French drain cost in Virginia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $580 – $2,050
- Per linear ft
- $9.75 – $34
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 8
Across Virginia, a French drain costs about $580 to $2,050 for 60 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 3% below the US figure of $1,350. Construction laborers earn a median $20.94 an hour in Virginia (US: $22.66).
Inside Virginia, the metros we cover range from $1,200 (Lynchburg) to $1,300 (Charlottesville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Virginia (statewide), standard level
$1,000 to $1,600
About $17 to $27 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $510 | $790 |
| Labor | $520 | $810 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,600 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Virginia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $290 | $650 | $1,000 | 49% |
| Labor | $300 | $660 | $1,050 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $580 | $1,300 | $2,050 | 100% |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in Virginia
Virginia's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.95 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $20.94 an hour, which is 8% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.80 and $22.86 an hour. BLS counts 25,830 of them working in the state, 62.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $27.48 an hour, 5% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.10 and $30.45 an hour. About 12,100 work in the state. That is 29.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $23.41 an hour, which is in line with the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $21.16 and $27.34 an hour. BLS counts 1,080 of them working in the state, 2.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($22.86 an hour) would add about $30 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.80) would take off about $50. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,109,320 jobs across Virginia (May 2025), which is 2.6% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.80 | $20.94 | $22.86 | $22.66 | 0.92 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $23.10 | $27.48 | $30.45 | $28.78 | 0.95 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.16 | $23.41 | $27.34 | $23.56 | 0.99 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.95 | |||||
Virginia versus the states around it
Virginia ranks 35 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for French drain, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,850 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,150, both for 60 linear ft at the midpoint. Virginia sits at $1,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | +13% |
| Maryland | 150 miles away | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | +6% |
| Delaware | 170 miles away | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | +1% |
| North Carolina | 180 miles away | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −4% |
| Pennsylvania | 210 miles away | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +2% |
Virginia metro-by-metro prices
0 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (60 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −1% |
| Richmond, VA | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −3% |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −4% |
| Winchester, VA | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −4% |
| Blacksburg, VA | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −5% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −6% |
| Roanoke, VA | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −7% |
| Lynchburg, VA | $540 – $1,900 | $1,200 | −7% |
Weather windows across Virginia
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Virginia is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Virginia Beach has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Virginia at 11 months (February through December); Blacksburg has the shortest at 7 (April through October). Rainfall runs from 39 inches a year in Harrisonburg to 48 inches in Charlottesville.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 32 | 87 | 47 | 11: February through December |
| Richmond | 29 | 90 | 46 | 8: March through June and August through November |
| Roanoke | 29 | 88 | 43 | 9: March through November |
| Charlottesville | 28 | 84 | 48 | 9: March through November |
| Lynchburg | 25 | 85 | 44 | 9: March through November |
| Blacksburg | 22 | 82 | 43 | 7: April through October |
| Winchester | 24 | 86 | 41 | 8: April through November |
| Harrisonburg | 23 | 86 | 39 | 8: April through November |
Why two Virginia quotes can differ
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.
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
Basic, standard or premium: Virginia prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$580 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,000 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 – $580 | $510 – $800 | $730 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $580 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,050 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,350 | $2,050 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,100 |
If you are planning more than one job in Virginia
Each project weights the trades differently, so Virginia's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, sod installation is −1% and retaining wall −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,700 – $13,000 | −4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,900 | −3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,250 | −1% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,350 – $5,050 | −3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,900 – $9,700 | −3% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,800 – $108,500 | −4% |
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Detailed french drain report for Virginia, $9
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French drain in Virginia: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Virginia?
$580 to $2,050 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Virginia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Virginia is cheapest for French drain?
Lynchburg at about $1,200 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Charlottesville at $1,300.
+Is French drain cheaper in Virginia than the US average?
It is 3% cheaper: $1,300 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Virginia?
About 51% ($660). Materials are 49%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.95x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Virginia?
The BLS statewide median is $20.94 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.80 to $22.86.
+Where does Virginia rank for French drain costs?
35th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,300 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Virginia?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $580 to $1,150 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.
+Does the season matter for French drain in Virginia?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Virginia metros we cover, Virginia Beach has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
French drain by city in Virginia
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.