French drain cost in Asheville, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $570 – $2,000
- Per linear ft
- $9.50 – $33.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #192
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Asheville, NC usually costs $570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $9.50 to $33.50 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $65 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $22.85 an hour in the Asheville area, 1% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Asheville, NC, standard level
$1,000 to $1,550
About $16.50 to $26 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $770 |
| Labor | $510 | $800 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Asheville, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $630 | $970 | 49% |
| Labor | $290 | $660 | $1,000 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $570 | $1,300 | $2,000 | 100% |
Why Asheville prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%, pipelayers at 20%. Weighted together, Asheville wages are 0.94 times the national level. Labor makes up about 51% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Asheville is at 96.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $630 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.5: $0 to $0.
Is Asheville cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Asheville is the priciest of the group. Johnson City is the cheapest at $1,200.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NCthis page | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | |
| Johnson City, TN45 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Hickory, NC65 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Greenville, SC65 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Spartanburg, SC70 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Kingsport, TN70 miles | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Asheville ranks #192 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Asheville is 1% above the North Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in North Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −4% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Asheville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | 182,620 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +1% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +9% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +9% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −7% |
French drain: what moves the price in Asheville
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).
Asheville: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Asheville. 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
$570 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,000 to $1,550
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 – $570 | $500 – $780 | $710 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $570 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,550 | $1,450 – $2,000 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,300 | $2,000 – $3,150 | $2,850 – $4,000 |
Asheville 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, Asheville (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 Asheville are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, 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 77 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Asheville gets about 41 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 12 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, July and September (4.1 inches in July). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 2.6 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 16 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 | 48 | 29 | 3.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 52 | 32 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Mar | 59 | 38 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 46 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 76 | 54 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 61 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 65 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 64 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 58 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 69 | 47 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 37 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 51 | 32 | 3.3 | Cold |
Related projects, priced for Asheville
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Asheville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−3%) and retaining wall lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,400 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,500 | −5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,500 – $104,500 | −7% |
What local crews earn in Asheville
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 Asheville the blend is 0.94.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $22.85 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.46 and $23.75 an hour. BLS counts 1,340 of them working in the area, 74.2 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 $23.06 an hour, 20% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.81 and $24.89 an hour. About 510 work in the metro. That is 28.2 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 $22.52 an hour, which is 4% below the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.22 and $23.00 an hour. BLS counts 160 of them working in the area, 8.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $15 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $70. That is a swing of roughly 5.3% to 1.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Asheville has 180,620 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 127th 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% | $18.46 | $22.85 | $23.75 | $22.66 | 1.01 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.81 | $23.06 | $24.89 | $28.78 | 0.80 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.22 | $22.52 | $23.00 | $23.56 | 0.96 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
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French drain in Asheville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Asheville?
For 60 linear ft, expect $570 to $2,000 in the Asheville area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,000 to $1,550. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Asheville?
About $9.50 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 Asheville or Johnson City?
Johnson City is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 5% less than Asheville ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Asheville?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $660 out of $1,300. Materials are 49% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Asheville?
$570 to $2,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Asheville?
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 Asheville area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Asheville expensive for French drain compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Asheville is 1% above the North Carolina statewide estimate ($1,250 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Asheville?
The BLS median is $22.85 an hour in the Asheville area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.46 to $23.75.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Asheville?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $570 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 Asheville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. 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 Asheville
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.