French drain cost in Greeley, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $600 – $2,100
- Per linear ft
- $9.95 – $35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #151
- 1 = most expensive
Greeley homeowners pay roughly $600 to $2,100 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $9.95 to $35 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Greeley is almost level. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.1).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Greeley, CO, standard level
$1,050 to $1,650
About $17.50 to $27.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $760 |
| Labor | $560 | $880 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Greeley, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 46% |
| Labor | $320 | $720 | $1,100 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
Why Greeley 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, Greeley wages are 1.02 times the national level. Labor makes up about 54% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Greeley 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 (100.2) and land at $0 to $0.
Planning more than one job in Greeley?
Because every project leans on different trades, Greeley's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs +2% and sprinkler system −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,950 – $13,200 | −2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,000 | −2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,550 – $3,350 | +2% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,100 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,650 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,300 – $110,000 | −2% |
Why two Greeley quotes can differ
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.
Depth and soil
Rocky or clay soil and long trenches raise excavation time.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Greeley
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Greeley 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
$600 to $1,200
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,050 to $1,650
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,500 to $2,100
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $300 – $600 | $520 – $820 | $750 – $1,050 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $600 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,650 | $1,500 – $2,100 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,200 – $2,400 | $2,100 – $3,300 | $3,000 – $4,150 |
Is Greeley cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 Greeley and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeley, COthis page | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | |
| Cheyenne, WY55 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Fort Collins, CO60 miles | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +3% |
| Boulder, CO60 miles | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +4% |
| Denver, CO80 miles | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +6% |
| Colorado Springs, CO120 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
Across 300 US metros, Greeley comes in at #151 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, Greeley is 3% below the Colorado figure.
Other Colorado metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +6% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +4% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +3% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Greeley's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Greeley against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −4% |
| Utica, NY | 118,390 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +7% |
| Burlington, VT | 120,150 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Longview, TX | 118,060 jobs | $520 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −12% |
When to schedule French drain in Greeley
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Greeley Unc (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through June and August through October are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Greeley (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
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 153 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Greeley gets about 15 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 35 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (2.6 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 1.1 and 1.1 inches. The station averages about 58 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 | 44 | 18 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 20 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 59 | 28 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 66 | 35 | 1.8 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 45 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 54 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 59 | 1.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 57 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 82 | 49 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 68 | 37 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 54 | 26 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 43 | 18 | 0.6 | Cold |
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 Greeley is 1.02 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $22.19 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.97 and $26.19 an hour. About 1,430 work in the metro. That is 119.6 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 $29.18 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $26.54 and $30.26 an hour. BLS counts 1,550 of them working in the area, 129.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $27.20 an hour, 15% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.62 and $28.05 an hour. About 70 work in the metro. That is 5.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($26.19 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $60. At the 25th percentile ($19.97) it shrinks by about $35. The total moves by 4.6% or 2.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 119,540 jobs in the Greeley area. That makes it the 184th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $19.97 | $22.19 | $26.19 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $26.54 | $29.18 | $30.26 | $28.78 | 1.01 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.62 | $27.20 | $28.05 | $23.56 | 1.15 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.02 | |||||
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French drain in Greeley: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Greeley?
For 60 linear ft, expect $600 to $2,100 in the Greeley area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,050 to $1,650. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Greeley?
About $9.95 to $35 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 Greeley or Cheyenne?
Cheyenne is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,300, which is 3% less than Greeley ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Greeley?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $720 out of $1,350. Materials are 46% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Greeley?
$600 to $2,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Greeley?
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 Greeley area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Greeley expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Colorado?
Greeley is 3% below 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 Greeley?
The BLS median is $22.19 an hour in the Greeley area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.97 to $26.19.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Greeley?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $600 to $1,200 and premium work $1,500 to $2,100. 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 Greeley?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through June and August through October. September 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 Greeley
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.