If water sits in your yard, runs toward your foundation, or turns part of your property into a swamp after every storm, a French drain is often the fix. The first question most people ask is what it costs. Here is an honest look at French drain pricing across North Georgia, Southeast Tennessee, and Northwest Alabama, what makes the price move, and how to tell whether a French drain is even the right solution.
What a French drain costs
Every property is different, but most French drain installations in our area fall into these ranges:
- $35 to $75+ per linear foot for a straightforward run in reasonable soil with good equipment access.
- $75 to $150+ per linear foot when the trench has to go deep, cuts through rock or heavy clay, needs hand digging in tight spots, or ties in multiple catch basins and more involved grading.
For a common project, a 100-foot French drain typically runs $4,000 to $7,000+. That covers the perforated pipe, the drainage gravel, the filter fabric that keeps the system from silting up, the excavation and equipment, a day or two of labor, and cleaning the site up afterward. Catch basins, when your drainage plan needs them, usually add $250 to $450+ each.
We do not post a flat price because no two yards drain the same way. What we can promise is a free on-site estimate and a clear number before any work starts.
What drives the price
- Length and depth. More trench and deeper trench means more digging, more gravel, and more time.
- Soil and rock. Our red clay holds water, which is why French drains work so well here, but it also digs hard, and hitting rock slows everything down.
- Access. A backyard a machine can reach is very different from one that needs hand work around a house, septic, or landscaping.
- Catch basins and grading. Surface drains, catch basins, and reshaping the ground to move water all add to the scope.
- Where the water goes. The drain has to discharge somewhere that makes sense, and getting it there is part of the job.
Do you actually need a French drain?
A French drain is the right call when water is collecting and needs a path away from where it is causing trouble. Common signs:
- Standing water or a soggy, spongy yard days after it rains
- Water pooling against your foundation, or moisture in a basement or crawl space
- A hillside or low spot that stays wet and starts to erode
- A driveway or path that washes out in the same place every storm
Sometimes the better fix is regrading the ground so water sheds on its own, and sometimes it is both. That is what the on-site walk is for. We tell you straight what your property needs, even when it is the simpler option. For more on the wet-yard problem itself, see why your yard floods and how to fix it.
Why French drains work in our clay
Across North Georgia, Southeast Tennessee, and Northwest Alabama, the ground is heavy red clay that does not soak up water the way sandy soil does. Rain runs across the surface and collects in the low spots instead of draining in. A properly built French drain gives that water a gravel-filled path and a pipe to follow, moving it away from your foundation, your yard, and your driveway before it does damage. If you want the how-to side, read how to install a French drain in Georgia clay.
Get a free estimate
If water is a problem on your property, we come look at it, figure out where the water is going and where it should go, and give you an honest price. See our drainage and water control service, request a free quote, or call (706) 936-4615.
