French drain cost in Indianapolis, IN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $660 – $2,300
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $38.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +11%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #78
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Indianapolis area: $660 to $2,300 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 11% higher than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $24.54 an hour in the Indianapolis area, 8% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Indianapolis, IN, standard level
$1,150 to $1,800
About $19.50 to $30.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $750 |
| Labor | $690 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,150 | $1,800 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Indianapolis, IN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 41% |
| Labor | $390 | $880 | $1,350 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $660 | $1,500 | $2,300 | 100% |
What is behind the Indianapolis number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.54 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Indianapolis is 1.26 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 59% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Indianapolis is at 94.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $610 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 95.7: $0 to $0.
The best months for French drain in Indianapolis
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Indianapolis (10 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 Indianapolis are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February 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 105 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Indianapolis gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 26 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (5.0 inches in June). Inside the workable window, August and September are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.1 inches. The station averages about 20 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 | 36 | 21 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 41 | 24 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 52 | 33 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 64 | 43 | 4.3 | Workable |
| May | 73 | 54 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 63 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 66 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 65 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 57 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 46 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 35 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 40 | 26 | 2.9 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Indianapolis?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Indianapolis wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+8%) and sod installation lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,650 – $14,000 | +5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,750 – $11,000 | +8% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,250 | +2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,300 – $10,700 | +7% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $38,900 – $121,500 | +8% |
Who does the work: Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis the blend is 1.26.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $24.54 an hour, which is 8% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $30.09 an hour. BLS counts 9,840 of them working in the area, 89.0 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 $39.51 an hour, 37% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.58 and $44.60 an hour. About 3,700 work in the metro. That is 33.5 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 $35.66 an hour, which is 51% above the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.98 and $45.76 an hour. BLS counts 490 of them working in the area, 4.4 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 $85 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $40. That is a swing of roughly 2.6% to 5.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has 1,105,170 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 31st 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% | $22.00 | $24.54 | $30.09 | $22.66 | 1.08 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.58 | $39.51 | $44.60 | $28.78 | 1.37 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.98 | $35.66 | $45.76 | $23.56 | 1.51 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.26 | |||||
Why two Indianapolis 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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Indianapolis
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Indianapolis. 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
$660 to $1,350
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 | $830 – $1,150 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $660 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,300 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,350 – $2,650 | $2,300 – $3,650 | $3,300 – $4,650 |
How Indianapolis 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 $1,400 to $1,500 across Indianapolis and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, INthis page | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | |
| Bloomington, IN50 miles | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −6% |
| Lafayette, IN65 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | level |
| Terre Haute, IN70 miles | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −8% |
| Fort Wayne, IN95 miles | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −3% |
| Cincinnati, OH100 miles | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −3% |
| Indiana (statewide) | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Indianapolis ranks #78 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Indianapolis is 1% above the Indiana figure.
Elsewhere in Indiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | 225,520 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −3% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +2% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +3% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −7% |
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | level |
| Bloomington, IN | 73,240 jobs | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Indianapolis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +3% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −3% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,350 | −8% |
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −13% |
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Detailed french drain report for Indianapolis, IN, $9
Multi-page report for Indianapolis, IN: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. 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 Indianapolis: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Indianapolis?
For 60 linear ft, expect $660 to $2,300 in the Indianapolis area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,150 to $1,800. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Indianapolis?
About $11 to $38.50 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 Indianapolis or Bloomington?
Bloomington is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,400, which is 6% less than Indianapolis ($1,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Indianapolis?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $880 out of $1,500. Materials are 41% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Indianapolis?
$660 to $2,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Indianapolis?
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 Indianapolis area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Indianapolis expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Indiana?
Indianapolis is 1% above the Indiana statewide estimate ($1,500 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Indiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Indianapolis?
The BLS median is $24.54 an hour in the Indianapolis area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.00 to $30.09.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Indianapolis?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $660 to $1,350 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.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Indianapolis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. August and September 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 Indianapolis
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.