French drain cost in Tennessee
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $570 – $2,000
- Per linear ft
- $9.45 – $33
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 8
Across Tennessee, a French drain costs about $570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 6% below the US figure of $1,350. Construction laborers earn a median $21.64 an hour in Tennessee (US: $22.66).
Inside Tennessee, the metros we cover range from $1,200 (Johnson City) to $1,300 (Nashville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Tennessee (statewide), standard level
$990 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 | $760 |
| Labor | $510 | $790 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $990 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Tennessee
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 49% |
| Labor | $290 | $650 | $1,000 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $570 | $1,250 | $2,000 | 100% |
If you are planning more than one job in Tennessee
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Tennessee wages and prices. Against national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (−3%) and concrete slab lowest (−8%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,150 | −5% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,400 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,300 – $107,000 | −5% |
Tennessee against its neighbors
Tennessee ranks 38 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for French drain, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,850 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,150, both for 60 linear ft at the midpoint. Tennessee sits at $1,250. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 170 miles away | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
| Alabama | 190 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
| Georgia | 210 miles away | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Indiana | 300 miles away | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +16% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
French drain: what moves the price in Tennessee
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.
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.
Weather windows across Tennessee
Season matters for French drain. For each Tennessee metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Knoxville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Tennessee at 11 months (February through December); Jackson has the shortest at 7 (March through June and September through November). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Johnson City to 57 inches in Jackson.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 30 | 91 | 51 | 9: February through June and September through December |
| Memphis | 33 | 92 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Knoxville | 30 | 88 | 52 | 11: February through December |
| Chattanooga | 32 | 91 | 55 | 9: February through June and September through December |
| Kingsport | 27 | 87 | 45 | 9: March through November |
| Clarksville | 28 | 90 | 54 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Jackson | 27 | 91 | 57 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Johnson City | 26 | 86 | 44 | 9: March through November |
Tennessee metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,250, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (60 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +2% |
| Kingsport, TN | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +1% |
| Memphis, TN | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Knoxville, TN | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | level |
| Jackson, TN | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Chattanooga, TN | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Clarksville, TN | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Johnson City, TN | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −4% |
Wages behind the Tennessee number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 3 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.93 for Tennessee.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $21.64 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.11 and $23.78 an hour. About 26,250 work in the state. That is 80.1 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 $25.00 an hour, which is 13% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.35 and $28.54 an hour. BLS counts 10,660 of them working in the state, 32.5 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 $22.12 an hour, 6% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $20.10 and $23.54 an hour. About 810 work in the state. That is 2.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($23.78 an hour) would add about $35 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.11) would take off about $55. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,278,760 jobs across Tennessee (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.11 | $21.64 | $23.78 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.35 | $25.00 | $28.54 | $28.78 | 0.87 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $20.10 | $22.12 | $23.54 | $23.56 | 0.94 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Quality levels and sizes in Tennessee
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Tennessee wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$570 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$990 to $1,550
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,400 to $2,000
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $280 – $570 | $500 – $780 | $710 – $990 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $570 – $1,150 | $990 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $2,000 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,250 | $2,000 – $3,100 | $2,850 – $3,950 |
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French drain in Tennessee: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Tennessee?
$570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Tennessee can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Tennessee is cheapest for French drain?
Johnson City at about $1,200 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Nashville at $1,300.
+Is French drain cheaper in Tennessee than the US average?
It is 6% cheaper: $1,250 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Tennessee?
About 51% ($650). Materials are 49%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.93x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Tennessee?
The BLS statewide median is $21.64 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.11 to $23.78.
+Where does Tennessee rank for French drain costs?
38th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,250 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Tennessee?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $570 to $1,150 and premium work $1,400 to $2,000. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Does the season matter for French drain in Tennessee?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Tennessee metros we cover, Knoxville has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
French drain by city in Tennessee
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.