French drain cost in Monroe, 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
- $8.60 – $30
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −14%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #290
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Monroe, plan on $520 to $1,800 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $8.60 to $30 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 14% lower than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $17.24 an hour in the Monroe area, 24% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Monroe, LA, standard level
$900 to $1,400
About $15 to $23.50 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 | $900 | $1,400 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Monroe, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 52% |
| Labor | $250 | $560 | $860 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $520 | $1,150 | $1,800 | 100% |
Where the Monroe 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, Monroe wages are 0.79 times the national level. Labor makes up about 48% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Monroe 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 (83.6) 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 Monroe. The wage table below marks each row.
Climate in Monroe: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Monroe Rgnl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Monroe (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Monroe gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.8 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and November are the driest, at 3.5 and 4.2 inches. The station averages about 97 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 | 57 | 37 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Feb | 61 | 40 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 69 | 47 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 77 | 54 | 5.8 | Workable |
| May | 84 | 63 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 70 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Jul | 93 | 73 | 3.9 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 71 | 3.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 54 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 67 | 44 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 39 | 5.2 | Workable |
How Monroe compares
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Shreveport is the priciest of the group at $1,200. Little Rock is the cheapest at $1,150.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, LAthis page | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | |
| Alexandria, LA95 miles | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | level |
| Shreveport, LA100 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Jackson, MS115 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Texarkana, TX135 miles | $520 – $1,850 | $1,150 | +1% |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −1% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +16% |
Across 300 US metros, Monroe comes in at #290 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, Monroe is 3% below the Louisiana figure.
Other Louisiana metros
| 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% |
Cities with a workforce like Monroe's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Monroe against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +32% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +13% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +6% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +4% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Monroe 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.
Monroe labor market for French drain
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 Monroe is 0.79 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $17.24 an hour, 24% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.44 and $21.89 an hour. About 860 work in the metro. That is 98.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $22.12 an hour, which is 23% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $17.49 and $25.63 an hour. BLS counts 230 of them working in the area, 26.3 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 Monroe 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.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($21.89 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $70. At the 25th percentile ($16.44) it shrinks by about $10. The total moves by 6.2% or 1.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 87,500 jobs in the Monroe area. That makes it the 223rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $16.44 | $17.24 | $21.89 | $22.66 | 0.76 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $17.49 | $22.12 | $25.63 | $28.78 | 0.77 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.32 | $23.20 | $23.56 | 0.90 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.79 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Monroe
Because every project leans on different trades, Monroe's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −11% and sod installation −16%.
| 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 | $1,250 – $2,750 | −16% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,100 – $4,500 | −14% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,700 | −13% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,400 – $98,100 | −13% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Monroe
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Monroe 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
$520 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$900 to $1,400
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 – $900 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $520 – $1,050 | $900 – $1,400 | $1,300 – $1,800 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,050 | $1,800 – $2,850 | $2,600 – $3,600 |
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Multi-page report for Monroe, LA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
French drain in Monroe: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Monroe?
For 60 linear ft, expect $520 to $1,800 in the Monroe area. A standard-spec job lands at $900 to $1,400. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Monroe?
About $8.60 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 Monroe or Alexandria?
Alexandria is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,150, which is 0% more than Monroe ($1,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Monroe?
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 Monroe?
$520 to $1,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Monroe?
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 Monroe area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Monroe expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Monroe 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 Monroe?
The BLS median is $17.24 an hour in the Monroe area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.44 to $21.89.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Monroe?
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 Monroe?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. September and November 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 Monroe
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.