French drain cost in Des Moines, 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
- #137
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Des Moines, IA usually costs $600 to $2,100 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $10 to $35 per linear ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Construction laborers earn a median of $24.03 an hour in the Des Moines area, 6% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Des Moines, 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 | $910 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Des Moines, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 45% |
| Labor | $330 | $750 | $1,150 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $600 | $1,350 | $2,100 | 100% |
Where the Des Moines price comes from
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, Des Moines wages are 1.06 times the national level. Labor makes up about 55% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Des Moines is at 93.7 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 91.7: $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 Des Moines. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Des Moines
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Des Moines. 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
$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 | $530 – $830 | $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 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Des Moines bid
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
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.
Des Moines weather and the french drain calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Des Moines Intl Ap (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 Des Moines are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, 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 128 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Des Moines gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 22 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 | 31 | 14 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 62 | 41 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.6 | Cold |
Des Moines against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Des Moines. Iowa City is the lowest at about $1,350 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 110 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IAthis page | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | |
| Waterloo, IA95 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +9% |
| Iowa City, IA110 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −2% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA115 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Omaha, NE120 miles | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Sioux City, IA145 miles | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −2% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Des Moines ranks #137 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Des Moines is 1% above the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +3% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −2% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +9% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −2% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Des Moines against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +11% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −9% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −9% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −7% |
Related projects, priced for Des Moines
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Des Moines wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (+3%) and concrete slab lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,450 – $13,600 | +3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,100 | −1% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,550 – $3,400 | +3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,450 – $5,100 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,100 – $10,200 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,900 – $115,000 | +2% |
What local crews earn in Des Moines
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 Des Moines the blend is 1.06.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $24.03 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.67 and $28.91 an hour. BLS counts 3,510 of them working in the area, 86.9 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 $30.10 an hour, 5% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $28.03 and $37.62 an hour. About 1,260 work in the metro. That is 31.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Des Moines 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.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $75 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $20. That is a swing of roughly 1.6% to 5.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Des Moines-West Des Moines has 404,130 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 64th 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% | $22.67 | $24.03 | $28.91 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $28.03 | $30.10 | $37.62 | $28.78 | 1.05 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $24.13 | $25.96 | $27.79 | $23.56 | 1.10 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.06 | |||||
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French drain in Des Moines: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Des Moines?
For 60 linear ft, expect $600 to $2,100 in the Des Moines 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 Des Moines?
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 Des Moines or Waterloo?
Waterloo is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,500, which is 9% more than Des Moines ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Des Moines?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $750 out of $1,350. Materials are 45% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Des Moines?
$600 to $2,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Des Moines?
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 Des Moines area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Des Moines expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Iowa?
Des Moines 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 Des Moines?
The BLS median is $24.03 an hour in the Des Moines area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.67 to $28.91.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Des Moines?
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 Des Moines?
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 Des Moines
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.