French drain cost in Cincinnati, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $650 – $2,250
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $37.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +8%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #88
- 1 = most expensive
Cincinnati homeowners pay roughly $650 to $2,250 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $11 to $37.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Cincinnati is 8% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $26.41 an hour in the Cincinnati area, 17% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Cincinnati, OH, standard level
$1,150 to $1,800
About $19 to $29.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $660 | $1,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,150 | $1,800 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Cincinnati, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 42% |
| Labor | $380 | $850 | $1,300 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $650 | $1,450 | $2,250 | 100% |
Why Cincinnati prices look the way they do
Labor is 58% 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 Cincinnati the blended ratio comes out at 1.21.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Cincinnati metro is 93.8 (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 (95.4) and land at $0 to $0.
Is Cincinnati cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $1,350 to $1,550 across Cincinnati and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OHthis page | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | |
| Dayton, OH55 miles | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −2% |
| Lexington, KY65 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −8% |
| Louisville, KY90 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −8% |
| Indianapolis, IN100 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +3% |
| Columbus, OH105 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +6% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −7% |
Across 300 US metros, Cincinnati comes in at #88 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, Cincinnati is 0% below the Ohio figure.
Other Ohio metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +6% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +4% |
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −2% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +1% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −2% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Cincinnati's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Cincinnati against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,105,170 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +3% |
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −11% |
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +6% |
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −7% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Cincinnati bid
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.
When to schedule French drain in Cincinnati
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Cincinnati Lunken Ap (5 miles from the city center). 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 Cincinnati (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 102 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Cincinnati gets about 43 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.7 inches in May). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.0 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 27 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 | 41 | 24 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 45 | 26 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Mar | 55 | 33 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 67 | 43 | 4.4 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 53 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 61 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 65 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 56 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 68 | 44 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 55 | 34 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 45 | 28 | 3.3 | Cold |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Cincinnati
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Cincinnati 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
$650 to $1,300
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,150 to $1,800
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,600 to $2,250
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $320 – $650 | $570 – $890 | $810 – $1,150 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $650 – $1,300 | $1,150 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,250 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,300 – $2,600 | $2,250 – $3,550 | $3,250 – $4,550 |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Cincinnati is 1.21 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $26.41 an hour, 17% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $35.56 an hour. About 5,700 work in the metro. That is 51.8 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 $32.19 an hour, which is 12% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $26.86 and $45.51 an hour. BLS counts 3,120 of them working in the area, 28.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $34.09 an hour, 45% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $28.26 and $38.80 an hour. About 170 work in the metro. That is 1.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.56 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $140. At the 25th percentile ($22.17) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 9.7% or 4.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 1,101,030 jobs in the Cincinnati area. That makes it the 32nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.71% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.17 | $26.41 | $35.56 | $22.66 | 1.17 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $26.86 | $32.19 | $45.51 | $28.78 | 1.12 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $28.26 | $34.09 | $38.80 | $23.56 | 1.45 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.21 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Cincinnati?
Because every project leans on different trades, Cincinnati's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs +4% and sod installation −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,450 – $13,700 | +3% |
| 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 | $4,100 – $10,200 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $37,500 – $117,000 | +4% |
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 $1,150 to $1,800 for Cincinnati, OH is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Cincinnati, OH: 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 Cincinnati: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Cincinnati?
For 60 linear ft, expect $650 to $2,250 in the Cincinnati area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,150 to $1,800. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Cincinnati?
About $11 to $37.50 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 Cincinnati or Dayton?
Dayton is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,450, which is 2% less than Cincinnati ($1,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Cincinnati?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $850 out of $1,450. Materials are 42% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Cincinnati?
$650 to $2,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Cincinnati?
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 Cincinnati area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Cincinnati expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Ohio?
Cincinnati is 0% below the Ohio statewide estimate ($1,450 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Ohio; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Cincinnati?
The BLS median is $26.41 an hour in the Cincinnati area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.17 to $35.56.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Cincinnati?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $650 to $1,300 and premium work $1,600 to $2,250. 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 Cincinnati?
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 Cincinnati
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.