French drain cost in Oklahoma City, OK
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $540 – $1,900
- Per linear ft
- $9 – $31.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #252
- 1 = most expensive
A French drain in Oklahoma City, OK usually costs $540 to $1,900 for 60 linear ft. That works out to about $9 to $31.50 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $140 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.96 an hour in the Oklahoma City area, 16% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Oklahoma City, OK, standard level
$940 to $1,500
About $15.50 to $24.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $470 | $740 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $940 | $1,500 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Oklahoma City, OK
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 50% |
| Labor | $270 | $610 | $940 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $540 | $1,200 | $1,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Oklahoma City number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $18.96 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Oklahoma City is 0.86 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 50% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Oklahoma City is at 93.8 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 90.4: $0 to $0.
Oklahoma City 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, Oklahoma City Will Rogers Ap (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 Oklahoma City are March through June and September through November: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
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 72 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Oklahoma City gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 7 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and September (5.3 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.5 and 1.7 inches. The station averages about 74 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 | 49 | 27 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 54 | 31 | 1.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 63 | 40 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 58 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 66 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 93 | 70 | 3.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 69 | 3.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 84 | 62 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 73 | 49 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 61 | 38 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 50 | 30 | 1.8 | Cold |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Oklahoma City
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Oklahoma City. 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
$540 to $1,100
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$940 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 | $470 – $740 | $670 – $940 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $540 – $1,100 | $940 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $1,900 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,100 – $2,150 | $1,900 – $2,950 | $2,700 – $3,800 |
Planning more than one job in Oklahoma City?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Oklahoma City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−7%) and gravel driveway lowest (−12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,150 – $12,000 | −11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,000 | −12% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,000 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,900 – $99,800 | −12% |
Oklahoma City against nearby metros and the rest of Oklahoma
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 $1,150 to $1,300 across Oklahoma City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City, OKthis page | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | |
| Tulsa, OK95 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Wichita, KS155 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +1% |
| Fort Smith, AR170 miles | $510 – $1,750 | $1,150 | −6% |
| Dallas, TX180 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +8% |
| Fayetteville, AR200 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Oklahoma (statewide) | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Oklahoma City ranks #252 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Oklahoma City is 1% above the Oklahoma figure.
Elsewhere in Oklahoma
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Oklahoma City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | 685,190 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +11% |
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +5% |
| Providence, RI | 714,120 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +25% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +5% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Oklahoma City bid
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).
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.
What local crews earn in Oklahoma City
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 Oklahoma City the blend is 0.86.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $18.96 an hour, which is 16% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.79 and $22.89 an hour. BLS counts 5,570 of them working in the area, 82.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.41 an hour, 19% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $20.11 and $27.82 an hour. About 2,250 work in the metro. That is 33.2 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 $23.73 an hour, which is in line with the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $18.72 and $24.95 an hour. BLS counts 260 of them working in the area, 3.8 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 $60 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $20. That is a swing of roughly 1.5% to 5.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Oklahoma City has 677,680 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 44th 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% | $17.79 | $18.96 | $22.89 | $22.66 | 0.84 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $20.11 | $23.41 | $27.82 | $28.78 | 0.81 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $18.72 | $23.73 | $24.95 | $23.56 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
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Detailed french drain report for Oklahoma City, OK, $9
The report lays out the french drain numbers for Oklahoma City, OK line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Oklahoma City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Oklahoma City?
For 60 linear ft, expect $540 to $1,900 in the Oklahoma City area. A standard-spec job lands at $940 to $1,500. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Oklahoma City?
About $9 to $31.50 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 Oklahoma City or Tulsa?
Tulsa is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 1% more than Oklahoma City ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Oklahoma City?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $610 out of $1,200. Materials are 50% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Oklahoma City?
$540 to $1,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Oklahoma City?
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 Oklahoma City area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Oklahoma City expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Oklahoma?
Oklahoma City is 1% above the Oklahoma statewide estimate ($1,200 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Oklahoma; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Oklahoma City?
The BLS median is $18.96 an hour in the Oklahoma City area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.79 to $22.89.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Oklahoma City?
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.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Oklahoma City?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and September through November. March 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 Oklahoma City
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.