French drain cost in Bowling Green, KY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $580 – $2,050
- Per linear ft
- $9.75 – $34
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #171
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Bowling Green area: $580 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 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.2).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Bowling Green, KY, standard level
$1,000 to $1,600
About $17 to $27 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $540 | $850 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,600 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Bowling Green, KY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 47% |
| Labor | $310 | $690 | $1,100 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $580 | $1,300 | $2,050 | 100% |
Why Bowling Green prices look the way they do
Labor is 53% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), pipelayers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Bowling Green the blended ratio comes out at 0.99.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Bowling Green is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $620 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 90.2: $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 Bowling Green. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Bowling Green 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.
What nearby projects cost in Bowling Green
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Bowling Green wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (−4%) and concrete slab lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,750 – $12,800 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,750 | −5% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,850 | −7% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,500 – $108,000 | −4% |
Bowling Green: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Bowling Green. 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
$580 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,000 to $1,600
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,450 to $2,050
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $290 – $580 | $510 – $800 | $730 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $580 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,050 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,350 | $2,050 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,100 |
Who does the work: Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green the blend is 0.99.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $20.13 an hour, which is 11% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.58 and $23.85 an hour. BLS counts 840 of them working in the area, 102.2 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 $28.93 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.46 and $30.35 an hour. About 300 work in the metro. That is 36.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Bowling Green metro, so we used the Kentucky statewide median: $28.28 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $25.91 and $28.29 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $60 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $40. That is a swing of roughly 3.0% to 4.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Bowling Green has 82,160 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 231st 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% | $17.58 | $20.13 | $23.85 | $22.66 | 0.89 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $24.46 | $28.93 | $30.35 | $28.78 | 1.01 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $25.91 | $28.28 | $28.29 | $23.56 | 1.20 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
How Bowling Green 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 $1,250 to $1,500 across Bowling Green and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KYthis page | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | |
| Nashville, TN70 miles | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Clarksville, TN70 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −5% |
| Louisville, KY90 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
| Evansville, IN95 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +15% |
| Lexington, KY130 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
| Kentucky (statewide) | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Bowling Green ranks #171 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Bowling Green is 1% below the Kentucky figure.
Elsewhere in Kentucky
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | 685,190 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
| Lexington, KY | 286,910 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bowling Green against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −10% |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +12% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +3% |
The best months for French drain in Bowling Green
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Bowling Green Warren Co Ap (in the city). 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 Bowling Green are March through June and August through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
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 81 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Bowling Green gets about 50 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 9 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and May (5.0 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 47 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 | 46 | 28 | 3.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 51 | 31 | 4.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 60 | 38 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 47 | 4.8 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 60 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 38 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 49 | 32 | 4.3 | Cold |
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French drain in Bowling Green: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Bowling Green?
For 60 linear ft, expect $580 to $2,050 in the Bowling Green area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,000 to $1,600. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Bowling Green?
About $9.75 to $34 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 Bowling Green or Nashville?
Nashville is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,300, which is 1% less than Bowling Green ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bowling Green?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $690 out of $1,300. Materials are 47% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Bowling Green?
$580 to $2,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Bowling Green?
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 Bowling Green area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bowling Green expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Kentucky?
Bowling Green is 1% below the Kentucky statewide estimate ($1,350 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Kentucky; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Bowling Green?
The BLS median is $20.13 an hour in the Bowling Green area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.58 to $23.85.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Bowling Green?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $580 to $1,150 and premium work $1,450 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 Bowling Green?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and August through November. 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 Bowling Green
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.