Yard French Drain Cost: Per Foot, 50 and 100 Feet, and the Lines Quotes Leave Out
A yard French drain typically costs $10 to $35 per linear foot installed, about $1,000 to $3,500 for a 100-foot run. The outlet pipe and lawn repair usually add $350 to $900, and hand-digging in clay or rock can push a 100-foot job toward $7,000. Doing it yourself costs about $4 to $8 per foot in materials.
Yard French drain cost at a glance
Every figure on this page is a planning estimate, not a quote. It's meant to tell you whether a price is in a sensible range and what to ask about it. The totals come from the same calculations as the yard drainage cost calculator, so you can change the length and conditions to match your yard.
| Job | Planning range |
|---|---|
| Hired, per linear foot | $10–$35 |
| 50-foot drain, hired, drain only | $500–$1,750 |
| 50-foot drain with a 20-foot outlet run and lawn repair | $860–$2,650 |
| 100-foot drain, hired, drain only | $1,000–$3,500 |
| 100-foot drain with a 20-foot outlet run and lawn repair | $1,350–$4,400 |
| 100-foot drain, hand-dug in clay or rock, 40-foot outlet, lawn repair | $1,850–$7,000 |
| 100-foot drain, do it yourself, including a 20-foot outlet run | $440–$870 in materials |
The gap between "drain only" and the rows below it is the part most quotes don't show up front.
Why published French drain prices disagree
Search for a French drain price and you'll find ranges that differ by three times or more:
| Published source | What it says a yard or exterior drain costs per foot |
|---|---|
| The Basement Guide | $10–$35 for an exterior yard drain; $10–$25 shallow; $25–$50 deep |
| JDI | $10–$35 for an exterior yard drain; $30–$90 for an exterior perimeter drain |
| LawnStarter | $10–$65 for exterior drains |
| Ware Landscaping | $20–$30 for yard or lawn; $30–$90 for a "yard or trench" drain |
| High Flow Drainage Solutions | $25–$50 hired, on a 50-foot job |
They disagree because "French drain" covers several different jobs. A shallow drain across a lawn is a different project from a deep drain along a foundation footing, and both are different from an interior basement system at $40 to $100 a foot. Some guides fold the outlet run and lawn repair into the per-foot figure; others leave them out. A few quote national averages that mix all of these together.
The practical reading: for a drain in a yard, $10 to $35 a foot is the right comparison. A quote at $40 or more per foot for yard work is usually either a deeper foundation drain or a price with the outlet, restoration and hauling built in. Ask which. A drain run across a slope to intercept water, a curtain drain, prices the same way and lands higher only when it has to go deeper.
What the per-foot price includes, and what it doesn't
A per-foot price normally covers the trench itself: digging, fabric, stone, perforated pipe and backfill. Materials are the smaller share. For a 100-foot run, the materials come to:
| Trench (width × depth) | Materials per foot | Materials for 100 feet |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 12 in, stone to the surface | about $2.70–$5.10 | $270–$510 |
| 12 × 18 in, turf cap | about $4.90–$8.40 | $490–$840 |
| 12 × 24 in, turf cap | about $5.90–$9.80 | $590–$980 |
Those come from the French drain gravel calculator's engine: stone at $35–$50 a ton, pipe, fabric, and topsoil and sod for the turf cap. Everything else in a $10–$35 per-foot price is labour, equipment and overhead, which is why published guides put labour at well over half the job.
These lines usually sit outside the per-foot price, and they're where two quotes for the same drain pull apart:
| Line item | Typical planning figure | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet run: solid pipe from the drain to where water leaves | $8–$15 per foot hired | Where exactly does it discharge, and how far is that? |
| Lawn and bed restoration | $200–$600 allowance; more for sod over a long trench or planted beds | Is sod, seed or bed repair included? |
| Soil to move | About 3½ cubic yards for 50 feet of 12 × 18-inch trench; 7 for 100 feet | Is it spread on site or hauled away, and is that priced? |
| Catch basin at the start of the drain | $600–$2,000 each | Is a surface inlet needed at all? |
| Discharge feature at the end: pop-up emitter line or dry well | $400–$1,200 buried line; $1,500–$3,500 dry well | Why is a daylight outlet not possible? |
| Crossing a driveway, walkway or utility | Priced per crossing; The Basement Guide cites $500–$2,000 each | How is the crossing made, and what's restored? |
| Permit | Often not needed for a yard drain; published fees run about $50–$225 where it is | Does your town require one? |
Cost by scenario
Totals for common yard situations, hired unless noted. Change any of them in the cost calculator.
| Scenario | Drain | Outlet run | Restoration | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soggy strip along a side yard: 40 ft, 20-ft outlet | $400–$1,400 | $160–$300 | $200–$600 | $760–$2,300 |
| 50 ft across the back lawn, 20-ft outlet | $500–$1,750 | $160–$300 | $200–$600 | $860–$2,650 |
| 100 ft, easy access, 20-ft outlet | $1,000–$3,500 | $160–$300 | $200–$600 | $1,350–$4,400 |
| 100 ft in clay or rock, 20-ft outlet | $1,100–$4,200 | $180–$360 | $200–$600 | $1,500–$5,150 |
| 100 ft, no machine access, clay or rock, 40-ft outlet | $1,250–$5,450 | $400–$940 | $200–$600 | $1,850–$7,000 |
| Do it yourself: 100 ft, 20-ft outlet | $400–$800 | $40–$70 | Your own time | $440–$870 |
| Whole-yard system: 80 ft of drain, two catch basins, three buried downspouts, 40-ft outlet | $3,200–$10,400 across the pieces | $320–$600 | $200–$600 | $3,700–$11,500 |
Hand-digging where a machine can't reach typically adds 15 to 30 percent to the installed work, and heavy clay or rock adds 10 to 20 percent. Many drainage contractors also have a minimum charge of around $500, so a very short drain rarely costs less than that.
What moves the price
- Length. The biggest single factor, since most of the job is priced by the foot.
- Depth. A 24-inch trench moves about a third more soil and needs more stone than an 18-inch one, and anything approaching footing depth is a different, more expensive job.
- Access. A walk-behind trencher is fast; a narrow side yard that has to be dug by hand isn't.
- Soil. Heavy clay, roots and rock slow digging and wear equipment.
- How far the outlet is. A drain that daylights on a slope 10 feet away is cheap to finish; one that needs 60 feet of solid pipe to reach a low point, or a dry well, is not.
- What goes back on top. Seeded soil costs little. Sod, planted beds, pavers or concrete cost more.
- Local labour rates. Metro areas sit toward the top of every range.
Doing it yourself vs hiring it out
Materials for a 100-foot DIY drain run about $440 to $870 including a short outlet, and a 50-foot drain about $240 to $470. That's roughly $4 to $8 a foot against $10 to $35 hired. A walk-behind trencher is commonly rented by the day, and published guides quote anywhere from about $85 to $400.
What you save is labour. What you take on is the part that decides whether the drain works: confirming a lower outlet, holding at least 1% fall along the whole run, and moving several cubic yards of soil. A DIY drain that ends up with a dip in the pipe, or an outlet higher than the trench, is the expensive version. The step-by-step install guide covers the measurements to take before you buy anything, and the gravel calculator gives a shopping list for your trench size.
Is a French drain worth the cost?
It is when the problem is ground that stays saturated: soil that squelches for days after rain with nothing pooling on top. It isn't when the water is on the surface or coming off the roof. That's common, and a cheaper fix solves it.
| Fix | Typical installed range | The better buy when |
|---|---|---|
| Swale | $0.50–$1 per sq ft | Water runs across the surface from uphill |
| Buried downspout line | $400–$1,200 per downspout | The wet area is below a gutter outlet |
| Regrading a low spot | $500–$1,500 | Water collects in one dip after rain |
| Catch basin | $600–$2,000 | Water pools at one identifiable low point |
| Dry creek bed | $20–$50 per ft | Surface water needs a channel that looks like landscaping |
| Rain garden | $1,000–$3,000 | Roof or lawn runoff can soak in, and the soil drains |
| Dry well | $1,500–$3,500 | There's no lower outlet, but the soil absorbs water |
| French drain | $10–$35 per ft | The ground itself stays saturated |
If you aren't sure which problem you have, is a French drain right for your yard? walks through the check. A French drain installed for surface water is money spent on the wrong fix.
How to check a French drain quote
A clear yard French drain quote should state:
- Length and route, measured, with where it starts and ends.
- Trench width and depth.
- Pipe, stone and fabric: perforated pipe, washed angular stone such as #57, and fabric lining the whole trench rather than a sock around the pipe.
- The fall, measured from start to outlet, not "it'll drain fine".
- The outlet: where the water leaves, the length of solid pipe to get there, and its price.
- A cleanout at the upstream end.
- Restoration and soil: what goes back on the surface, and whether the dug-out soil stays or goes.
- What happens if it doesn't drain, and what any warranty covers.
A quote missing the outlet or the fall hasn't designed the drain yet. The drainage quote analyzer flags missing lines on a quote you already have, and how to compare drainage quotes shows how to line up two that are priced differently.
Related pages
- Is a French drain right for your yard?
- How to install a French drain in your yard
- Curtain drains
- Yard drainage cost calculator
- How to compare drainage quotes
- French drain maintenance
FAQs
How much does a French drain cost per foot?
For a drain in a yard, about $10 to $35 per linear foot installed is a sensible planning range. The low end is a shallow trench with easy access and a nearby outlet; the high end is deeper digging, hand work in clay or rock, or turf and beds to restore. Interior basement drains are a different job, commonly $40 to $100 a foot.
How much does a 100-foot French drain cost?
About $1,000 to $3,500 for the drain itself, hired. With a 20-foot outlet run and lawn repair, a typical total is $1,350 to $4,400. On a site with no machine access and clay or rock, it can reach about $7,000. Doing it yourself, materials run roughly $440 to $870. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
How much does a 50-foot French drain cost?
About $500 to $1,750 for the drain itself, hired, or $860 to $2,650 with a short outlet run and lawn repair. DIY materials for 50 feet, including a short outlet, come to roughly $240 to $470. Many contractors have a minimum charge of around $500.
Is a French drain worth the money?
When the ground stays saturated for days after rain, yes. It's one of the few fixes that removes water from within the soil. When water sits on the surface or comes off the roof, a catch basin, swale, regrading or buried downspout line usually solves it for less. Check which problem you have before paying for a trench.
What is a cheaper alternative to a French drain?
It depends on where the water is. A swale, at about 50 cents to a dollar per square foot, handles water running across the surface. A buried downspout line, at $400 to $1,200, handles roof water. Regrading a low spot, at $500 to $1,500, stops water collecting in a dip. A catch basin, at $600 to $2,000, drains one pooling spot.
How much does it cost to install a French drain yourself?
Roughly $4 to $8 per foot in materials: about $440 to $870 for a 100-foot drain with a short outlet, and $240 to $470 for 50 feet. Add a trencher rental if you don't want to hand-dig. The savings are real, but the outlet and the fall have to be right, or the drain won't work.
Why do French drain quotes vary so much?
Because quotes price different things. One may be a shallow yard trench; another a deeper drain near the foundation. One may include the outlet run, lawn repair and soil removal; another may leave them out. Ask each contractor for length, depth, materials, the outlet and restoration in writing, then compare like with like.
How long does a French drain last?
A yard French drain built with fabric lining the trench, clean angular stone, at least 1% fall and a cleanout can work for decades with occasional flushing. One built without fabric can silt up within a few seasons. See French drain maintenance for what keeps it working.
Sources consulted
By Under Your Home Team · Last reviewed 2026-09-15