French drain cost in New Mexico
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $540 – $1,900
- Per linear ft
- $9.05 – $31.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 3
New Mexico prices for French drain: $540 to $1,900 for 60 linear ft, or $9.05 to $31.50 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 9% below the national one. Local wages for construction laborers are $18.46 an hour.
Inside New Mexico, the metros we cover range from $1,200 (Las Cruces) to $1,250 (Santa Fe) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in New Mexico (statewide), standard level
$950 to $1,500
About $16 to $25 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $760 |
| Labor | $470 | $730 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $950 | $1,500 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in New Mexico
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 51% |
| Labor | $270 | $600 | $930 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $540 | $1,200 | $1,900 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in New Mexico
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide New Mexico wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$540 to $1,100
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$950 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 – $540 | $480 – $750 | $680 – $950 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $540 – $1,100 | $950 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $1,900 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,100 – $2,150 | $1,900 – $3,000 | $2,700 – $3,800 |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in New Mexico
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 3 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.85 for New Mexico.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $18.46 an hour, 19% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.07 and $22.26 an hour. About 12,470 work in the state. That is 143.2 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 $25.00 an hour, which is 13% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.82 and $28.89 an hour. BLS counts 5,520 of them working in the state, 63.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.90 an hour, 7% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $20.20 and $23.19 an hour. About 190 work in the state. That is 2.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($22.26 an hour) would add about $60 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.07) would take off about $20. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 870,970 jobs across New Mexico (May 2025), which is 0.6% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.07 | $18.46 | $22.26 | $22.66 | 0.81 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.82 | $25.00 | $28.89 | $28.78 | 0.87 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $20.20 | $21.90 | $23.19 | $23.56 | 0.93 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
New Mexico against its neighbors
New Mexico ranks 46 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. New Mexico sits at $1,200. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
New Mexico metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,200, and the top-to-bottom gap is 2%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +2% |
| Albuquerque, NM | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +1% |
| Las Cruces, NM | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | level |
French drain: what moves the price in New Mexico
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.
New Mexico seasons and French drain
Season matters for French drain. For each New Mexico metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Albuquerque has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in New Mexico at 7 months (March through May and August through November); Santa Fe has the shortest at 6 (May through October). Rainfall runs from 9 inches a year in Albuquerque to 13 inches in Santa Fe.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 26 | 91 | 9 | 7: March through May and August through November |
| Las Cruces | 30 | 96 | 9 | 7: February through May and September through November |
| Santa Fe | 18 | 86 | 13 | 6: May through October |
Related projects, priced for New Mexico
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide New Mexico wages and prices. Against national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−6%) and retaining wall lowest (−12%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,000 – $12,000 | −12% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,200 | −10% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,700 – $9,200 | −8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,200 – $100,500 | −11% |
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French drain in New Mexico: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in New Mexico?
$540 to $1,900 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Mexico can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Mexico is cheapest for French drain?
Las Cruces at about $1,200 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Santa Fe at $1,250.
+Is French drain cheaper in New Mexico than the US average?
It is 9% cheaper: $1,200 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Mexico?
About 49% ($600). Materials are 51%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.85x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in New Mexico?
The BLS statewide median is $18.46 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.07 to $22.26.
+Where does New Mexico rank for French drain costs?
46th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,200 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in New Mexico?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $540 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.
+Does the season matter for French drain in New Mexico?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New Mexico metros we cover, Albuquerque has the most comfortable months (7 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 New Mexico
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.