Yard drainage installation costs $2,500 to $8,000 for a typical system on Forbes Home, against $2,147 to $7,176 on Angi — whose $4,634 national average comes from 2,203 verified pro projects, a marketplace scope that isn’t like-for-like with publisher estimates — and $1,200 to $8,000 for a sub-surface yard system on HomeGuide. French drains run $10 to $35 per linear foot on HomeGuide, $20 to $50 on Angi, and $10 to $100 on Forbes, separately attributed publisher estimates with differing scopes and ranges, figures as published (October 2024 to September 2026).123
Cost by system type
All three sources price drainage by system type, with units shown where the source states them and unspecified scopes marked; per-linear-foot figures include installation unless noted, figures as published.123
| System | HomeGuide | Angi | Forbes Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | $10 – $35 per linear ft (exterior) | $20 – $50 per linear ft; $2,000 – $7,000 total | $10 – $100 per linear ft installed |
| Trench / channel drain | $30 – $150 per linear ft | $30 – $70 per linear ft; $2,500 – $8,000 total | $30 – $100 per linear ft |
| Dry well | see discrepancy note below | $300 – $1,000 per unit; $1,000 – $4,000 total | $1,150 – $4,350 installed |
| Catch basin | $8 – $15 per sq.ft. system; basins $20 – $130 each | $50 – $200 per unit; $600 – $2,000 total | $1,000 – $4,000 installed; basins $300 – $500 |
| Swale | $5 – $15 per linear ft; $0.50 – $1.00 per sq.ft. | $5 – $15 per linear ft; $800 – $3,000 total | — |
| Surface drain | — | $10 – $40 per linear ft; $1,200 – $5,000 total | — |
| Underground downspout | $150 – $350 per downspout | — | $300 – $800, scope unspecified |
HomeGuide’s own page prices a dry well at $300 to $1,500 in one table and $50 to $700 for gravel or plastic types (up to $3,000 for concrete) in another — a within-source discrepancy the page doesn’t reconcile, so the cell above defers to this note. The same page lists yard grading at $500 to $3,000 in one table and $500 to $5,000 in its text, and retaining walls at $15 to $40 versus $35 to $65 per square foot, figures as published.1
Foundation and interior systems
HomeGuide prices foundation-level work separately: interior perimeter drains at $40 to $85 per linear foot, basement perimeter systems at $4,000 to $12,000 depending on perimeter length and sump pumps, crawl space drains at $800 to $3,000, and exterior weeping tile at $1,500 to $4,000 per side of house or $6,000 to $15,000 for a full perimeter, figures as published.1
Cost by yard size
Angi prices total installation by yard size, figures as published.2
| Yard size | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Small (under 500 sq.ft.) | $800 – $2,000 |
| Medium (500 – 2,000 sq.ft.) | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Large (over 2,000 sq.ft.) | $5,000 – $12,000 |
Materials, labor, and prep
Angi itemizes materials: perforated pipe at $1 to $5 per foot, gravel at $30 to $60 per ton, geotextile fabric at $0.15 to $0.60 per square foot, catch basins at $50 to $500 each (against HomeGuide’s $20 to $130 for plastic basins up to 24 inches), sump pumps at $150 to $600, and fittings at $2 to $10 each. Labor runs $50 to $150 per hour on Angi against $50 to $100 on Forbes, and site prep adds $300 to $1,000 on Angi, figures as published.123
Ongoing maintenance
Angi prices DIY upkeep at $50 to $200 per year in tools and supplies, and professional maintenance at $100 to $400 per visit — its maintenance table mislabels the professional row as DIY, a labeling slip the page’s own text resolves, figures as published.2
DIY notes
Forbes frames small jobs as the DIY end of the market: burying downspouts can run as little as $500 where a storm system already exists, and HomeGuide prices downspout extensions at $5 to $25 each for above-ground fixes. Both sources steer full system installation to pros given the excavation involved; check local rules before tying into any municipal storm system, figures as published.13
Starting with a downspout fix? Browse yard drainage products at The Home Depot (non-affiliate link).
Related guides
Rainwater Collection System Cost
Dry Well Installation Cost
Downspout Installation Cost
French Drain Cost
Yard Grading Cost
Trenching Cost
Sources
- HomeGuide, “How Much Does a Drainage System Cost?,” updated February 6, 2026. https://homeguide.com/costs/drainage-system-installation-cost
- Angi, “How Much Does Yard Drainage Cost? [2026 Data],” updated September 7, 2026; the page discloses automation-assisted creation with editorial review, and its averages draw on 2,203 verified pro projects – cited on their own terms. https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-install-landscape-drainage.htm
- Forbes Home, “How Much Does It Cost To Install A Drainage System In Your Yard?,” audited and verified October 3, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/plumbing/drainage-system-cost/