French drain cost in Slidell, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $530 – $1,850
- Per linear ft
- $8.85 – $31
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #267
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Slidell, LA usually costs $530 to $1,850 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $8.85 to $31 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $150 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.41 an hour in the Slidell area, 19% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Slidell, LA, standard level
$930 to $1,450
About $15.50 to $24.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $460 | $720 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $930 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Slidell, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 51% |
| Labor | $260 | $590 | $920 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $530 | $1,200 | $1,850 | 100% |
What is behind the Slidell number
Labor is 49% 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 Slidell the blended ratio comes out at 0.84.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Slidell 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 92.7: $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 Slidell. The wage table below marks each row.
Slidell 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, Slidell (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 Slidell are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Slidell gets about 66 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, July and August (7.7 inches in July). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 4.2 and 4.2 inches. The station averages about 64 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 | 42 | 5.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 64 | 45 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 52 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 76 | 58 | 5.5 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 66 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 72 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 74 | 7.7 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 74 | 7.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 70 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 59 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 49 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 63 | 44 | 5.0 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Slidell
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 Slidell the blend is 0.84.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $18.41 an hour, which is 19% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.79 and $22.69 an hour. BLS counts 860 of them working in the area, 87.5 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 $24.32 an hour, 15% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.64 and $31.88 an hour. About 250 work in the metro. That is 25.4 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 Slidell 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 2.1% to 5.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington has 98,240 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 205th 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% | $16.79 | $18.41 | $22.69 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.64 | $24.32 | $31.88 | $28.78 | 0.85 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.32 | $23.20 | $23.56 | 0.90 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
How Slidell 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 $1,150 to $1,250 across Slidell and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell, LAthis page | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | |
| Gulfport, MS55 miles | $540 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Hattiesburg, MS70 miles | $520 – $1,850 | $1,150 | −2% |
| Baton Rouge, LA70 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +2% |
| New Orleans, LA80 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Houma, LA90 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Slidell ranks #267 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Slidell is 0% below the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +3% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +2% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | level |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +4% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Slidell against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, CA | 98,500 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | +34% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +29% |
| Binghamton, NY | 97,030 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +20% |
Slidell: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Slidell. 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
$530 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$930 to $1,450
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,350 to $1,850
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $270 – $530 | $470 – $730 | $670 – $930 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $530 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,850 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,150 | $1,850 – $2,950 | $2,650 – $3,700 |
Why two Slidell 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).
Related projects, priced for Slidell
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Slidell wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−8%) and gravel driveway lowest (−12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,300 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,000 | −12% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,200 – $4,650 | −10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,000 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,300 – $101,000 | −11% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $930 to $1,450 for Slidell, LA is attached.
Detailed french drain report for Slidell, LA, $9
Multi-page report for Slidell, 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 Slidell: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Slidell?
For 60 linear ft, expect $530 to $1,850 in the Slidell area. A standard-spec job lands at $930 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 Slidell?
About $8.85 to $31 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 Slidell or Gulfport?
Gulfport is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 1% more than Slidell ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Slidell?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $590 out of $1,200. Materials are 51% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Slidell?
$530 to $1,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Slidell?
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 Slidell area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Slidell expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Slidell is 0% 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 Slidell?
The BLS median is $18.41 an hour in the Slidell area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.79 to $22.69.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Slidell?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $530 to $1,050 and premium work $1,350 to $1,850. 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 Slidell?
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 Slidell
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.