French drain cost in Iowa City, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $590 – $2,050
- Per linear ft
- $9.85 – $34.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #157
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Iowa City area: $590 to $2,050 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 lands close to the US figure. 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 Iowa City, IA, standard level
$1,050 to $1,650
About $17.50 to $27 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $560 | $890 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,650 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Iowa City, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 46% |
| Labor | $320 | $720 | $1,150 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $590 | $1,350 | $2,050 | 100% |
What is behind the Iowa City 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 $23.05 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Iowa City is 1.03 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 54% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Iowa City 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 91.5: $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 Iowa City. The wage table below marks each row.
Who does the work: Iowa City 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 Iowa City the blend is 1.03.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $23.05 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $28.74 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 85.3 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 $29.10 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $27.22 and $34.14 an hour. About 210 work in the metro. That is 22.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Iowa City 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 $90 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $20. That is a swing of roughly 1.4% to 6.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Iowa City has 93,760 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 214th 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% | $21.87 | $23.05 | $28.74 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $27.22 | $29.10 | $34.14 | $28.78 | 1.01 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $24.13 | $25.96 | $27.79 | $23.56 | 1.10 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Iowa City?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Iowa City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (level) and concrete slab lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,150 – $13,300 | level |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,950 | −2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,350 – $5,000 | −4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,650 | −3% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,600 – $111,000 | −1% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Iowa City 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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Iowa City
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Iowa City. 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
$590 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 $2,050
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $300 – $590 | $520 – $810 | $740 – $1,050 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $590 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,650 | $1,500 – $2,050 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,200 – $2,350 | $2,050 – $3,250 | $2,950 – $4,150 |
Is Iowa City cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $1,500 across Iowa City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IAthis page | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA40 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Davenport, IA60 miles | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +5% |
| Dubuque, IA75 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA80 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +11% |
| Des Moines, IA110 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Iowa City ranks #157 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Iowa City is 0% below the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +5% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +11% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | level |
| 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 Iowa City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +13% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +16% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | +20% |
The best months for French drain in Iowa City
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Iowa City Muni 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 Iowa City 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 135 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Iowa City gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. 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 3.0 inches. The station averages about 19 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 | 15 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 19 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 50 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 63 | 40 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 73 | 52 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 63 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 54 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 42 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.4 | Cold |
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French drain in Iowa City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Iowa City?
For 60 linear ft, expect $590 to $2,050 in the Iowa City 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 Iowa City?
About $9.85 to $34.50 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 Iowa City or Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,350, which is 1% more than Iowa City ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Iowa City?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $720 out of $1,350. Materials are 46% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Iowa City?
$590 to $2,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Iowa City?
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 Iowa City area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Iowa City expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Iowa?
Iowa City is 0% below 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 Iowa City?
The BLS median is $23.05 an hour in the Iowa City area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.87 to $28.74.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Iowa City?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $590 to $1,200 and premium work $1,500 to $2,050. 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 Iowa City?
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 Iowa City
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.