French drain cost in Athens, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $530 – $1,850
- Per linear ft
- $8.80 – $31
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #275
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Athens, plan on $530 to $1,850 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $8.80 to $31 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 12% lower than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $17.85 an hour in the Athens area, 21% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Athens, GA, standard level
$920 to $1,450
About $15.50 to $24 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $440 | $690 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $920 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Athens, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 52% |
| Labor | $250 | $560 | $880 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $530 | $1,200 | $1,850 | 100% |
Where the Athens price comes from
Labor is 48% 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 Athens the blended ratio comes out at 0.80.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Athens metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $620, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.3) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Athens. The wage table below marks each row.
How Athens compares
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 $1,200 to $1,250 across Athens and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GAthis page | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | |
| Gainesville, GA45 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Greenville, SC70 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +6% |
| Atlanta, GA70 miles | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +7% |
| Augusta, GA80 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Macon, GA80 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Georgia (statewide) | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +4% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +14% |
Across 300 US metros, Athens comes in at #275 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, Athens is 4% below the Georgia figure.
Other Georgia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +7% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Athens's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Athens against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +29% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $510 – $1,750 | $1,150 | −4% |
| Binghamton, NY | 97,030 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +21% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
Climate in Athens: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Athens Ben Epps Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Athens (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Athens gets about 49 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, August and December (4.9 inches in June). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 62 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 | 55 | 34 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 59 | 37 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 43 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 75 | 50 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 59 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 67 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 70 | 4.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 69 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 85 | 63 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 52 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 42 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 57 | 36 | 4.4 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for Athens
Because every project leans on different trades, Athens's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −7% and gravel driveway −14%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,050 – $12,000 | −12% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,150 – $8,800 | −14% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,550 – $8,900 | −11% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,500 – $98,500 | −13% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Athens bid
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Athens
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Athens 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
$530 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$920 to $1,450
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,300 to $1,850
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $260 – $530 | $460 – $730 | $660 – $920 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $530 – $1,050 | $920 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,850 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,100 | $1,850 – $2,900 | $2,650 – $3,700 |
Athens 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 Athens is 0.80 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $17.85 an hour, 21% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.56 and $23.50 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 43.8 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 $21.30 an hour, which is 26% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $18.67 and $22.31 an hour. BLS counts 230 of them working in the area, 24.0 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 Athens metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median: $22.22 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.78 and $24.25 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($23.50 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $90. At the 25th percentile ($16.56) it shrinks by about $20. The total moves by 7.4% or 1.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 95,800 jobs in the Athens-Clarke County area. That makes it the 209th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $16.56 | $17.85 | $23.50 | $22.66 | 0.79 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $18.67 | $21.30 | $22.31 | $28.78 | 0.74 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $18.78 | $22.22 | $24.25 | $23.56 | 0.94 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.80 | |||||
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French drain in Athens: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Athens?
For 60 linear ft, expect $530 to $1,850 in the Athens area. A standard-spec job lands at $920 to $1,450. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Athens?
About $8.80 to $31 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 Athens or Gainesville?
Gainesville is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 1% more than Athens ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Athens?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $560 out of $1,200. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Athens?
$530 to $1,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Athens?
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 Athens area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Athens expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Georgia?
Athens is 4% below the Georgia statewide estimate ($1,250 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Georgia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Athens?
The BLS median is $17.85 an hour in the Athens area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.56 to $23.50.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Athens?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $530 to $1,050 and premium work $1,300 to $1,850. 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 Athens?
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 Athens
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.