French drain cost in Panama City, FL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $550 – $1,950
- Per linear ft
- $9.25 – $32.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #224
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Panama City area: $550 to $1,950 for 60 linear ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 8% lower than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $20.79 an hour in the Panama City area, 8% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Panama City, FL, standard level
$970 to $1,550
About $16 to $25.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $490 | $760 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $970 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Panama City, FL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 50% |
| Labor | $280 | $620 | $970 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $550 | $1,250 | $1,950 | 100% |
What is behind the Panama City number
Labor is 50% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), pipelayers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Panama City the blended ratio comes out at 0.89.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Panama City is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $620 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.3: $0 to $0.
Specs and site conditions that change a Panama City 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.
Is Panama City 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 $1,150 to $1,250 across Panama City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama City, FLthis page | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | |
| Crestview, FL50 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +1% |
| Dothan, AL70 miles | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −7% |
| Tallahassee, FL80 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Pensacola, FL95 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Daphne, AL130 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Florida (statewide) | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +2% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Panama City ranks #224 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Panama City is 2% below the Florida figure.
Elsewhere in Florida
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | +7% |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +1% |
| Orlando, FL | 1,411,730 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +1% |
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +2% |
| Cape Coral, FL | 304,790 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Panama City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +34% |
| St. George, UT | 90,500 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +6% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | +28% |
| Medford, OR | 89,060 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +16% |
The best months for French drain in Panama City
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Panama City 5N (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Panama City are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Panama City gets about 61 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (7.4 inches in August). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.5 inches. The station averages about 67 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 43 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 46 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 52 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 58 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 66 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 73 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 75 | 7.4 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 75 | 7.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 71 | 7.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 61 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 73 | 50 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 67 | 45 | 4.3 | Workable |
Who does the work: Panama City trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Panama City the blend is 0.89.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $20.79 an hour, which is 8% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.54 and $22.57 an hour. BLS counts 1,130 of them working in the area, 124.7 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 $23.38 an hour, 19% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.88 and $27.56 an hour. About 500 work in the metro. That is 55.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.09 an hour, which is 6% below the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $19.01 and $23.25 an hour. BLS counts 80 of them working in the area, 8.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $30 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $50. That is a swing of roughly 4.0% to 2.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Panama City-Panama City Beach has 90,610 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 218th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.54 | $20.79 | $22.57 | $22.66 | 0.92 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.88 | $23.38 | $27.56 | $28.78 | 0.81 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $19.01 | $22.09 | $23.25 | $23.56 | 0.94 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Panama City
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Panama City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−6%) and sprinkler system lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,400 | −8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,350 | −9% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,550 – $8,950 | −11% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,700 – $102,500 | −9% |
Cost by quality level and size in Panama City
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Panama City. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$550 to $1,100
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$970 to $1,550
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,400 to $1,950
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $280 – $550 | $490 – $760 | $690 – $970 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $550 – $1,100 | $970 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $1,950 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,100 – $2,200 | $1,950 – $3,050 | $2,750 – $3,900 |
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French drain in Panama City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Panama City?
For 60 linear ft, expect $550 to $1,950 in the Panama City area. A standard-spec job lands at $970 to $1,550. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Panama City?
About $9.25 to $32.50 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 Panama City or Crestview?
Crestview is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,250, which is 1% more than Panama City ($1,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Panama City?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $620 out of $1,250. Materials are 50% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Panama City?
$550 to $1,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Panama City?
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 Panama City area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Panama City expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Florida?
Panama City is 2% below the Florida statewide estimate ($1,250 at the midpoint). We cover 19 metros in Florida; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Panama City?
The BLS median is $20.79 an hour in the Panama City area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.54 to $22.57.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Panama City?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $550 to $1,100 and premium work $1,400 to $1,950. 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 Panama City?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May 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 Panama City
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.