French drain cost in Bridgeport, CT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $670 – $2,350
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $39
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +11%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #76
- 1 = most expensive
Bridgeport homeowners pay roughly $670 to $2,350 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $11 to $39 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Bridgeport is 11% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $28.38 an hour in the Bridgeport area, 25% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Bridgeport, CT, standard level
$1,150 to $1,850
About $19.50 to $30.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $770 |
| Labor | $680 | $1,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,150 | $1,850 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Bridgeport, CT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $630 | $980 | 42% |
| Labor | $390 | $870 | $1,350 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $670 | $1,500 | $2,350 | 100% |
Where the Bridgeport 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 $28.38 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Bridgeport is 1.24 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 58% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bridgeport metro is 97.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $630, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (106.9) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a national median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Bridgeport. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Bridgeport
Because every project leans on different trades, Bridgeport's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs +14% and retaining wall +4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,500 – $13,900 | +4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,600 | +14% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +9% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,600 – $5,450 | +5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,500 – $11,300 | +13% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $39,900 – $124,500 | +11% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Bridgeport
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bridgeport 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
$670 to $1,350
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,150 to $1,850
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,650 to $2,350
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $330 – $670 | $580 – $920 | $830 – $1,150 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $670 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,850 | $1,650 – $2,350 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,350 – $2,650 | $2,350 – $3,650 | $3,350 – $4,650 |
How Bridgeport compares
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Bridgeport. Hartford is the lowest at about $1,450 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 55 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CTthis page | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | |
| Waterbury, CT25 miles | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | −2% |
| New Haven, CT30 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | level |
| Poughkeepsie, NY40 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | +5% |
| New York, NY40 miles | $770 – $2,700 | $1,750 | +16% |
| Hartford, CT55 miles | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −3% |
| Connecticut (statewide) | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −10% |
Across 300 US metros, Bridgeport comes in at #76 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, Bridgeport is 1% above the Connecticut figure.
Other Connecticut metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −3% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | level |
| Waterbury, CT | 160,710 jobs | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | −2% |
| Norwich, CT | 126,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −7% |
Cities with a workforce like Bridgeport's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bridgeport against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −18% |
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −10% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | +5% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −17% |
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 Bridgeport is 1.24 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.38 an hour, 25% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.18 and $35.00 an hour. About 1,930 work in the metro. That is 47.8 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 $39.54 an hour, which is 37% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $34.81 and $50.60 an hour. BLS counts 600 of them working in the area, 14.8 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 Bridgeport metro, so we used the national median: $23.56 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.15 and $29.52 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.00 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $100. At the 25th percentile ($23.18) it shrinks by about $80. The total moves by 6.8% or 5.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 404,180 jobs in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury area. That makes it the 63rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.26% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $23.18 | $28.38 | $35.00 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $34.81 | $39.54 | $50.60 | $28.78 | 1.37 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.15 | $23.56 | $29.52 | $23.56 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.24 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Bridgeport bid
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.
When to schedule French drain in Bridgeport
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bridgeport Sikorsky Mem Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through November is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Bridgeport (8 of 12 months). January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March 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 92 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Bridgeport gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 34 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and August (4.2 inches in April). Inside the workable window, July and November are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.1 inches. The station averages about 9 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 | 38 | 24 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 41 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 47 | 32 | 4.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 58 | 42 | 4.2 | Workable |
| May | 68 | 52 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 62 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 68 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 67 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 60 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 48 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 54 | 38 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 44 | 30 | 4.0 | Cold |
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French drain in Bridgeport: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Bridgeport?
For 60 linear ft, expect $670 to $2,350 in the Bridgeport area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,150 to $1,850. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Bridgeport?
About $11 to $39 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 Bridgeport or Waterbury?
Waterbury is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,450, which is 2% less than Bridgeport ($1,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bridgeport?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $870 out of $1,500. Materials are 42% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Bridgeport?
$670 to $2,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Bridgeport?
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 Bridgeport area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bridgeport expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Connecticut?
Bridgeport is 1% above the Connecticut statewide estimate ($1,500 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Connecticut; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Bridgeport?
The BLS median is $28.38 an hour in the Bridgeport area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.18 to $35.00.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Bridgeport?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $670 to $1,350 and premium work $1,650 to $2,350. 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 Bridgeport?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. July and November 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 Bridgeport
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.