How the drainage estimate works
How is my drainage price calculated?
The calculator uses published rates and the details you confirm to show a low, typical and high price. The job, quantity, surface, access and outlet move the price. It is a planning estimate, not a contractor's quote or a drainage design.
From your yard to a price
Choose the water problem, find your address or enter a length, and confirm the property and measurements. You choose the address result yourself. Public maps cannot confirm buried utilities, soil suitability or an outlet's condition.
If imagery or a property line is unavailable, use the building view or enter a length. Checking the terrain on the map does not update your price; confirm the ground conditions in the calculator. The adjustments describe the work, rather than a local contractor's rates.
A worked example
This example is an 80 ft French drain across open lawn with a pop-up outlet, known flat terrain and high confidence, as of Oct 2026. It illustrates the calculation; a pro must check the route and outlet at your house.
| Work item | Range | Typical* |
|---|---|---|
| Yard French drain | $1,360–$4,144 | $2,602 |
| Pop-up surface outlet | $30–$86 | $58 |
| Total | $1,390–$4,230 | $2,660 |
*Typical is the midpoint of the published low and high rate. This is not a measured local average.
Lawn repair, permits, engineering, utility relocation, structural repair, taxes and unlisted work are excluded. Ranges by length include ±15% for the measured length. Less certain measurements can widen the range.
What moves the price
Ground over the route
- LawnBase price
- Gravel+10%
- Pavers+40%
- Concrete+60%
Access to the yard
- A mini excavator can reachBase price
- Tight, partly dug by hand+20%
- Dug by hand only+45%
Where the water goes
- Pop-up outlet$30–$85
- Dry well$300–$1,500
- Pump outlet, if needed$600–$2,500
Added once per drain. An outlet you already have adds nothing.
Slope and lawn
- Steep or uneven groundup to +50%
- Slope not measuredrange 10% wider
- New sod$0.90–$1.80 per ft²
Depth and soil are checked on site. They don't change the estimate.
What you get and where the maps come from
What you get
- Your yard, measuredRoute or walls measured on public aerial imagery, with terrain from USGS 3DEP where it exists.
- Published ratesEvery rate has a source and date. Rates v1.0.0, checked Oct 26, 2026.
- A range, not a quoteLow, typical and high. A local pro confirms on site.
- No sales callsYour price shows on screen. A local pro gets your details only if you ask for quotes.
Where the numbers come from
- Address search
- US Census Geocoder
- Aerial imagery
- USDA NAIP via USGS; Ohio OSIP in Ohio
- Building outlines
- FEMA USA Structures
- Property lines
- County parcel services, e.g. Franklin County Auditor (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- Terrain
- USGS 3DEP elevation, 1 m where available
Sources
Rates v1.0.0, checked 2026-10-26. These published rates do not establish a price for a specific city. Regional installer rates are not a national survey.
- S&S Excavation — published Kansas City French drain rates, checked 2026-10-26. Regional installer rates, not a national survey
- HomeGuide — French drain cost, published 2026-02-05, checked 2026-10-26
- HomeGuide — drainage system installation cost, published 2026-02-06, checked 2026-10-26
- Ledge — catch basin estimating, checked 2026-10-26. One basin with 30–50 linear ft of pipe and simple outfall
- HomeGuide — cost to level or regrade a yard, published 2026-01-16, checked 2026-10-26
- Richmond Retaining Wall Company — grading planning rates, checked 2026-10-26. Published planning rates, topsoil and vegetation separate
Saved estimates
A saved estimate keeps its price and the details used to calculate it. You can bookmark its page even when email delivery is unavailable. Saving an estimate is separate from requesting quotes.
Quote requests open soon. Your price is ready now.
Only a written agreement and service to your ZIP are checked today.