French drain cost in Kennewick, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $710 – $2,450
- Per linear ft
- $12 – $41
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #28
- 1 = most expensive
Kennewick homeowners pay roughly $710 to $2,450 to install a French drain at 60 linear ft, or $12 to $41 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Kennewick is 18% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $26.32 an hour in the Kennewick area, 16% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Kennewick, WA, standard level
$1,250 to $1,950
About $20.50 to $32.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $830 |
| Labor | $710 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,250 | $1,950 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Kennewick, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 43% |
| Labor | $400 | $910 | $1,400 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $710 | $1,600 | $2,450 | 100% |
What is behind the Kennewick number
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, Kennewick wages are 1.30 times the national level. Labor makes up about 57% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Kennewick 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 (100.1) and land at $0 to $0.
Specs and site conditions that change a Kennewick 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).
Kennewick against nearby metros and the rest of Washington
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Kennewick. Coeur d'Alene is the lowest at about $1,400 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 150 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick, WAthis page | $710 – $2,450 | $1,600 | |
| Yakima, WA70 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −4% |
| Spokane, WA140 miles | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −3% |
| Seattle, WA145 miles | $750 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +7% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID150 miles | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | −11% |
| Portland, OR165 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −1% |
| Washington (statewide) | $720 – $2,550 | $1,650 | +2% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −15% |
Across 300 US metros, Kennewick comes in at #28 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, Kennewick is 2% below the Washington figure.
Other Washington metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $750 – $2,650 | $1,700 | +7% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −3% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +5% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −4% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | level |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Kennewick's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Kennewick against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waco, TX | 129,860 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −25% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −12% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +5% |
| Norwich, CT | 126,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −12% |
When to schedule French drain in Kennewick
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Pasco Tri Cities Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through June and September through October are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Kennewick (6 of 12 months). January, February, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July and August have 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 112 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Kennewick gets about 8 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (1.0 inches in January). Inside the workable window, June and September are the driest, at 0.6 and 0.3 inches. The station averages about 55 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 | 41 | 28 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 49 | 28 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 59 | 33 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 67 | 38 | 0.7 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 46 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 53 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 93 | 57 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 56 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 81 | 48 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 38 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 50 | 32 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 41 | 27 | 1.0 | Cold |
What nearby projects cost in Kennewick
Because every project leans on different trades, Kennewick's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs +20% and sod installation +10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,400 – $15,300 | +16% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,700 | +15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +10% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,900 | +14% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,800 – $12,000 | +20% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,300 – $132,000 | +17% |
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 Kennewick is 1.30 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $26.32 an hour, 16% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.79 and $33.92 an hour. About 1,110 work in the metro. That is 85.7 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 $38.39 an hour, which is 33% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $33.53 and $48.81 an hour. BLS counts 460 of them working in the area, 35.5 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 $37.13 an hour, 58% above the US median of $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $34.75 and $45.80 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 7.0 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 ($33.92 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $120. At the 25th percentile ($21.79) it shrinks by about $70. The total moves by 7.4% or 4.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 129,490 jobs in the Kennewick-Richland area. That makes it the 169th 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% | $21.79 | $26.32 | $33.92 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $33.53 | $38.39 | $48.81 | $28.78 | 1.33 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $34.75 | $37.13 | $45.80 | $23.56 | 1.58 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.30 | |||||
Kennewick: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Kennewick 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
$710 to $1,400
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,250 to $1,950
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,750 to $2,450
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $350 – $710 | $620 – $970 | $880 – $1,250 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $710 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,450 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,400 – $2,850 | $2,450 – $3,900 | $3,550 – $4,950 |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed french drain report for Kennewick, WA, $9
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French drain in Kennewick: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Kennewick?
For 60 linear ft, expect $710 to $2,450 in the Kennewick area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,250 to $1,950. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Kennewick?
About $12 to $41 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 Kennewick or Yakima?
Yakima is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,550, which is 4% less than Kennewick ($1,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Kennewick?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $910 out of $1,600. Materials are 43% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Kennewick?
$710 to $2,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Kennewick?
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 Kennewick area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Kennewick expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Washington?
Kennewick is 2% below 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 Kennewick?
The BLS median is $26.32 an hour in the Kennewick area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.79 to $33.92.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Kennewick?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $710 to $1,400 and premium work $1,750 to $2,450. 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 Kennewick?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and September through October. June 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 Kennewick
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.