French drain cost in Springfield, MO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $580 – $2,000
- Per linear ft
- $9.60 – $33.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #183
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Springfield, plan on $580 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $9.60 to $33.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 4% lower than the national one. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 94.2).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Springfield, MO, standard level
$1,000 to $1,600
About $17 to $26.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $750 |
| Labor | $530 | $840 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,600 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Springfield, MO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 47% |
| Labor | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $580 | $1,300 | $2,000 | 100% |
Why Springfield 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 Springfield the blended ratio comes out at 0.97.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Springfield metro is 94.2 (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 (88.6) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a national median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Springfield. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Springfield
Because every project leans on different trades, Springfield's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete slab runs −4% and sod installation −6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,750 – $12,800 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,650 | −5% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,350 – $5,000 | −4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,550 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,400 – $107,500 | −5% |
Springfield 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 Springfield is 0.97 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $23.00 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.26 and $28.96 an hour. About 1,020 work in the metro. That is 45.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $25.64 an hour, which is 11% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.04 and $35.39 an hour. BLS counts 530 of them working in the area, 23.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Springfield metro, so we used the national median: $23.56 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.15 and $29.52 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.96 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $90. At the 25th percentile ($19.26) it shrinks by about $60. The total moves by 7.1% or 4.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 223,030 jobs in the Springfield area. That makes it the 108th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.14% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $19.26 | $23.00 | $28.96 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $23.04 | $25.64 | $35.39 | $28.78 | 0.89 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.15 | $23.56 | $29.52 | $23.56 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 0.97 | |||||
Why two Springfield quotes can differ
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.
Depth and soil
Rocky or clay soil and long trenches raise excavation time.
Cost by quality level and size in Springfield
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Springfield 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
$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 $2,000
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $290 – $580 | $500 – $790 | $720 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $580 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,000 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,300 | $2,000 – $3,150 | $2,900 – $4,050 |
How Springfield 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 $1,200 to $1,450 across Springfield and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MOthis page | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | |
| Joplin, MO75 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +1% |
| Fayetteville, AR100 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −9% |
| Jefferson City, MO105 miles | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +11% |
| Columbia, MO115 miles | $610 – $2,150 | $1,350 | +6% |
| Kansas City, MO130 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +4% |
| Missouri (statewide) | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +8% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +4% |
Across 300 US metros, Springfield comes in at #183 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, Springfield is 8% below the Missouri figure.
Other Missouri metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | 1,341,320 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +20% |
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +4% |
| Columbia, MO | 107,680 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,350 | +6% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +1% |
| Jefferson City, MO | 80,220 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +11% |
Cities with a workforce like Springfield's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Springfield against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | 225,520 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +12% |
| Deltona, FL | 219,740 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −4% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −7% |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 219,730 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +7% |
Climate in Springfield: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Springfield Wbo (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Springfield (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
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 89 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Springfield gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are April, May and June (6.0 inches in May). Inside the workable window, August and October are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 38 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 | 43 | 23 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 26 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 58 | 35 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 67 | 44 | 5.2 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 56 | 6.0 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 64 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 68 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 88 | 67 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 58 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 69 | 46 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 57 | 35 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 46 | 27 | 2.6 | Cold |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed french drain report for Springfield, MO, $9
Multi-page report for Springfield, MO: 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 Springfield: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Springfield?
For 60 linear ft, expect $580 to $2,000 in the Springfield 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 Springfield?
About $9.60 to $33.50 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 Springfield or Joplin?
Joplin is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,300, which is 1% more than Springfield ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Springfield?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $680 out of $1,300. Materials are 47% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Springfield?
$580 to $2,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Springfield?
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 Springfield area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Springfield expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Missouri?
Springfield is 8% below the Missouri statewide estimate ($1,400 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Missouri; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Springfield?
The BLS median is $23.00 an hour in the Springfield area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.26 to $28.96.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Springfield?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $580 to $1,150 and premium work $1,450 to $2,000. 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 Springfield?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. August 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 Springfield
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.