French drain cost in Green Bay, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $690 – $2,400
- Per linear ft
- $11.50 – $40
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +15%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #51
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Green Bay area: $690 to $2,400 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 runs 15% higher than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $26.39 an hour in the Green Bay area, 16% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Green Bay, WI, standard level
$1,200 to $1,900
About $20 to $31.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $730 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,200 | $1,900 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Green Bay, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 39% |
| Labor | $420 | $940 | $1,450 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $690 | $1,550 | $2,400 | 100% |
Where the Green Bay price comes from
Labor is 61% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), pipelayers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Green Bay the blended ratio comes out at 1.34.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Green Bay is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $610 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.1: $0 to $0.
Specs and site conditions that change a Green Bay bid
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).
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.
What nearby projects cost in Green Bay
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Green Bay wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (+12%) and sod installation lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,600 – $13,800 | +4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,700 – $11,000 | +8% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,250 | −2% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,550 – $5,300 | +2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,500 – $11,200 | +12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $39,100 – $122,000 | +8% |
Who does the work: Green Bay 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 Green Bay the blend is 1.34.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $26.39 an hour, which is 16% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.53 and $31.63 an hour. BLS counts 1,160 of them working in the area, 66.5 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 $36.68 an hour, 27% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.32 and $45.65 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 24.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $44.00 an hour, which is 87% above the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $38.00 and $46.65 an hour. BLS counts 40 of them working in the area, 2.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $80 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $60. That is a swing of roughly 3.9% to 5.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Green Bay has 174,550 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 133rd 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% | $22.53 | $26.39 | $31.63 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.32 | $36.68 | $45.65 | $28.78 | 1.27 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $38.00 | $44.00 | $46.65 | $23.56 | 1.87 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.34 | |||||
Is Green Bay cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $1,350 to $1,600 across Green Bay and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay, WIthis page | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | |
| Appleton, WI20 miles | $710 – $2,450 | $1,600 | +3% |
| Oshkosh, WI45 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −2% |
| Sheboygan, WI50 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −3% |
| Wausau, WI90 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | +1% |
| Muskegon, MI105 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −13% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | level |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Green Bay ranks #51 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Green Bay is 0% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | +2% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | +2% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $710 – $2,450 | $1,600 | +3% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +1% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Green Bay against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | 174,670 jobs | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −12% |
| Naples, FL | 173,880 jobs | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | −17% |
| Anchorage, AK | 177,050 jobs | $680 – $2,350 | $1,500 | −2% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −23% |
Green Bay: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Green Bay. 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
$690 to $1,400
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,200 to $1,900
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,700 to $2,400
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $340 – $690 | $600 – $950 | $860 – $1,200 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $690 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,400 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,400 – $2,750 | $2,400 – $3,800 | $3,450 – $4,800 |
The best months for French drain in Green Bay
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Green Bay (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 Green Bay are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, 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 152 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Green Bay gets about 32 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 56 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.1 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 2.7 inches. The station averages about 6 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 | 26 | 11 | 1.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 29 | 13 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 24 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 35 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 46 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 56 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 81 | 60 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 58 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 50 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 40 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 44 | 29 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 31 | 18 | 1.8 | Cold |
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French drain in Green Bay: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Green Bay?
For 60 linear ft, expect $690 to $2,400 in the Green Bay area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,200 to $1,900. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Green Bay?
About $11.50 to $40 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 Green Bay or Appleton?
Appleton is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,600, which is 3% more than Green Bay ($1,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Green Bay?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $940 out of $1,550. Materials are 39% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Green Bay?
$690 to $2,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Green Bay?
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 Green Bay area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Green Bay expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Green Bay is 0% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($1,550 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Green Bay?
The BLS median is $26.39 an hour in the Green Bay area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.53 to $31.63.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Green Bay?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $690 to $1,400 and premium work $1,700 to $2,400. 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 Green Bay?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and October 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 Green Bay
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.