French drain cost in Bellingham, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $740 – $2,600
- Per linear ft
- $12.50 – $43.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +24%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #12
- 1 = most expensive
Bellingham homeowners pay roughly $740 to $2,600 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $12.50 to $43.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Bellingham is 24% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $28.06 an hour in the Bellingham area, 24% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Bellingham, WA, standard level
$1,300 to $2,050
About $21.50 to $34 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $830 |
| Labor | $770 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,300 | $2,050 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Bellingham, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 41% |
| Labor | $440 | $990 | $1,550 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $740 | $1,650 | $2,600 | 100% |
Why Bellingham 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 $28.06 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Bellingham is 1.41 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 59% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bellingham metro is 105.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $680, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (103.3) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Bellingham. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Bellingham
Because every project leans on different trades, Bellingham's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs +26% and sod installation +10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,650 – $15,700 | +19% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,050 – $12,400 | +22% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +10% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,900 – $6,000 | +17% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $5,000 – $12,600 | +26% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $44,200 – $138,000 | +22% |
Why two Bellingham 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).
When to schedule French drain in Bellingham
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bellingham Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Bellingham: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Bellingham gets about 35 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (5.2 inches in November).
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 | 46 | 34 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Feb | 49 | 35 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 53 | 38 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 58 | 42 | 2.8 | Workable |
| May | 64 | 47 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 68 | 52 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 73 | 55 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 73 | 55 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 68 | 50 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 43 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 38 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 46 | 34 | 4.3 | Workable |
Cost by quality level and size in Bellingham
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bellingham 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
$740 to $1,500
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,300 to $2,050
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,850 to $2,600
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $370 – $740 | $650 – $1,000 | $930 – $1,300 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $740 – $1,500 | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,600 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,500 – $2,950 | $2,600 – $4,100 | $3,700 – $5,200 |
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 Bellingham is 1.41 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.06 an hour, 24% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.41 and $36.85 an hour. About 1,030 work in the metro. That is 112.7 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 $44.00 an hour, which is 53% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $37.44 and $55.46 an hour. BLS counts 400 of them working in the area, 43.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Bellingham metro, so we used the Washington statewide median: $39.64 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $33.71 and $45.76 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.85 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $140. At the 25th percentile ($22.41) it shrinks by about $90. The total moves by 8.1% or 5.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 91,390 jobs in the Bellingham area. That makes it the 217th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.41 | $28.06 | $36.85 | $22.66 | 1.24 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $37.44 | $44.00 | $55.46 | $28.78 | 1.53 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $33.71 | $39.64 | $45.76 | $23.56 | 1.68 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.41 | |||||
Is Bellingham cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Bellingham. Yakima is the lowest at about $1,550 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 175 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WAthis page | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | |
| Bremerton, WA90 miles | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Seattle, WA95 miles | $750 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +2% |
| Olympia, WA140 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | level |
| Yakima, WA175 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Spokane, WA200 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Washington (statewide) | $720 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −19% |
Across 300 US metros, Bellingham comes in at #12 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, Bellingham is 3% above the Washington figure.
Other Washington metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $750 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +2% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | level |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $710 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −8% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −5% |
Cities with a workforce like Bellingham's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bellingham against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −5% |
| Panama City, FL | 90,610 jobs | $550 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −25% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −10% |
| St. George, UT | 90,500 jobs | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −21% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $1,300 to $2,050 for Bellingham, WA is attached.
Detailed french drain report for Bellingham, WA, $9
Multi-page report for Bellingham, WA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
French drain in Bellingham: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Bellingham?
For 60 linear ft, expect $740 to $2,600 in the Bellingham area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,300 to $2,050. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Bellingham?
About $12.50 to $43.50 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 Bellingham or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 90 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,600, which is 5% less than Bellingham ($1,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bellingham?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $990 out of $1,650. Materials are 41% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Bellingham?
$740 to $2,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Bellingham?
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 Bellingham area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bellingham expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Washington?
Bellingham is 3% above the Washington statewide estimate ($1,650 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Bellingham?
The BLS median is $28.06 an hour in the Bellingham area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.41 to $36.85.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Bellingham?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $740 to $1,500 and premium work $1,850 to $2,600. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Is there a bad season to install a French drain in Bellingham?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
French drain near Bellingham
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.