French drain cost in Boulder, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $620 – $2,200
- Per linear ft
- $10.50 – $36.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #112
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Boulder, plan on $620 to $2,200 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $10.50 to $36.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 4% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $23.07 an hour in the Boulder area, 2% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Boulder, CO, standard level
$1,100 to $1,700
About $18 to $28.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $760 |
| Labor | $610 | $950 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,100 | $1,700 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Boulder, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 44% |
| Labor | $350 | $780 | $1,200 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $620 | $1,400 | $2,200 | 100% |
What is behind the Boulder number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.07 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Boulder is 1.11 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 56% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Boulder metro is 96.1 (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 (105.2) 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 Boulder. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Boulder
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Boulder 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
$620 to $1,250
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,100 to $1,700
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,550 to $2,200
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $310 – $620 | $540 – $860 | $780 – $1,100 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $620 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,200 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,250 – $2,500 | $2,200 – $3,400 | $3,100 – $4,350 |
What nearby projects cost in Boulder
Because every project leans on different trades, Boulder's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs +7% and concrete slab level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,250 – $13,500 | +1% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,600 – $10,500 | +3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,600 – $3,500 | +7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,450 – $5,200 | level |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,050 – $10,100 | +1% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,800 – $115,000 | +2% |
How Boulder 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 $1,300 to $1,400 across Boulder and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, COthis page | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | |
| Fort Collins, CO40 miles | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −2% |
| Denver, CO55 miles | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +2% |
| Greeley, CO60 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −4% |
| Cheyenne, WY90 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −7% |
| Colorado Springs, CO95 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −5% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −4% |
Across 300 US metros, Boulder comes in at #112 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, Boulder is 1% above the Colorado figure.
Other Colorado metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +2% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −5% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −2% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −4% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −5% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −4% |
Cities with a workforce like Boulder's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boulder against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −13% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −9% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +19% |
| Pensacola, FL | 190,480 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −11% |
Boulder 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 Boulder is 1.11 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $23.07 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.64 and $28.23 an hour. About 540 work in the metro. That is 28.1 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 $34.16 an hour, which is 19% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.51 and $38.37 an hour. BLS counts 190 of them working in the area, 9.9 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 Boulder metro, so we used the Colorado statewide median: $28.72 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.38 and $33.52 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.23 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $80. At the 25th percentile ($19.64) it shrinks by about $55. The total moves by 5.7% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 192,390 jobs in the Boulder area. That makes it the 119th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.12% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $19.64 | $23.07 | $28.23 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.51 | $34.16 | $38.37 | $28.78 | 1.19 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $24.38 | $28.72 | $33.52 | $23.56 | 1.22 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.11 | |||||
French drain: what moves the price in Boulder
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).
Climate in Boulder: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Boulder (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Boulder (7 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, 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 138 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Boulder gets about 21 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 93 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and September (3.2 inches in May). Inside the workable window, August and October are the driest, at 1.7 and 1.6 inches. The station averages about 33 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 | 47 | 22 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 22 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 57 | 29 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 63 | 35 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 43 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 51 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 57 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 56 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 48 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 37 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 55 | 28 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 46 | 21 | 0.8 | Cold |
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French drain in Boulder: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Boulder?
For 60 linear ft, expect $620 to $2,200 in the Boulder area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,100 to $1,700. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Boulder?
About $10.50 to $36.50 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 Boulder or Fort Collins?
Fort Collins is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,400, which is 2% less than Boulder ($1,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boulder?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $780 out of $1,400. Materials are 44% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Boulder?
$620 to $2,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Boulder?
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 Boulder area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boulder expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Colorado?
Boulder is 1% above the Colorado statewide estimate ($1,400 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Boulder?
The BLS median is $23.07 an hour in the Boulder area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.64 to $28.23.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Boulder?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $620 to $1,250 and premium work $1,550 to $2,200. 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 Boulder?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. August 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 Boulder
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.