French drain cost in Cedar Rapids, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $600 – $2,100
- Per linear ft
- $10 – $35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #143
- 1 = most expensive
Cedar Rapids homeowners pay roughly $600 to $2,100 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $10 to $35 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Cedar Rapids is almost level. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Cedar Rapids, IA, standard level
$1,050 to $1,650
About $17.50 to $27.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $580 | $900 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Cedar Rapids, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 45% |
| Labor | $330 | $740 | $1,150 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
Why Cedar Rapids prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.40 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Cedar Rapids is 1.05 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Cedar Rapids metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $610, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (89.0) 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 Cedar Rapids. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Cedar Rapids
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Cedar Rapids 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
$600 to $1,200
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,050 to $1,650
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,500 to $2,100
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $300 – $600 | $520 – $820 | $750 – $1,050 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $600 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,650 | $1,500 – $2,100 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,200 – $2,400 | $2,100 – $3,300 | $3,000 – $4,200 |
French drain: what moves the price in Cedar Rapids
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.
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Cedar Rapids is 1.05 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $23.40 an hour, 3% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $28.57 an hour. About 990 work in the metro. That is 71.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $30.44 an hour, which is 6% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $28.00 and $35.30 an hour. BLS counts 490 of them working in the area, 35.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Cedar Rapids metro, so we used the Iowa statewide median: $25.96 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.13 and $27.79 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.57 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $80. At the 25th percentile ($21.73) it shrinks by about $25. The total moves by 5.9% or 1.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 139,260 jobs in the Cedar Rapids area. That makes it the 160th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.09% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $21.73 | $23.40 | $28.57 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $28.00 | $30.44 | $35.30 | $28.78 | 1.06 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $24.13 | $25.96 | $27.79 | $23.56 | 1.10 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Cedar Rapids?
Because every project leans on different trades, Cedar Rapids's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs +5% and concrete slab −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,200 – $13,300 | level |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,100 | −1% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,050 | −3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,200 – $10,500 | +5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,600 – $114,500 | +1% |
When to schedule French drain in Cedar Rapids
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Cedar Rapids Muni Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Cedar Rapids (7 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, November 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 144 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Cedar Rapids gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (5.6 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.4 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 12 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 | 28 | 11 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 33 | 16 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 27 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 38 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 50 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 60 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 63 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 60 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 52 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 40 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 46 | 28 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 33 | 17 | 1.6 | Cold |
Cedar Rapids against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
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 $1,350 to $1,550 across Cedar Rapids and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IAthis page | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | |
| Iowa City, IA40 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Dubuque, IA45 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| Waterloo, IA55 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +10% |
| Davenport, IA75 miles | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +4% |
| La Crosse, WI115 miles | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +15% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
Across 300 US metros, Cedar Rapids comes in at #143 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, Cedar Rapids is 1% above the Iowa figure.
Other Iowa metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +4% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +10% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Cedar Rapids's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Cedar Rapids against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −2% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $680 – $2,350 | $1,550 | +13% |
| Vallejo, CA | 144,130 jobs | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +26% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +13% |
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French drain in Cedar Rapids: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Cedar Rapids?
For 60 linear ft, expect $600 to $2,100 in the Cedar Rapids area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,050 to $1,650. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Cedar Rapids?
About $10 to $35 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 Cedar Rapids or Iowa City?
Iowa City is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,350, which is 1% less than Cedar Rapids ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Cedar Rapids?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $740 out of $1,350. Materials are 45% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Cedar Rapids?
$600 to $2,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Cedar Rapids?
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 Cedar Rapids area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Cedar Rapids expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Iowa?
Cedar Rapids is 1% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($1,350 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Cedar Rapids?
The BLS median is $23.40 an hour in the Cedar Rapids area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.73 to $28.57.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Cedar Rapids?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $600 to $1,200 and premium work $1,500 to $2,100. 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 Cedar Rapids?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. September 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 Cedar Rapids
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.