Angi and HomeAdvisor publish a $9,250 national average for a French drain – headline range $500 to $18,000, or about $10 to $100 per linear foot – and both also publish a $400 to $27,000 overall range on the same page without explaining the difference.1,2 Fixr separately publishes a $5,000 national average for 100 linear feet of basement drain, within a $2,800 to $6,500 average range.3 Prices below are national averages*.
*National averages, not local quotes. Angi figures are from a 2026 guide updated October 2026, HomeAdvisor figures are from a 2025-data guide updated June 2026, and Fixr figures are from a guide updated January 2025. Your price depends on drain type, length, depth, location, and labor. A French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that redirects water away from your home.
$9,250
national average (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$500–$18,000
headline range (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$5,000
national average (Fixr, 2025)
$2,800–$6,500
average range (Fixr, 2025)
What the sources say
| Source | Headline figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Angi (updated Oct 2026) | Main text: $9,250 national average, $500 – $18,000 range; overview box: $400 – $27,000 – two presentations disclosed, not resolved here | Per-foot range $10 – $100; 50-foot drain $500 – $5,000 |
| HomeAdvisor (2025 data, updated Jun 2026) | Headline box: $9,250 average, $500 – $18,000 normal range; overview box and main text: $400 – $27,000 – two presentations disclosed, not resolved here | Corporate sibling of Angi – matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration; per-foot average about $45 |
| Fixr (updated Jan 2025) | $5,000 national average for 100 linear feet of basement drain; average range $2,800 – $6,500; $500 low-end (50-foot exterior drain) to $18,000 high-end (100-foot perimeter drain for basement flooding) | Separately published from the figures above, with no shared sourcing stated; average covers a defined job scope |
Both siblings carry the same two overall-range presentations on their pages; both are disclosed above without choosing between them. Fixr’s $500 low and $18,000 high match the siblings’ headline-range endpoints – separately published figures, and the pages state no shared sourcing.
Cost per linear foot by drain type (Angi & HomeAdvisor, matching)
| Drain type | Per linear foot | Average total |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | $40 – $100 | $5,000 – $18,000 |
| Exterior perimeter | $10 – $50 | $500 – $10,000 |
| Curtain | $10 – $25 | $1,000 – $5,000 |
| Yard / trench | $30 – $90 | $2,000 – $10,000 |
| Deep French | $30 – $70 | $2,000 – $10,000 |
Fixr categorizes differently: exterior drains at $10 to $100 per linear foot (shallow systems $10 to $50, deep footing drains $80 to $100) and interior drains at $40 to $100, with average rates of $25 per foot exterior and $50 per foot interior. The two categorizations are kept as separately published figures rather than compared directly.
Cost per linear foot by location (Angi & Fixr, matching)
| Location | Per linear foot |
|---|---|
| Yard | $20 – $30 |
| Crawl space | $25 – $35 |
| Patio | $25 – $40 |
| Retaining wall | $25 – $50 |
| Sidewalk | $30 – $50 |
| Deck | $35 – $45 |
| Driveway | $45 – $55 |
| Garage | $50 – $60 |
| Around the house | $50 – $80 |
| Basement | $60 – $70 |
Angi and Fixr publish the same per-location figures – separately published figures, and the pages state no shared sourcing. Fixr notes driveway installs can add about $200 to $600 for concrete removal and re-laying at $2 to $6 per square foot.
Cost by drain length (Fixr, 2025, installed)
| Length | Exterior | Interior |
|---|---|---|
| 50 linear feet | $1,250 – $2,000 | $2,500 – $3,000 |
| 100 linear feet | $3,500 – $4,000 | $5,000 – $6,000 |
| 150 linear feet | $4,250 – $5,000 | $7,500 – $9,000 |
Pipe cost by diameter (Fixr, 2025, materials only)
| Pipe diameter | Per linear foot |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | $0.70 – $1 |
| 3 inches | $0.75 – $1.20 |
| 4 inches | $1 – $1.50 |
| 6 inches | $1.80 – $2.20 |
| 8 inches | $2.30 – $3 |
Labor
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Installation labor | $50 – $100 per hour | Angi/HomeAdvisor (matching) |
| Plumber (if used) | $45 – $200 per hour | HomeAdvisor (2025 data) |
| Installation labor | $35 – $75 per hour, or per linear foot | Fixr (2025) |
| Labor share per linear foot | interior $35 – $40 of about $50; exterior $20 – $25 of about $35 | Fixr (2025) |
The publishers present labor differently – hourly rates from Angi and HomeAdvisor versus hourly or per-foot rates from Fixr – and the rows are kept as separately published figures rather than compared directly.
Additional project costs
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Permit, where required | $50 – $200 (one-time) | Angi/HomeAdvisor (matching) |
| Permit | $50 – $100 | Fixr (2025) |
| Post-installation inspection | $100 – $300 | Angi/HomeAdvisor (matching) |
| Inspection | $150 – $250 | Fixr (2025) |
| Sump pump installation | $500 – $2,000 | Angi/HomeAdvisor (matching) |
| Combined sump pump and interior drain | $65 – $75 per linear foot | Fixr (2025) |
| Landscaping repair | $100 – $200 | Angi/HomeAdvisor (matching) |
| Landscaping services | $50 – $100 per hour | Fixr (2025) |
| Irrigation ditch connection | $0.50 – $1 per square foot | Angi/HomeAdvisor/Fixr (matching) |
| Retaining wall installation | $3,000 – $10,000 | Angi/HomeAdvisor (matching) |
| Storm drain connection | $100 – $200 | Fixr (2025) |
| Rain garden (discharge option) | $1,000 – $3,000 | Fixr (2025) |
| Dry well (discharge option) | $1,500 – $5,000 | Fixr (2025) |
| Professional cleaning (snaking) | $75 – $500 ($45 – $150 per hour) | Fixr (2025) |
| Pipe replacement repair | $1,000 – $2,500 | Fixr (2025) |
| Full re-trench and replacement | $2,000 – $8,000 | Fixr (2025) |
Rows covering the same item under different presentations – permits, inspection, and landscaping – are kept as separately published figures rather than compared directly.
Alternative drainage systems (Fixr, 2025, per project installed)
| System | Cost per project |
|---|---|
| Curtain drain | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Swale | $450 – $2,000 |
| Catch basin | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Trench drain | $3,000 – $15,000 |
| Sump pump | $700 – $1,600 |
| French drain (for reference) | $2,800 – $6,500 |
Fixr notes curtain drains handle surface water only, trench drains remove surface water quickly at $30 to $150 per linear foot, and swales run $4.50 to $8.50 per linear foot seeded or $15 to $20 with sod. Angi and HomeAdvisor price curtain drains at $1,000 to $5,000 per project – a different figure from Fixr’s, kept as separately published rather than compared directly.
Related guides
Concrete Foundation Cost
Rainwater Collection System Cost
Yard Drainage Cost
Basement Waterproofing Cost
Sump Pump Installation Cost
Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost
All cost guides
Sources
1. Angi — How Much Does a French Drain Cost? (2026)
2. HomeAdvisor — How Much Does a French Drain Cost to Install? (2025 data)
3. Fixr — French Drain Installation Cost (2025)