | +8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,400 – $11,000 | +10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $41,100 – $128,500 | +14% |
Get 3 local quotes
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French drain in Stockton: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Stockton?
For 60 linear ft, expect $710 to $2,500 in the Stockton 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 Stockton?
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 Stockton or Modesto?
Modesto is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,650, which is 4% more than Stockton ($1,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Stockton?
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 Stockton?
$710 to $2,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Stockton?
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 Stockton area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Stockton expensive for French drain compared with the rest of California?
Stockton 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 Stockton?
The BLS median is $27.62 an hour in the Stockton area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.65 to $37.23.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Stockton?
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.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Stockton?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. May and October 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 Stockton
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.