French drain cost in San Antonio, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $530 – $1,850
- Per linear ft
- $8.90 – $31
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #266
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in San Antonio, plan on $530 to $1,850 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $8.90 to $31 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 11% lower than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.94 an hour in the San Antonio area, 16% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in San Antonio, TX, standard level
$930 to $1,450
About $15.50 to $24.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $460 | $720 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $930 | $1,450 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in San Antonio, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 51% |
| Labor | $260 | $590 | $920 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $530 | $1,200 | $1,850 | 100% |
Where the San Antonio price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%, pipelayers at 20%. Weighted together, San Antonio wages are 0.84 times the national level. Labor makes up about 49% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the San Antonio 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 (94.7) and land at $0 to $0.
San Antonio 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 San Antonio is 0.84 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $18.94 an hour, 16% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.61 and $21.87 an hour. About 8,400 work in the metro. That is 74.5 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 $23.44 an hour, which is 19% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.15 and $28.28 an hour. BLS counts 3,980 of them working in the area, 35.3 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 $21.25 an hour, 10% below the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $18.98 and $23.25 an hour. About 380 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 ($21.87 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $45. At the 25th percentile ($17.61) it shrinks by about $20. The total moves by 3.8% or 1.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 1,126,880 jobs in the San Antonio-New Braunfels area. That makes it the 28th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.72% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.61 | $18.94 | $21.87 | $22.66 | 0.84 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.15 | $23.44 | $28.28 | $28.78 | 0.81 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $18.98 | $21.25 | $23.25 | $23.56 | 0.90 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
How San Antonio 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 San Antonio and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio, TXthis page | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | |
| Austin, TX80 miles | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +5% |
| Laredo, TX125 miles | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −4% |
| Corpus Christi, TX130 miles | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
| Killeen, TX130 miles | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −1% |
| College Station, TX155 miles | $520 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −2% |
| Texas (statewide) | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +4% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +13% |
Across 300 US metros, San Antonio comes in at #266 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, San Antonio is 4% below the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +9% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +6% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | +5% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $510 – $1,800 | $1,150 | −5% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $490 – $1,750 | $1,100 | −8% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like San Antonio's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is San Antonio against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $820 – $2,850 | $1,850 | +54% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $610 – $2,150 | $1,350 | +14% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1,136,960 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +16% |
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +28% |
San Antonio: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for San Antonio 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
$530 to $1,050
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$930 to $1,450
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,350 to $1,850
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $270 – $530 | $470 – $730 | $670 – $930 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $530 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,850 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,150 | $1,850 – $2,950 | $2,650 – $3,750 |
Related projects, priced for San Antonio
Because every project leans on different trades, San Antonio's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −8% and gravel driveway −12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,300 – $12,300 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,000 | −12% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,350 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,600 – $9,000 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,200 – $101,000 | −11% |
Climate in San Antonio: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for San Antonio Intl Ap (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 San Antonio (8 of 12 months). June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
San Antonio gets about 32 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, September and October (4.4 inches in May). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 2.0 and 1.7 inches. The station averages about 122 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 | 63 | 41 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 68 | 45 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 74 | 52 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 80 | 58 | 2.4 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 66 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 92 | 73 | 3.3 | Hot |
| Jul | 95 | 75 | 2.4 | Hot |
| Aug | 96 | 75 | 2.1 | Hot |
| Sep | 90 | 70 | 3.9 | Hot |
| Oct | 82 | 60 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 72 | 50 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 65 | 42 | 2.0 | Workable |
Specs and site conditions that change a San Antonio bid
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.
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French drain in San Antonio: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in San Antonio?
For 60 linear ft, expect $530 to $1,850 in the San Antonio area. A standard-spec job lands at $930 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 San Antonio?
About $8.90 to $31 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 San Antonio or Austin?
Austin is 80 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,250, which is 5% more than San Antonio ($1,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in San Antonio?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $590 out of $1,200. Materials are 51% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in San Antonio?
$530 to $1,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in San Antonio?
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 San Antonio area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is San Antonio expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Texas?
San Antonio is 4% 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 San Antonio?
The BLS median is $18.94 an hour in the San Antonio area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.61 to $21.87.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in San Antonio?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $530 to $1,050 and premium work $1,350 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 San Antonio?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. January and February 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 San Antonio
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.