French drain cost in Houston, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $560 – $1,950
- Per linear ft
- $9.40 – $33
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #205
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Houston area: $560 to $1,950 for 60 linear ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 6% lower than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $19.88 an hour in the Houston area, 12% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Houston, TX, standard level
$990 to $1,550
About $16.50 to $26 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $510 | $800 |
| Labor | $480 | $750 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $990 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Houston, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $290 | $650 | $1,000 | 51% |
| Labor | $270 | $620 | $960 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $560 | $1,250 | $1,950 | 100% |
What is behind the Houston number
Labor is 49% 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 Houston the blended ratio comes out at 0.88.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Houston is at 100.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $650 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.6: $0 to $0.
The best months for French drain in Houston
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Houston Hobby Ap (10 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Houston are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Houston gets about 56 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (6.1 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and March are the driest, at 2.9 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 101 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 46 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 68 | 50 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 56 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 62 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 69 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 75 | 6.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 93 | 77 | 4.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 77 | 5.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 73 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 64 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 73 | 54 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 66 | 48 | 4.3 | Workable |
Houston: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Houston. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$560 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 $1,950
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $280 – $560 | $490 – $780 | $710 – $990 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $560 – $1,150 | $990 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $1,950 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,250 | $1,950 – $3,100 | $2,800 – $3,950 |
Related projects, priced for Houston
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Houston wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−4%) and concrete slab lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,600 – $12,900 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −4% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,900 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,550 | −5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,000 – $106,500 | −6% |
How Houston compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Houston. College Station is the lowest at about $1,150 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 95 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TXthis page | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | |
| Beaumont, TX70 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | level |
| College Station, TX95 miles | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −8% |
| Lake Charles, LA130 miles | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| Austin, TX140 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| Waco, TX170 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −7% |
| Texas (statewide) | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Houston ranks #205 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Houston is 2% above the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +3% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −1% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −6% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −10% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 | −13% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Houston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +3% |
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +11% |
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +31% |
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +14% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Houston bid
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).
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.
Who does the work: Houston trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Houston the blend is 0.88.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $19.88 an hour, which is 12% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.82 and $22.88 an hour. BLS counts 34,080 of them working in the area, 103.6 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 $24.54 an hour, 15% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.50 and $29.76 an hour. About 14,000 work in the metro. That is 42.6 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 $21.71 an hour, which is 8% below the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $19.32 and $23.42 an hour. BLS counts 1,300 of them working in the area, 4.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $45 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $30. That is a swing of roughly 2.5% to 3.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has 3,289,720 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 5th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.82 | $19.88 | $22.88 | $22.66 | 0.88 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.50 | $24.54 | $29.76 | $28.78 | 0.85 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $19.32 | $21.71 | $23.42 | $23.56 | 0.92 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
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French drain in Houston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Houston?
For 60 linear ft, expect $560 to $1,950 in the Houston area. A standard-spec job lands at $990 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 Houston?
About $9.40 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 Houston or Beaumont?
Beaumont is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,250, which is 0% less than Houston ($1,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Houston?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $620 out of $1,250. Materials are 51% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Houston?
$560 to $1,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Houston?
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 Houston area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Houston expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Texas?
Houston is 2% above 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 Houston?
The BLS median is $19.88 an hour in the Houston area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.82 to $22.88.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Houston?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $560 to $1,150 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.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Houston?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and March 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 Houston
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.