French drain cost in Alexandria, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $520 – $1,800
- Per linear ft
- $8.65 – $30
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −14%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #289
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Alexandria, LA usually costs $520 to $1,800 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $8.65 to $30 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $180 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $17.76 an hour in the Alexandria area, 22% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Alexandria, LA, standard level
$910 to $1,450
About $15 to $24 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $430 | $680 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $910 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Alexandria, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 52% |
| Labor | $250 | $560 | $870 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $520 | $1,150 | $1,800 | 100% |
Where the Alexandria price comes from
Labor is 48% 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 Alexandria the blended ratio comes out at 0.80.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Alexandria 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 85.7: $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 Alexandria. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Alexandria
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Alexandria wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (−11%) and gravel driveway lowest (−15%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,200 – $12,100 | −11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,100 – $8,700 | −15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,300 – $2,900 | −12% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,600 | −12% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,800 | −12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,500 – $98,300 | −13% |
Is Alexandria cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Alexandria. Monroe is the lowest at about $1,150 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 95 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LAthis page | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | |
| Lafayette, LA95 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Lake Charles, LA95 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +7% |
| Monroe, LA95 miles | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | level |
| Baton Rouge, LA100 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +5% |
| Shreveport, LA105 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +16% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Alexandria ranks #289 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Alexandria is 3% below the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +6% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +5% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +7% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Alexandria against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | 60,280 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | +14% |
| Niles, MI | 59,970 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +15% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −1% |
| Kingston, NY | 59,140 jobs | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +26% |
Why two Alexandria quotes can differ
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.
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).
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Alexandria
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Alexandria. 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
$520 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$910 to $1,450
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,300 to $1,800
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $260 – $520 | $450 – $710 | $650 – $910 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $520 – $1,050 | $910 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,800 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,050 | $1,800 – $2,850 | $2,600 – $3,650 |
Alexandria 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, Alexandria (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 Alexandria are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Alexandria gets about 61 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (6.1 inches in January). Inside the workable window, May and September are the driest, at 4.6 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 93 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 | 59 | 39 | 6.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 42 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 76 | 55 | 5.4 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 64 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 71 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 88 | 68 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 57 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 46 | 5.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 61 | 40 | 6.0 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Alexandria
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 Alexandria the blend is 0.80.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $17.76 an hour, which is 22% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $15.53 and $21.18 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the area, 101.7 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 $21.43 an hour, 26% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $17.11 and $25.07 an hour. About 260 work in the metro. That is 43.3 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 Alexandria metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $21.32 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.97 and $23.20 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $55 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $35. That is a swing of roughly 3.0% to 4.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Alexandria has 60,000 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 288th 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% | $15.53 | $17.76 | $21.18 | $22.66 | 0.78 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $17.11 | $21.43 | $25.07 | $28.78 | 0.74 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.32 | $23.20 | $23.56 | 0.90 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.80 | |||||
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French drain in Alexandria: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Alexandria?
For 60 linear ft, expect $520 to $1,800 in the Alexandria area. A standard-spec job lands at $910 to $1,450. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Alexandria?
About $8.65 to $30 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 Alexandria or Lafayette?
Lafayette is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 3% more than Alexandria ($1,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Alexandria?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $560 out of $1,150. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Alexandria?
$520 to $1,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Alexandria?
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 Alexandria area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Alexandria expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Alexandria is 3% below the Louisiana statewide estimate ($1,200 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Alexandria?
The BLS median is $17.76 an hour in the Alexandria area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.53 to $21.18.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Alexandria?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $520 to $1,050 and premium work $1,300 to $1,800. 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 Alexandria?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May 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 Alexandria
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.