French drain cost in Florida
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $570 – $2,000
- Per linear ft
- $9.45 – $33
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 19
What does it cost to install a French drain in Florida? Plan on $570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft. Wages (0.91x the US blend), materials (price index 98.1) and permit costs (103.4) put the state below the national midpoint by 6%.
Inside Florida, the metros we cover range from $1,200 (Ocala) to $1,350 (Miami) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
Estimate your french drain cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Florida (statewide), standard level
$990 to $1,550
About $16.50 to $26 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $780 |
| Labor | $500 | $780 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $990 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Florida
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $640 | $990 | 50% |
| Labor | $280 | $640 | $990 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $570 | $1,250 | $2,000 | 100% |
Why two Florida 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.
Florida against its neighbors
Florida ranks 39 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. Florida sits at $1,250. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 420 miles away | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −3% |
| South Carolina | 430 miles away | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Alabama | 480 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
| North Carolina | 540 miles away | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | level |
| Mississippi | 550 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
Florida seasons and French drain
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Florida 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.
Miami has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Florida at 12 months; Punta Gorda has the shortest at 7 (October through April). Rainfall runs from 46 inches a year in Lakeland to 68 inches in Pensacola.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 61 | 88 | 57 | 12: all year |
| Tampa | 53 | 91 | 49 | 8: October through May |
| Orlando | 50 | 92 | 51 | 8: October through May |
| Jacksonville | 47 | 92 | 48 | 9: September through May |
| North Port | 51 | 93 | 53 | 7: October through April |
| Cape Coral | 54 | 92 | 57 | 7: October through April |
| Lakeland | 52 | 93 | 46 | 7: October through April |
| Palm Bay | 49 | 91 | 56 | 9: September through May |
| Deltona | 50 | 93 | 50 | 8: October through May |
| Pensacola | 44 | 92 | 68 | 9: September through May |
| Tallahassee | 41 | 92 | 59 | 9: September through May |
| Naples | 56 | 91 | 50 | 8: October through May |
| Port St. Lucie | 51 | 90 | 51 | 10: September through June |
| Gainesville | 43 | 91 | 48 | 9: September through May |
| Crestview | 39 | 92 | 64 | 9: September through May |
| Ocala | 46 | 92 | 52 | 8: October through May |
| Panama City | 43 | 91 | 61 | 10: September through June |
| Sebastian | 52 | 91 | 53 | 10: September through June |
| Punta Gorda | 51 | 93 | 53 | 7: October through April |
Related projects, priced for Florida
Each project weights the trades differently, so Florida's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, sod installation is −3% and sprinkler system −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,450 – $12,600 | −7% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,500 | −7% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,900 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,700 – $9,250 | −8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,400 – $104,500 | −7% |
Wages behind the Florida number
Florida'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 0.91 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $21.17 an hour, which is 7% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.83 and $23.06 an hour. BLS counts 87,040 of them working in the state, 87.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.75 an hour, 17% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.27 and $28.06 an hour. About 27,510 work in the state. That is 27.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.72 an hour, which is 4% below the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.07 and $23.94 an hour. BLS counts 4,050 of them working in the state, 4.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($23.06 an hour) would add about $30 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.83) 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 9,929,860 jobs across Florida (May 2025), which is 6.4% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.83 | $21.17 | $23.06 | $22.66 | 0.93 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.27 | $23.75 | $28.06 | $28.78 | 0.83 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.07 | $22.72 | $23.94 | $23.56 | 0.96 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
French drain cost by metro in Florida
2 of the 19 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,250, and the top-to-bottom gap is 11%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | +4% |
| Naples, FL | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +1% |
| Palm Bay, FL | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| North Port, FL | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | level |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | level |
| Sebastian, FL | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | level |
| Crestview, FL | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | level |
| Tampa, FL | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Jacksonville, FL | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Cape Coral, FL | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Panama City, FL | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Deltona, FL | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Pensacola, FL | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Orlando, FL | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Gainesville, FL | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Lakeland, FL | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Tallahassee, FL | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Ocala, FL | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
Basic, standard or premium: Florida 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
$570 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$990 to $1,550
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,400 to $2,000
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $280 – $570 | $490 – $780 | $710 – $990 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $570 – $1,150 | $990 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $2,000 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,250 | $2,000 – $3,100 | $2,850 – $3,950 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $990 to $1,550 for Florida is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
The report lays out the french drain numbers for Florida line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
French drain in Florida: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Florida?
$570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Florida can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Florida is cheapest for French drain?
Ocala at about $1,200 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Miami at $1,350.
+Is French drain cheaper in Florida than the US average?
It is 6% cheaper: $1,250 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Florida?
About 50% ($640). Materials are 50%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.91x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Florida?
The BLS statewide median is $21.17 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.83 to $23.06.
+Where does Florida rank for French drain costs?
39th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,250 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Florida?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $570 to $1,150 and premium work $1,400 to $2,000. 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 Florida?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Florida metros we cover, Miami has the most comfortable months (12 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 Florida
- Miami, FL$1,350 midpoint
- Naples, FL$1,300 midpoint
- Palm Bay, FL$1,300 midpoint
- North Port, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Punta Gorda, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Sebastian, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Crestview, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Jacksonville, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Cape Coral, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Port St. Lucie, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Panama City, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Deltona, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Pensacola, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Gainesville, FL$1,250 midpoint
- Lakeland, FL$1,200 midpoint
- Tallahassee, FL$1,200 midpoint
- Ocala, FL$1,200 midpoint
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.