French drain cost in Chicago, IL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $740 – $2,600
- Per linear ft
- $12.50 – $43
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +24%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #14
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Chicago, plan on $740 to $2,600 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $12.50 to $43 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 24% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $29.27 an hour in the Chicago area, 29% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Chicago, IL, standard level
$1,300 to $2,050
About $21.50 to $34 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $540 | $850 |
| Labor | $760 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,300 | $2,050 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Chicago, IL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $310 | $700 | $1,100 | 42% |
| Labor | $430 | $970 | $1,500 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $740 | $1,650 | $2,600 | 100% |
Why Chicago 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, Chicago wages are 1.39 times the national level. Labor makes up about 58% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Chicago metro is 107.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $700, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (103.6) and land at $0 to $0.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Chicago
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Chicago 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
$740 to $1,500
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,300 to $2,050
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,850 to $2,600
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $370 – $740 | $650 – $1,000 | $930 – $1,300 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $740 – $1,500 | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,600 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,500 – $2,950 | $2,600 – $4,100 | $3,700 – $5,200 |
What nearby projects cost in Chicago
Because every project leans on different trades, Chicago's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs +30% and sod installation +12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $9,150 – $16,400 | +25% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,250 – $13,100 | +29% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,700 | +12% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $3,000 – $6,200 | +21% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $5,200 – $13,000 | +30% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $46,500 – $145,000 | +29% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Chicago 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.
Chicago against nearby metros and the rest of Illinois
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Chicago is the priciest of the group. Niles is the cheapest at $1,350.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILthis page | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | |
| Niles, MI55 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −20% |
| Kenosha, WI55 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −6% |
| Racine, WI70 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Rockford, IL75 miles | $680 – $2,350 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Milwaukee, WI80 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Illinois (statewide) | $720 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −19% |
Across 300 US metros, Chicago comes in at #14 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, Chicago is 4% above the Illinois figure.
Other Illinois metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $680 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −9% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $680 – $2,350 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Champaign, IL | 105,500 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −9% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −8% |
Cities with a workforce like Chicago's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chicago against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $750 – $2,600 | $1,700 | +1% |
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −22% |
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $770 – $2,700 | $1,750 | +4% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −24% |
Climate in Chicago: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Chicago Midway Ap (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 Chicago (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 106 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Chicago gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.1 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 20 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 | 33 | 19 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 23 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 32 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 52 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 62 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 68 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 59 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 47 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 35 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 38 | 25 | 1.8 | Cold |
Chicago 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 Chicago is 1.39 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $29.27 an hour, 29% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.25 and $48.44 an hour. About 26,690 work in the metro. That is 59.1 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 $49.57 an hour, which is 72% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $37.78 and $56.42 an hour. BLS counts 7,930 of them working in the area, 17.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $26.21 an hour, 11% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.97 and $30.01 an hour. About 250 work in the metro. That is 0.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($48.44 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $300. At the 25th percentile ($22.25) it shrinks by about $110. The total moves by 17.8% or 6.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 4,513,280 jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area. That makes it the 3rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 2.90% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.25 | $29.27 | $48.44 | $22.66 | 1.29 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $37.78 | $49.57 | $56.42 | $28.78 | 1.72 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.97 | $26.21 | $30.01 | $23.56 | 1.11 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.39 | |||||
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French drain in Chicago: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Chicago?
For 60 linear ft, expect $740 to $2,600 in the Chicago area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,300 to $2,050. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Chicago?
About $12.50 to $43 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 Chicago or Niles?
Niles is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,350, which is 20% less than Chicago ($1,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chicago?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $970 out of $1,650. Materials are 42% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Chicago?
$740 to $2,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Chicago?
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 Chicago area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chicago expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Illinois?
Chicago is 4% above the Illinois statewide estimate ($1,600 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Illinois; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Chicago?
The BLS median is $29.27 an hour in the Chicago area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.25 to $48.44.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Chicago?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $740 to $1,500 and premium work $1,850 to $2,600. 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 Chicago?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. September 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 Chicago
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.