French drain cost in Dayton, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $640 – $2,250
- Per linear ft
- $10.50 – $37
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #100
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Dayton, OH usually costs $640 to $2,250 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $10.50 to $37 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $80 more. Construction laborers earn a median of $25.48 an hour in the Dayton area, 12% above the US median of $22.66.
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 Dayton, OH, standard level
$1,100 to $1,750
About $18.50 to $29 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $640 | $1,000 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,100 | $1,750 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Dayton, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 42% |
| Labor | $370 | $830 | $1,300 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $640 | $1,450 | $2,250 | 100% |
Where the Dayton price comes from
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 Dayton the blended ratio comes out at 1.18.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dayton is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $610 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.7: $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Dayton. The wage table below marks each row.
Dayton 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, Dayton Mcd (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 Dayton are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March 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 107 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Dayton gets about 42 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 12 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.5 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 39 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 | 36 | 20 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 40 | 23 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 51 | 31 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 64 | 41 | 4.5 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 53 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 62 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 44 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 33 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in Dayton
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dayton. 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
$640 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 $2,250
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $320 – $640 | $560 – $870 | $800 – $1,100 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $640 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,250 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,250 – $2,550 | $2,250 – $3,500 | $3,200 – $4,450 |
Dayton against nearby metros and the rest of Ohio
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Dayton. Lexington is the lowest at about $1,350 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton, OHthis page | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | |
| Cincinnati, OH55 miles | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +2% |
| Columbus, OH70 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +8% |
| Fort Wayne, IN100 miles | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +1% |
| Indianapolis, IN105 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +4% |
| Lexington, KY120 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −6% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +2% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dayton ranks #100 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dayton is 2% below the Ohio figure.
Elsewhere in Ohio
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +8% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +2% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +6% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +3% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | level |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dayton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −5% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −14% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −9% |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −19% |
Planning more than one job in Dayton?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dayton wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+2%) and sod installation lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,200 – $13,400 | level |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,550 – $10,400 | +2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,150 | level |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,000 – $10,000 | level |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,600 – $114,000 | +1% |
French drain: what moves the price in Dayton
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).
What local crews earn in Dayton
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 Dayton the blend is 1.18.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $25.48 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $35.00 an hour. BLS counts 1,390 of them working in the area, 37.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $30.79 an hour, 7% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.96 and $40.96 an hour. About 710 work in the metro. That is 19.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Dayton metro, so we used the Ohio statewide median: $34.41 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $28.62 and $38.33 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $55. That is a swing of roughly 3.8% to 10.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek has 372,660 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 70th 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% | $22.00 | $25.48 | $35.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $25.96 | $30.79 | $40.96 | $28.78 | 1.07 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $28.62 | $34.41 | $38.33 | $23.56 | 1.46 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.18 | |||||
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 $1,100 to $1,750 for Dayton, OH is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Dayton, 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 Dayton: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Dayton?
For 60 linear ft, expect $640 to $2,250 in the Dayton area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,100 to $1,750. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Dayton?
About $10.50 to $37 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 Dayton or Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,450, which is 2% more than Dayton ($1,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dayton?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $830 out of $1,450. Materials are 42% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Dayton?
$640 to $2,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Dayton?
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 Dayton area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dayton expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Ohio?
Dayton is 2% 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 Dayton?
The BLS median is $25.48 an hour in the Dayton area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.00 to $35.00.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Dayton?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $640 to $1,250 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 Dayton?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. September and October 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 Dayton
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.