French drain cost in the District of Columbia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $660 – $2,300
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $38.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 1
District of Columbia prices for French drain: $660 to $2,300 for 60 linear ft, or $11 to $38.50 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 10% above the national one. Local wages for construction laborers are $24.05 an hour.
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in District of Columbia (statewide), standard level
$1,150 to $1,800
About $19 to $30 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $540 | $840 |
| Labor | $620 | $970 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,150 | $1,800 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in District of Columbia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $310 | $690 | $1,050 | 47% |
| Labor | $350 | $790 | $1,250 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $660 | $1,500 | $2,300 | 100% |
Why two District of Columbia 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.
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
Wages behind the District of Columbia number
District of Columbia's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.13 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $24.05 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.41 an hour. BLS counts 2,090 of them working in the state, 29.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $35.87 an hour, 25% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $31.47 and $41.48 an hour. About 620 work in the state. That is 8.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $26.67 an hour, which is 13% above the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $24.45 and $28.77 an hour. BLS counts 110 of them working in the state, 1.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($28.41 an hour) would add about $70 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.80) would take off about $50. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 701,920 jobs across the District of Columbia (May 2025), which is 0.5% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $20.80 | $24.05 | $28.41 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $31.47 | $35.87 | $41.48 | $28.78 | 1.25 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $24.45 | $26.67 | $28.77 | $23.56 | 1.13 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.13 | |||||
District of Columbia against its neighbors
District of Columbia ranks 12 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for French drain, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,850 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,150, both for 60 linear ft at the midpoint. District of Columbia sits at $1,500. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 50 miles away | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −6% |
| Virginia | 110 miles away | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −11% |
| Pennsylvania | 110 miles away | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −9% |
| Delaware | 110 miles away | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −10% |
| New Jersey | 160 miles away | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +15% |
District of Columbia seasons and French drain
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and District of Columbia is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Washington has 9 comfortable months (March through June and August through December), with about 42 inches of precipitation a year.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 30 | 90 | 42 | 9: March through June and August through December |
Which District of Columbia city is cheapest for French drain?
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (60 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −5% |
Basic, standard or premium: District of Columbia prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$660 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
$1,650 to $2,300
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $330 – $660 | $580 – $910 | $820 – $1,150 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $660 – $1,300 | $1,150 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,300 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,300 – $2,650 | $2,300 – $3,650 | $3,300 – $4,600 |
If you are planning more than one job in the District of Columbia
Each project weights the trades differently, so District of Columbia's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, sprinkler system is +19% and retaining wall +8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,600 – $14,500 | +8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,800 – $11,300 | +11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,750 | +13% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,650 – $5,600 | +8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,750 – $11,900 | +19% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,300 – $126,000 | +12% |
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French drain in the District of Columbia: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in the District of Columbia?
$660 to $2,300 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside the District of Columbia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in the District of Columbia is cheapest for French drain?
Washington at about $1,400 (midpoint, 60 linear ft).
+Is French drain cheaper in the District of Columbia than the US average?
It is 10% more expensive: $1,500 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in the District of Columbia?
About 53% ($790). Materials are 47%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.13x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in the District of Columbia?
The BLS statewide median is $24.05 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.80 to $28.41.
+Where does District of Columbia rank for French drain costs?
12th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,500 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in the District of Columbia?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $660 to $1,300 and premium work $1,650 to $2,300. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Does the season matter for French drain in the District of Columbia?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the District of Columbia metros we cover, Washington has the most comfortable months (9 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
French drain by city in the District of Columbia
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.