French drain cost in Portland, OR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $700 – $2,450
- Per linear ft
- $11.50 – $41
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +17%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #37
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Portland, plan on $700 to $2,450 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $11.50 to $41 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 17% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $26.08 an hour in the Portland area, 15% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Portland, OR, standard level
$1,250 to $1,950
About $20.50 to $32 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $830 |
| Labor | $700 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,250 | $1,950 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Portland, OR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 43% |
| Labor | $400 | $890 | $1,400 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $700 | $1,600 | $2,450 | 100% |
What is behind the Portland number
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, Portland wages are 1.27 times the national level. Labor makes up about 57% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Portland metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $680, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (105.4) and land at $0 to $0.
Portland against nearby metros and the rest of Oregon
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Portland. Eugene is the lowest at about $1,450 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 115 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ORthis page | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | |
| Salem, OR50 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −3% |
| Olympia, WA95 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +6% |
| Yakima, WA100 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −3% |
| Eugene, OR115 miles | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −8% |
| Bend, OR125 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −5% |
| Oregon (statewide) | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −5% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −14% |
Across 300 US metros, Portland comes in at #37 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, Portland is 5% above the Oregon figure.
Other Oregon metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | 188,620 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −3% |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −8% |
| Bend, OR | 108,240 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −5% |
| Medford, OR | 89,060 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | −8% |
Cities with a workforce like Portland's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Portland against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −20% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1,136,960 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −12% |
| St. Louis, MO | 1,341,320 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −1% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 | +17% |
What nearby projects cost in Portland
Because every project leans on different trades, Portland's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs +21% and sod installation +11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,300 – $15,300 | +15% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,850 – $11,700 | +14% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,650 | +11% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,900 | +14% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,850 – $12,100 | +21% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,200 – $132,000 | +17% |
Why two Portland quotes can differ
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.
Climate in Portland: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Portland Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Portland: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Portland gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (5.8 inches in December). The station averages about 15 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 | 48 | 36 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 52 | 37 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 57 | 40 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 62 | 44 | 2.9 | Workable |
| May | 69 | 49 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 74 | 54 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 59 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 59 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 54 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 47 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 54 | 41 | 5.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 36 | 5.8 | Workable |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Portland
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Portland 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
$700 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
$1,750 to $2,450
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $350 – $700 | $610 – $960 | $880 – $1,250 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $700 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,450 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,400 – $2,800 | $2,450 – $3,850 | $3,500 – $4,900 |
Portland labor market for French drain
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 Portland is 1.27 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $26.08 an hour, 15% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.45 and $31.65 an hour. About 7,950 work in the metro. That is 65.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $38.00 an hour, which is 32% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $31.37 and $50.10 an hour. BLS counts 3,040 of them working in the area, 25.2 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 $35.54 an hour, 51% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $30.11 and $39.68 an hour. About 320 work in the metro. That is 2.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($31.65 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $85. At the 25th percentile ($21.45) it shrinks by about $70. The total moves by 5.5% or 4.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 1,208,410 jobs in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area. That makes it the 25th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.78% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $21.45 | $26.08 | $31.65 | $22.66 | 1.15 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $31.37 | $38.00 | $50.10 | $28.78 | 1.32 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $30.11 | $35.54 | $39.68 | $23.56 | 1.51 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.27 | |||||
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French drain in Portland: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Portland?
For 60 linear ft, expect $700 to $2,450 in the Portland area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,250 to $1,950. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Portland?
About $11.50 to $41 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 Portland or Salem?
Salem is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,550, which is 3% less than Portland ($1,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Portland?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $890 out of $1,600. Materials are 43% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Portland?
$700 to $2,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Portland?
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 Portland area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Portland expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Oregon?
Portland is 5% above the Oregon statewide estimate ($1,500 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Oregon; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Portland?
The BLS median is $26.08 an hour in the Portland area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.45 to $31.65.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Portland?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $700 to $1,400 and premium work $1,750 to $2,450. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Is there a bad season to install a French drain in Portland?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
French drain near Portland
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.