French drain cost in El Paso, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $510 – $1,800
- Per linear ft
- $8.45 – $29.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −15%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #297
- 1 = most expensive
El Paso homeowners pay roughly $510 to $1,800 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $8.45 to $29.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, El Paso is 15% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $17.15 an hour in the El Paso area, 24% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in El Paso, TX, standard level
$890 to $1,400
About $15 to $23.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $420 | $660 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $890 | $1,400 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in El Paso, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 53% |
| Labor | $240 | $540 | $830 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $510 | $1,150 | $1,800 | 100% |
Why El Paso prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $17.15 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for El Paso is 0.76 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 47% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the El Paso metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $610, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (89.9) and land at $0 to $0.
How El Paso compares
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 $1,150 to $1,250 across El Paso and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso, TXthis page | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | |
| Las Cruces, NM95 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +7% |
| Odessa, TX175 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +6% |
| Midland, TX210 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +8% |
| Lubbock, TX250 miles | $520 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +3% |
| Albuquerque, NM255 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | +8% |
| Texas (statewide) | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +9% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +18% |
Across 300 US metros, El Paso comes in at #297 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, El Paso is 8% below the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +14% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +11% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +10% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +5% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 | −3% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +6% |
Cities with a workforce like El Paso's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is El Paso against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $560 – $2,000 | $1,250 | +11% |
| Bakersfield, CA | 338,230 jobs | $710 – $2,450 | $1,600 | +39% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +12% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $620 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +23% |
When to schedule French drain in El Paso
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for El Paso Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in El Paso (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
El Paso gets about 9 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (1.7 inches in August). Inside the workable window, March and April are the driest, at 0.2 and 0.2 inches. The station averages about 117 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 | 59 | 35 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 64 | 39 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 72 | 46 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 80 | 53 | 0.2 | Workable |
| May | 89 | 62 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 97 | 71 | 0.7 | Hot |
| Jul | 96 | 73 | 1.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 72 | 1.7 | Hot |
| Sep | 88 | 65 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 54 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 67 | 42 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 34 | 0.6 | Workable |
El Paso: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for El Paso 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
$510 to $1,000
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$890 to $1,400
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,250 to $1,800
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $250 – $510 | $440 – $700 | $640 – $890 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $510 – $1,000 | $890 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,800 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,000 – $2,050 | $1,800 – $2,800 | $2,550 – $3,550 |
What nearby projects cost in El Paso
Because every project leans on different trades, El Paso's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs −14% and gravel driveway −15%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $5,900 – $11,700 | −14% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,100 – $8,650 | −15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,300 – $2,850 | −14% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,050 – $4,450 | −15% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,450 – $8,600 | −14% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $30,700 – $96,100 | −15% |
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 El Paso is 0.76 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $17.15 an hour, 24% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $15.39 and $19.10 an hour. About 2,140 work in the metro. That is 63.1 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 $21.94 an hour, which is 24% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $18.72 and $26.11 an hour. BLS counts 980 of them working in the area, 28.9 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 $18.45 an hour, 22% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $18.17 and $19.02 an hour. About 140 work in the metro. That is 4.1 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 ($19.10 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $30. At the 25th percentile ($15.39) it shrinks by about $25. The total moves by 2.6% or 2.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 339,120 jobs in the El Paso area. That makes it the 76th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.22% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $15.39 | $17.15 | $19.10 | $22.66 | 0.76 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $18.72 | $21.94 | $26.11 | $28.78 | 0.76 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $18.17 | $18.45 | $19.02 | $23.56 | 0.78 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.76 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a El Paso bid
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).
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed french drain report for El Paso, TX, $9
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French drain in El Paso: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in El Paso?
For 60 linear ft, expect $510 to $1,800 in the El Paso area. A standard-spec job lands at $890 to $1,400. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in El Paso?
About $8.45 to $29.50 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 El Paso or Las Cruces?
Las Cruces is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 7% more than El Paso ($1,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in El Paso?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $540 out of $1,150. Materials are 53% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in El Paso?
$510 to $1,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in El Paso?
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 El Paso area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is El Paso expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Texas?
El Paso is 8% below the Texas statewide estimate ($1,250 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in El Paso?
The BLS median is $17.15 an hour in the El Paso area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.39 to $19.10.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in El Paso?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $510 to $1,000 and premium work $1,250 to $1,800. 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 El Paso?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. March and April 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 El Paso
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.