French drain cost in Nevada
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $630 – $2,200
- Per linear ft
- $10.50 – $37
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 2
Nevada prices for French drain: $630 to $2,200 for 60 linear ft, or $10.50 to $37 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 5% above the national one. Local wages for construction laborers are $23.55 an hour.
Inside Nevada, the metros we cover range from $1,400 (Las Vegas) to $1,450 (Reno) at the midpoint.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Nevada (statewide), standard level
$1,100 to $1,750
About $18.50 to $29 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $620 | $980 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,100 | $1,750 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Nevada
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 44% |
| Labor | $350 | $800 | $1,250 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $630 | $1,400 | $2,200 | 100% |
If you are planning more than one job in Nevada
Each project weights the trades differently, so Nevada's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gravel driveway is +4% and sod installation −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,100 – $13,400 | level |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,600 – $10,600 | +4% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,250 | −2% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,250 | +1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,000 – $10,000 | level |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,700 – $114,500 | +2% |
Which Nevada city is cheapest for French drain?
1 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (60 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno, NV | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +2% |
| Las Vegas, NV | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −2% |
Wages behind the Nevada number
Nevada's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.14 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $23.55 an hour, which is 4% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.22 and $31.12 an hour. BLS counts 11,890 of them working in the state, 76.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $34.33 an hour, 19% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.19 and $43.29 an hour. About 5,410 work in the state. That is 34.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $30.56 an hour, which is 30% above the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $23.39 and $36.45 an hour. BLS counts 450 of them working in the state, 2.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($31.12 an hour) would add about $120 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.22) would take off about $50. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,551,540 jobs across Nevada (May 2025), which is 1.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $20.22 | $23.55 | $31.12 | $22.66 | 1.04 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.19 | $34.33 | $43.29 | $28.78 | 1.19 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $23.39 | $30.56 | $36.45 | $23.56 | 1.30 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
Why two Nevada 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.
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
Basic, standard or premium: Nevada prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$630 to $1,250
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,100 to $1,750
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,600 to $2,200
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $320 – $630 | $550 – $870 | $790 – $1,100 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $630 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,200 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,250 – $2,550 | $2,200 – $3,500 | $3,150 – $4,400 |
Nevada seasons and French drain
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Nevada is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Las Vegas has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Nevada at 8 months (October through May); Reno has the shortest at 6 (March through June and September through October). Rainfall runs from 4 inches a year in Las Vegas to 7 inches in Reno.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | 39 | 104 | 4 | 8: October through May |
| Reno | 26 | 94 | 7 | 6: March through June and September through October |
How Nevada compares with nearby states
Nevada ranks 16 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for French drain, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,850 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,150, both for 60 linear ft at the midpoint. Nevada sits at $1,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 210 miles away | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +17% |
| Utah | 290 miles away | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −6% |
| Arizona | 340 miles away | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −5% |
| Idaho | 460 miles away | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −4% |
| New Mexico | 550 miles away | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −14% |
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Detailed french drain report for Nevada, $9
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French drain in Nevada: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Nevada?
$630 to $2,200 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Nevada can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Nevada is cheapest for French drain?
Las Vegas at about $1,400 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Reno at $1,450.
+Is French drain cheaper in Nevada than the US average?
It is 5% more expensive: $1,400 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Nevada?
About 56% ($800). Materials are 44%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.14x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Nevada?
The BLS statewide median is $23.55 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.22 to $31.12.
+Where does Nevada rank for French drain costs?
16th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,400 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Nevada?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $630 to $1,250 and premium work $1,600 to $2,200. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Does the season matter for French drain in Nevada?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Nevada metros we cover, Las Vegas has the most comfortable months (8 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
French drain by city in Nevada
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.