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Drainage Pricing Calculator
Estimate what to charge for a drainage job. Pick the type, the length of drain line, and your state — most drainage is priced per linear foot, and digging conditions are the biggest swing.
Estimated from regional norms via the Lawnager Price Index. A starting point — adjust for access, materials, condition, and your costs.
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How to price drainage work
Most drainage is priced per linear foot of drain line. A French drain typically runs $50–$150/ft installed — covering the trench, perforated pipe, gravel, and filter fabric — while surface/yard drainage and buried downspout lines run less. Catch basins and drain boxes are usually a flat add per unit.
Digging conditions drive the number more than anything: clay, roots, and rock slow the trench and can add 30–60%. Depth matters too — a drain that has to daylight downhill or tie into a system is more work than a shallow yard line. Always set a project minimum so a short run still covers mobilization.
Sell the fix, not the trench. Standing water, wet basements, and dying grass are the pain — photograph the problem, quote the solution, and price for the equipment and the guarantee. A drain that fails is a callback you eat.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a French drain cost per foot?⌄
Installed, French drains typically run $50–$150 per linear foot, including the trench, perforated pipe, gravel, and filter fabric. Clay, roots, rock, and depth push it toward the high end.
How do you price yard drainage?⌄
By the linear foot for drain lines (French, surface, channel, downspout) plus a flat add for each catch basin or drain box, then a multiplier for digging conditions and a project minimum.
What makes a drainage job more expensive?⌄
Digging conditions (clay, roots, rock), depth and the need to daylight or tie into a system, length of run, and the number of catch basins. Equipment access vs. hand-digging also moves the price.