French drain cost in Ogden, UT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $590 – $2,050
- Per linear ft
- $9.80 – $34.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #162
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Ogden area: $590 to $2,050 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 lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.4).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Ogden, UT, standard level
$1,050 to $1,600
About $17 to $27 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $760 |
| Labor | $550 | $860 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,600 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Ogden, UT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $280 | $620 | $970 | 47% |
| Labor | $310 | $700 | $1,100 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $590 | $1,350 | $2,050 | 100% |
Why Ogden 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 $22.31 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Ogden is 1.00 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 53% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Ogden is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $620 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.3: $0 to $0.
Cost by quality level and size in Ogden
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Ogden. 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
$590 to $1,200
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,050 to $1,600
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,450 to $2,050
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $290 – $590 | $520 – $810 | $740 – $1,050 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $590 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,050 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,200 – $2,350 | $2,050 – $3,250 | $2,950 – $4,150 |
Who does the work: Ogden 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 Ogden the blend is 1.00.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $22.31 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.74 and $26.80 an hour. BLS counts 3,140 of them working in the area, 115.7 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 $28.96 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.54 and $31.46 an hour. About 1,160 work in the metro. That is 42.7 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 $24.13 an hour, which is in line with the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $23.83 and $27.34 an hour. BLS counts 100 of them working in the area, 3.7 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 $70 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $55. That is a swing of roughly 4.2% to 5.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Ogden has 271,370 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 95th 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% | $18.74 | $22.31 | $26.80 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $24.54 | $28.96 | $31.46 | $28.78 | 1.01 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $23.83 | $24.13 | $27.34 | $23.56 | 1.02 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Why two Ogden quotes can differ
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).
Is Ogden cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Ogden. Logan is the lowest at about $1,300 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 55 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden, UTthis page | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | |
| Logan, UT55 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Salt Lake City, UT70 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Provo, UT90 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | level |
| Idaho Falls, ID175 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
| Grand Junction, CO230 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | level |
| Utah (statewide) | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Ogden ranks #162 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Ogden is 1% below the Utah figure.
Elsewhere in Utah
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +1% |
| Provo, UT | 304,660 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | level |
| St. George, UT | 90,500 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Ogden against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −6% |
| Jackson, MS | 270,730 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −10% |
| Fayetteville, AR | 275,180 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −11% |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | 268,970 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | +19% |
What nearby projects cost in Ogden
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Ogden wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−1%) and concrete slab lowest (−5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,900 – $13,100 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,000 | −2% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,250 | −1% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,350 – $4,950 | −5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,950 – $9,850 | −2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,300 – $110,500 | −2% |
The best months for French drain in Ogden
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Ogden Hinkley Ap (5 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 Ogden are March through June and August through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 121 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Ogden gets about 16 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, April and May (2.2 inches in May). Inside the workable window, August and September are the driest, at 0.7 and 1.1 inches. The station averages about 49 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 | 36 | 21 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 42 | 25 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 53 | 33 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 60 | 39 | 2.0 | Workable |
| May | 70 | 47 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 55 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 65 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 63 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 53 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 41 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 31 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 37 | 22 | 1.3 | Cold |
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French drain in Ogden: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Ogden?
For 60 linear ft, expect $590 to $2,050 in the Ogden area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,050 to $1,600. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Ogden?
About $9.80 to $34.50 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 Ogden or Logan?
Logan is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,300, which is 1% less than Ogden ($1,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Ogden?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $700 out of $1,350. Materials are 47% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Ogden?
$590 to $2,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Ogden?
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 Ogden area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Ogden expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Utah?
Ogden is 1% below the Utah statewide estimate ($1,350 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Utah; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Ogden?
The BLS median is $22.31 an hour in the Ogden area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.74 to $26.80.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Ogden?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $590 to $1,200 and premium work $1,450 to $2,050. 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 Ogden?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and August through October. August and September 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 Ogden
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.