French drain cost in Kingsport, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $570 – $2,000
- Per linear ft
- $9.50 – $33
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #194
- 1 = most expensive
Kingsport homeowners pay roughly $570 to $2,000 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $9.50 to $33 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Kingsport is 5% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $21.81 an hour in the Kingsport area, 4% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Kingsport, TN, standard level
$1,000 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 | $800 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Kingsport, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 49% |
| Labor | $290 | $660 | $1,000 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $570 | $1,300 | $2,000 | 100% |
Why Kingsport prices look the way they do
Labor is 51% 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 Kingsport the blended ratio comes out at 0.94.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Kingsport metro is 96.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $620, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (86.4) and land at $0 to $0.
Kingsport: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Kingsport 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
$570 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,000 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 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $570 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $2,000 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,300 | $2,000 – $3,150 | $2,850 – $4,000 |
French drain: what moves the price in Kingsport
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.
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 Kingsport is 0.94 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $21.81 an hour, 4% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.40 and $23.70 an hour. About 1,430 work in the metro. That is 119.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $26.90 an hour, which is 7% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.49 and $36.27 an hour. BLS counts 770 of them working in the area, 64.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151), 20% of the weighting: a median of $20.67 an hour, 12% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $17.21 and $21.96 an hour. About 100 work in the metro. That is 8.4 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 ($23.70 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $30. At the 25th percentile ($17.40) it shrinks by about $70. The total moves by 2.3% or 5.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 119,560 jobs in the Kingsport-Bristol area. That makes it the 183rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.40 | $21.81 | $23.70 | $22.66 | 0.96 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.49 | $26.90 | $36.27 | $28.78 | 0.93 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $17.21 | $20.67 | $21.96 | $23.56 | 0.88 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
When to schedule French drain in Kingsport
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Kingsport (in the city). 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 Kingsport (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 83 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Kingsport gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are February, March and July (5.0 inches in July). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 28 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 | 46 | 27 | 3.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 51 | 30 | 4.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 60 | 36 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 45 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 78 | 54 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 62 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 65 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 58 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 46 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 36 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 50 | 30 | 4.0 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Kingsport?
Because every project leans on different trades, Kingsport's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs −5% and concrete slab −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,700 – $12,800 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,750 | −5% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,200 – $4,700 | −10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,550 | −5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,400 – $107,500 | −5% |
Kingsport against nearby metros and the rest of Tennessee
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 $1,200 to $1,300 across Kingsport and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport, TNthis page | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | |
| Johnson City, TN25 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Asheville, NC70 miles | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Hickory, NC75 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Knoxville, TN100 miles | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Blacksburg, VA110 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Kingsport comes in at #194 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, Kingsport is 1% above the Tennessee figure.
Other Tennessee metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +2% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Kingsport's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Kingsport against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, VT | 120,150 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +6% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
| Erie, PA | 120,480 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +3% |
| Utica, NY | 118,390 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +12% |
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French drain in Kingsport: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Kingsport?
For 60 linear ft, expect $570 to $2,000 in the Kingsport area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,000 to $1,550. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Kingsport?
About $9.50 to $33 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 Kingsport or Johnson City?
Johnson City is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 5% less than Kingsport ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Kingsport?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $660 out of $1,300. Materials are 49% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Kingsport?
$570 to $2,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Kingsport?
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 Kingsport area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Kingsport expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Kingsport is 1% above the Tennessee statewide estimate ($1,250 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Kingsport?
The BLS median is $21.81 an hour in the Kingsport area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.40 to $23.70.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Kingsport?
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.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Kingsport?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March 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 Kingsport
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.