French drain cost in Hartford, CT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $650 – $2,250
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $38
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +8%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #87
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Hartford, plan on $650 to $2,250 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $11 to $38 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $27.06 an hour in the Hartford area, 19% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Hartford, CT, standard level
$1,150 to $1,800
About $19 to $29.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $770 |
| Labor | $650 | $1,000 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,150 | $1,800 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Hartford, CT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $630 | $980 | 43% |
| Labor | $370 | $830 | $1,300 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $650 | $1,450 | $2,250 | 100% |
Why Hartford 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, Hartford wages are 1.18 times the national level. Labor makes up about 57% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Hartford 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 (102.7) 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 Hartford. The wage table below marks each row.
Is Hartford cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Hartford. Norwich is the lowest at about $1,400 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 25 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford, CTthis page | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | |
| Norwich, CT25 miles | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −5% |
| Waterbury, CT30 miles | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +1% |
| Springfield, MA30 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +4% |
| New Haven, CT30 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +3% |
| Amherst, MA45 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +3% |
| Connecticut (statewide) | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +2% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −8% |
Across 300 US metros, Hartford comes in at #87 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, Hartford is 1% below the Connecticut figure.
Other Connecticut metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +3% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +3% |
| Waterbury, CT | 160,710 jobs | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +1% |
| Norwich, CT | 126,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −5% |
Cities with a workforce like Hartford's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Hartford against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −12% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −7% |
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −13% |
| Buffalo, NY | 534,550 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +3% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Hartford bid
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).
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.
Climate in Hartford: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Hartford Brainard Fld (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 Hartford (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 121 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Hartford gets about 43 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (4.2 inches in October). Inside the workable window, May and November are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 17 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 | 37 | 20 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 40 | 22 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 30 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 40 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 50 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 60 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 64 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 56 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 44 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 35 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 42 | 26 | 3.8 | Cold |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Hartford
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Hartford 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
$650 to $1,300
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,150 to $1,800
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,600 to $2,250
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $320 – $650 | $570 – $890 | $810 – $1,150 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $650 – $1,300 | $1,150 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,250 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,300 – $2,600 | $2,250 – $3,550 | $3,250 – $4,550 |
Related projects, priced for Hartford
Because every project leans on different trades, Hartford's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs +13% and concrete slab +3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,300 – $14,900 | +13% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,800 – $11,300 | +11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,600 – $3,500 | +6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,550 – $5,350 | +3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,400 – $11,000 | +10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,700 – $127,000 | +13% |
Hartford 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 Hartford is 1.18 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $27.06 an hour, 19% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.76 and $35.02 an hour. About 2,430 work in the metro. That is 40.5 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 $36.89 an hour, which is 28% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $31.24 and $49.20 an hour. BLS counts 990 of them working in the area, 16.5 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 Hartford 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 ($35.02 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $120. At the 25th percentile ($22.76) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 8.4% or 4.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 599,770 jobs in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford area. That makes it the 47th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.39% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.76 | $27.06 | $35.02 | $22.66 | 1.19 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $31.24 | $36.89 | $49.20 | $28.78 | 1.28 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.15 | $23.56 | $29.52 | $23.56 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.18 | |||||
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French drain in Hartford: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Hartford?
For 60 linear ft, expect $650 to $2,250 in the Hartford area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,150 to $1,800. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Hartford?
About $11 to $38 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 Hartford or Norwich?
Norwich is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,400, which is 5% less than Hartford ($1,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Hartford?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $830 out of $1,450. Materials are 43% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Hartford?
$650 to $2,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Hartford?
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 Hartford area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Hartford expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Connecticut?
Hartford is 1% below 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 Hartford?
The BLS median is $27.06 an hour in the Hartford area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.76 to $35.02.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Hartford?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $650 to $1,300 and premium work $1,600 to $2,250. 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 Hartford?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. May 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 Hartford
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.