French drain cost in Longview, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $520 – $1,850
- Per linear ft
- $8.70 – $30.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −13%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #285
- 1 = most expensive
Longview homeowners pay roughly $520 to $1,850 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $8.70 to $30.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Longview is 13% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.19 an hour in the Longview area, 20% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Longview, TX, standard level
$910 to $1,450
About $15 to $24 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $440 | $690 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $910 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Longview, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 52% |
| Labor | $250 | $570 | $880 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $520 | $1,200 | $1,850 | 100% |
Where the Longview price comes from
Labor is 48% 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 Longview the blended ratio comes out at 0.81.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Longview 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 (89.5) and land at $0 to $0.
Longview: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Longview 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
$520 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$910 to $1,450
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,300 to $1,850
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $260 – $520 | $460 – $720 | $650 – $910 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $520 – $1,050 | $910 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,850 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,100 | $1,850 – $2,850 | $2,600 – $3,650 |
How Longview compares
Same job, same size (60 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Dallas is the priciest of the group at $1,300. Alexandria is the cheapest at $1,150.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview, TXthis page | $520 – $1,850 | $1,200 | |
| Tyler, TX35 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Shreveport, LA55 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +2% |
| Texarkana, TX75 miles | $520 – $1,850 | $1,150 | level |
| Dallas, TX135 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +11% |
| Alexandria, LA145 miles | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −1% |
| Texas (statewide) | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +6% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +15% |
Across 300 US metros, Longview comes in at #285 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, Longview is 6% below the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +11% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +8% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +7% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +2% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −3% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 | −6% |
Cities with a workforce like Longview's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Longview against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica, NY | 118,390 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +22% |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +14% |
| Topeka, KS | 115,750 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +10% |
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 Longview is 0.81 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $18.19 an hour, 20% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.53 and $22.15 an hour. About 1,610 work in the metro. That is 136.4 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 $23.09 an hour, which is 20% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.75 and $26.79 an hour. BLS counts 750 of them working in the area, 63.5 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 $19.66 an hour, 17% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $18.03 and $23.27 an hour. About 40 work in the metro. That is 3.4 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 ($22.15 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $60. At the 25th percentile ($16.53) it shrinks by about $25. The total moves by 5.2% or 2.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 118,060 jobs in the Longview area. That makes it the 186th 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% | $16.53 | $18.19 | $22.15 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.75 | $23.09 | $26.79 | $28.78 | 0.80 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $18.03 | $19.66 | $23.27 | $23.56 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Longview 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).
Planning more than one job in Longview?
Because every project leans on different trades, Longview's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −10% and gravel driveway −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,250 – $12,200 | −10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,150 – $8,900 | −13% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,350 – $3,000 | −10% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,100 – $4,550 | −13% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,800 | −12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,800 – $99,400 | −12% |
When to schedule French drain in Longview
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Longview #2 (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Longview (8 of 12 months). June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Longview gets about 51 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.3 inches in December). Inside the workable window, January and November are the driest, at 4.2 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 112 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 | 58 | 36 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 40 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 47 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 54 | 5.0 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 63 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 92 | 71 | 4.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 95 | 74 | 3.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 96 | 74 | 2.9 | Hot |
| Sep | 90 | 67 | 3.9 | Hot |
| Oct | 80 | 56 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 45 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 60 | 38 | 5.3 | Workable |
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French drain in Longview: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Longview?
For 60 linear ft, expect $520 to $1,850 in the Longview area. A standard-spec job lands at $910 to $1,450. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Longview?
About $8.70 to $30.50 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 Longview or Tyler?
Tyler is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,200, which is 1% more than Longview ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Longview?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $570 out of $1,200. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Longview?
$520 to $1,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Longview?
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 Longview area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Longview expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Texas?
Longview is 6% 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 Longview?
The BLS median is $18.19 an hour in the Longview area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.53 to $22.15.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Longview?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $520 to $1,050 and premium work $1,300 to $1,850. 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 Longview?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. January and November 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 Longview
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.