French drain cost in Texas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $550 – $1,950
- Per linear ft
- $9.25 – $32.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 21
Across Texas, a French drain costs about $550 to $1,950 for 60 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 8% below the US figure of $1,350. Construction laborers earn a median $19.53 an hour in Texas (US: $22.66).
Inside Texas, the metros we cover range from $1,100 (McAllen) to $1,300 (Dallas) 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 Texas (statewide), standard level
$970 to $1,500
About $16 to $25.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $780 |
| Labor | $480 | $750 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $970 | $1,500 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Texas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $640 | $990 | 51% |
| Labor | $270 | $610 | $950 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $550 | $1,250 | $1,950 | 100% |
Related projects, priced for Texas
Each project weights the trades differently, so Texas's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, sod installation is −5% and gravel driveway −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,500 – $12,700 | −7% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,350 | −8% |
| 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 – $9,350 | −7% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,400 – $104,500 | −8% |
Basic, standard or premium: Texas prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$550 to $1,100
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$970 to $1,500
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,400 to $1,950
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $280 – $550 | $480 – $760 | $690 – $970 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $550 – $1,100 | $970 – $1,500 | $1,400 – $1,950 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,100 – $2,200 | $1,950 – $3,050 | $2,750 – $3,900 |
When Texas weather lets you install
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Texas is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Texarkana has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Texas at 10 months (September through June); Amarillo has the shortest at 6 (March through May and September through November). Rainfall runs from 9 inches a year in El Paso to 65 inches in Beaumont.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 38 | 97 | 38 | 8: October through May |
| Houston | 46 | 93 | 56 | 9: September through May |
| Austin | 42 | 97 | 36 | 8: October through May |
| San Antonio | 41 | 95 | 32 | 8: October through May |
| El Paso | 35 | 96 | 9 | 9: September through May |
| McAllen | 53 | 99 | 22 | 7: October through April |
| Corpus Christi | 52 | 92 | 35 | 8: October through May |
| Lubbock | 30 | 93 | 19 | 6: March through May and September through November |
| Beaumont | 43 | 92 | 65 | 9: September through May |
| Brownsville | 53 | 95 | 27 | 7: October through April |
| Killeen | 36 | 96 | 35 | 8: October through May |
| College Station | 41 | 95 | 42 | 8: October through May |
| Waco | 36 | 97 | 36 | 8: October through May |
| Amarillo | 25 | 93 | 20 | 6: March through May and September through November |
| Midland | 33 | 96 | 14 | 9: September through May |
| Longview | 36 | 95 | 51 | 8: October through May |
| Tyler | 39 | 93 | 48 | 9: September through May |
| Laredo | 47 | 100 | 20 | 7: October through April |
| Odessa | 32 | 94 | 12 | 8: February through May and September through December |
| Abilene | 34 | 96 | 25 | 9: September through May |
| Texarkana | 33 | 93 | 52 | 10: September through June |
Wages behind the Texas number
Texas's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.87 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $19.53 an hour, which is 14% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.66 and $22.57 an hour. BLS counts 123,250 of them working in the state, 87.6 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 $24.26 an hour, 16% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $28.84 an hour. About 55,540 work in the state. That is 39.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $21.93 an hour, which is 7% below the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $19.17 and $23.79 an hour. BLS counts 5,010 of them working in the state, 3.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($22.57 an hour) would add about $45 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.66) would take off about $30. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 14,071,160 jobs across Texas (May 2025), which is 9.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.66 | $19.53 | $22.57 | $22.66 | 0.86 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.17 | $24.26 | $28.84 | $28.78 | 0.84 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $19.17 | $21.93 | $23.79 | $23.56 | 0.93 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Texas metro-by-metro prices
4 of the 21 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,250, and the top-to-bottom gap is 18%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +5% |
| Houston, TX | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +2% |
| Beaumont, TX | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +2% |
| Austin, TX | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +1% |
| Midland, TX | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −3% |
| Odessa, TX | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −3% |
| San Antonio, TX | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Abilene, TX | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Amarillo, TX | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Killeen, TX | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Waco, TX | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Tyler, TX | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −5% |
| Lubbock, TX | $520 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
| Longview, TX | $520 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
| Texarkana, TX | $520 – $1,850 | $1,150 | −6% |
| College Station, TX | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −6% |
| Laredo, TX | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −8% |
| El Paso, TX | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −8% |
| Brownsville, TX | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −8% |
| McAllen, TX | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 | −11% |
Texas versus the states around it
Texas ranks 42 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. Texas sits at $1,250. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 330 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Louisiana | 360 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Arkansas | 390 miles away | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −8% |
| Mississippi | 450 miles away | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −4% |
| Kansas | 490 miles away | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +1% |
Why two Texas quotes can differ
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.
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French drain in Texas: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Texas?
$550 to $1,950 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Texas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Texas is cheapest for French drain?
McAllen at about $1,100 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Dallas at $1,300.
+Is French drain cheaper in Texas than the US average?
It is 8% cheaper: $1,250 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Texas?
About 49% ($610). Materials are 51%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.87x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Texas?
The BLS statewide median is $19.53 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.66 to $22.57.
+Where does Texas rank for French drain costs?
42nd 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 Texas?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $550 to $1,100 and premium work $1,400 to $1,950. 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 Texas?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Texas metros we cover, Texarkana has the most comfortable months (10 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 Texas
- Dallas, TX$1,300 midpoint
- Houston, TX$1,250 midpoint
- Beaumont, TX$1,250 midpoint
- Austin, TX$1,250 midpoint
- Midland, TX$1,250 midpoint
- Corpus Christi, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Odessa, TX$1,200 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Abilene, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Amarillo, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Killeen, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Waco, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Tyler, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Lubbock, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Longview, TX$1,200 midpoint
- Texarkana, TX$1,150 midpoint
- College Station, TX$1,150 midpoint
- Laredo, TX$1,150 midpoint
- El Paso, TX$1,150 midpoint
- Brownsville, TX$1,150 midpoint
- McAllen, TX$1,100 midpoint
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.