French drain cost in New Orleans, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $550 – $1,900
- Per linear ft
- $9.15 – $32
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #242
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in New Orleans, LA usually costs $550 to $1,900 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $9.15 to $32 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $120 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.98 an hour in the New Orleans area, 16% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in New Orleans, LA, standard level
$960 to $1,500
About $16 to $25 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $490 | $770 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $960 | $1,500 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in New Orleans, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 49% |
| Labor | $280 | $630 | $970 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $550 | $1,250 | $1,900 | 100% |
Where the New Orleans price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $18.98 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for New Orleans is 0.89 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 51% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. New Orleans 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 92.6: $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 New Orleans. The wage table below marks each row.
Is New Orleans cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. New Orleans is the priciest of the group. Houma is the cheapest at $1,200.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LAthis page | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | |
| Houma, LA75 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Slidell, LA80 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Gulfport, MS90 miles | $540 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −2% |
| Baton Rouge, LA125 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Mobile, AL125 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, New Orleans ranks #242 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, New Orleans is 3% above the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −1% |
| 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 | +1% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is New Orleans against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | 446,380 jobs | $830 – $2,900 | $1,850 | +51% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +2% |
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +24% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +3% |
Planning more than one job in New Orleans?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same New Orleans wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (−7%) and concrete slab lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,500 – $12,400 | −8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,400 | −8% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,350 – $3,000 | −9% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,200 – $4,700 | −10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,700 – $9,300 | −7% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,300 – $104,000 | −8% |
French drain: what moves the price in New Orleans
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).
What local crews earn in New Orleans
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 New Orleans the blend is 0.89.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $18.98 an hour, which is 16% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.45 and $23.29 an hour. BLS counts 3,620 of them working in the area, 81.2 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 $28.00 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.97 and $32.23 an hour. About 1,150 work in the metro. That is 25.8 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 New Orleans 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 $65 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $25. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 5.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
New Orleans-Metairie has 445,550 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 57th 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% | $17.45 | $18.98 | $23.29 | $22.66 | 0.84 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.97 | $28.00 | $32.23 | $28.78 | 0.97 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.32 | $23.20 | $23.56 | 0.90 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in New Orleans
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to New Orleans. 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
$550 to $1,100
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$960 to $1,500
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,350 to $1,900
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $270 – $550 | $480 – $750 | $690 – $960 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $550 – $1,100 | $960 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $1,900 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,100 – $2,200 | $1,900 – $3,000 | $2,750 – $3,850 |
New Orleans 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, New Orleans Lakefront 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 New Orleans are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
New Orleans gets about 60 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.5 inches in August). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 86 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 | 61 | 47 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 51 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 57 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 63 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 71 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 76 | 6.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 78 | 6.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 79 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 76 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 67 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 56 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 63 | 50 | 4.6 | Workable |
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French drain in New Orleans: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in New Orleans?
For 60 linear ft, expect $550 to $1,900 in the New Orleans area. A standard-spec job lands at $960 to $1,500. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in New Orleans?
About $9.15 to $32 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 New Orleans or Houma?
Houma is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 4% less than New Orleans ($1,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in New Orleans?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $630 out of $1,250. Materials are 49% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in New Orleans?
$550 to $1,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in New Orleans?
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 New Orleans area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is New Orleans expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Louisiana?
New Orleans is 3% above 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 New Orleans?
The BLS median is $18.98 an hour in the New Orleans area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.45 to $23.29.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in New Orleans?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $550 to $1,100 and premium work $1,350 to $1,900. 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 New Orleans?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. October 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 New Orleans
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.