French drain cost in Memphis, 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
- #195
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Memphis, plan on $570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $9.50 to $33 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 5% lower than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $21.54 an hour in the Memphis area, 5% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Memphis, 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 | $480 | $760 |
| Labor | $510 | $800 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Memphis, 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 Memphis 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 Memphis the blended ratio comes out at 0.94.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Memphis 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 (92.2) and land at $0 to $0.
Climate in Memphis: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Memphis Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Memphis (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Memphis gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.9 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 72 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 | 51 | 33 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 37 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 44 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 53 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 70 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 66 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 54 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 43 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 36 | 5.5 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for Memphis
Because every project leans on different trades, Memphis's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −3% and concrete slab −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,900 – $13,100 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,600 | −6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −5% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,300 – $4,850 | −7% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,600 – $108,000 | −4% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: french drain pricing in Memphis
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Memphis 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 |
How Memphis compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Memphis. Little Rock is the lowest at about $1,150 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 145 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TNthis page | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | |
| Jonesboro, AR65 miles | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −10% |
| Jackson, TN75 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −10% |
| Decatur, AL160 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −6% |
| Clarksville, TN170 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $570 – $2,000 | $1,250 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Memphis comes in at #195 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, Memphis is 0% 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% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −3% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| 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 Memphis's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Memphis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | level |
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +14% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 677,680 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $610 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +7% |
French drain: what moves the price in Memphis
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).
Memphis 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 Memphis is 0.94 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $21.54 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.31 and $24.40 an hour. About 3,940 work in the metro. That is 64.4 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 $25.90 an hour, which is 10% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.88 and $29.88 an hour. BLS counts 1,140 of them working in the area, 18.6 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 $22.37 an hour, 5% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.83 and $26.07 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 1.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($24.40 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $45. At the 25th percentile ($18.31) it shrinks by about $50. The total moves by 3.5% or 3.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 611,670 jobs in the Memphis area. That makes it the 46th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.39% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.31 | $21.54 | $24.40 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.88 | $25.90 | $29.88 | $28.78 | 0.90 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.83 | $22.37 | $26.07 | $23.56 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
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French drain in Memphis: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Memphis?
For 60 linear ft, expect $570 to $2,000 in the Memphis 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 Memphis?
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 Memphis or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,150, which is 10% less than Memphis ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Memphis?
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 Memphis?
$570 to $2,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Memphis?
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 Memphis area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Memphis expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Memphis is 0% 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 Memphis?
The BLS median is $21.54 an hour in the Memphis area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.31 to $24.40.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Memphis?
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 Memphis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. 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 Memphis
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.