French drain cost in New York
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $710 – $2,500
- Per linear ft
- $12 – $41.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 9
Across New York, a French drain costs about $710 to $2,500 for 60 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 18% above the US figure of $1,350. Construction laborers earn a median $26.89 an hour in New York (US: $22.66).
Inside New York, the metros we cover range from $1,450 (Utica) to $1,750 (New York) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
Estimate your french drain cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in New York (statewide), standard level
$1,250 to $1,950
About $20.50 to $32.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $540 | $850 |
| Labor | $700 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,250 | $1,950 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in New York
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $310 | $700 | $1,100 | 43% |
| Labor | $400 | $900 | $1,400 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $710 | $1,600 | $2,500 | 100% |
French drain cost by metro in New York
1 of the 9 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,600, and the top-to-bottom gap is 21%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $770 – $2,700 | $1,750 | +9% |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −2% |
| Albany, NY | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −4% |
| Buffalo, NY | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −6% |
| Kingston, NY | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | −8% |
| Rochester, NY | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −10% |
| Binghamton, NY | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −10% |
| Syracuse, NY | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −10% |
| Utica, NY | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −10% |
Other New York jobs that often go with French drain
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide New York wages and prices. Against national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (+18%) and sod installation lowest (+11%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,550 – $15,600 | +18% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,950 – $11,900 | +17% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,650 | +11% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,750 – $5,800 | +11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,600 – $11,600 | +16% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,500 – $133,000 | +18% |
New York against its neighbors
New York ranks 7 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 York sits at $1,600. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 80 miles away | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | −7% |
| New Jersey | 100 miles away | $760 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +7% |
| Pennsylvania | 140 miles away | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −16% |
| Delaware | 150 miles away | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −17% |
| Rhode Island | 160 miles away | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −11% |
French drain: what moves the price in New York
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.
Weather windows across New York
Season matters for French drain. For each New York metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
New York has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in New York at 10 months (March through December); Kingston has the shortest at 6 (May through October). Rainfall runs from 35 inches a year in Rochester to 51 inches in Kingston.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 28 | 85 | 50 | 10: March through December |
| Buffalo | 19 | 80 | 41 | 8: April through November |
| Rochester | 19 | 83 | 35 | 8: April through November |
| Albany | 16 | 84 | 41 | 7: April through October |
| Syracuse | 17 | 82 | 40 | 8: April through November |
| Poughkeepsie | 19 | 83 | 47 | 8: April through November |
| Utica | 14 | 81 | 44 | 7: April through October |
| Binghamton | 16 | 78 | 42 | 7: April through October |
| Kingston | 11 | 86 | 51 | 6: May through October |
Wages behind the New York number
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 1.29 for New York.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $26.89 an hour, 19% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.13 and $38.18 an hour. About 52,090 work in the state. That is 53.8 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 $38.94 an hour, which is 35% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.11 and $54.29 an hour. BLS counts 14,490 of them working in the state, 15.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $33.83 an hour, 44% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $25.25 and $38.64 an hour. About 250 work in the state. That is 0.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($38.18 an hour) would add about $170 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($21.13) would take off about $90. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 9,688,000 jobs across New York (May 2025), which is 6.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $21.13 | $26.89 | $38.18 | $22.66 | 1.19 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.11 | $38.94 | $54.29 | $28.78 | 1.35 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $25.25 | $33.83 | $38.64 | $23.56 | 1.44 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.29 | |||||
Quality levels and sizes in New York
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide New York wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$710 to $1,400
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,250 to $1,950
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,800 to $2,500
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $360 – $710 | $620 – $980 | $890 – $1,250 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $710 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,950 | $1,800 – $2,500 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,400 – $2,850 | $2,500 – $3,900 | $3,550 – $4,950 |
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 $1,250 to $1,950 for New York is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for New York: 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 New York: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in New York?
$710 to $2,500 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New York can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New York is cheapest for French drain?
Utica at about $1,450 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is New York at $1,750.
+Is French drain cheaper in New York than the US average?
It is 18% more expensive: $1,600 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New York?
About 57% ($900). Materials are 43%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.29x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in New York?
The BLS statewide median is $26.89 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.13 to $38.18.
+Where does New York rank for French drain costs?
7th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,600 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in New York?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $710 to $1,400 and premium work $1,800 to $2,500. 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 York?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New York metros we cover, New York has the most comfortable months (10 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 York
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.