How much to install a french drain

There are dozens of options for waterproofing, but among the simplest and most cost-effective is a French drain. Also known as weeping tile, a French drain is a system of perforated pipe laid in a trench around the perimeter of your home or under your basement floor.

Basements are moist for many reasons — French drains address only some of them. Water seeping through unsealed window wells or cracks in your foundation will require additional measures to fix.

But if the problem is poor drainage around your property, a French drain can help whisk excess water away before it takes the path of least resistance into your home. Interior French drains are located beneath the edges of a basement floor where they direct seepage to a sump pit. Exterior French drains can be remarkably budget-friendly, depending on your landscaping and how deep they need to be. For homes in wet areas where the soil is persistently saturated, drains are installed closer to the base of the foundation, and the deeper they are, the more they cost.

In basements used solely for storage, interior drains are usually covered by gravel alone, but grates are recommended for both safety and aesthetics when the area is used as living space. Exterior French drains are most effective when they slope away from your property — landscapers recommend a drop of one inch for every 10 feet. That means that as the trench is built, installers must dig deeper as they go, adding to the cost of labor. The water a French drain catches has to go somewhere.

If your home is close to the road, it can be diverted to the street or a culvert, but if you have a large property, you may need to choose a closer space. A dedicated drainage area can be as simple as natural depression in your landscaping or a dry well, but you can get the most out of your drain by collecting water in a rain barrel or an irrigation ditch where it can be used for other purposes.

Sump pumps sit at the lowest point of your basement so that if water gets in, it rolls toward the sump pit where it collects. An interior French drain does one better by keeping your floor drier — it catches water before it travels away from walls, but it still requires a sump pump to remove. Before digging on your property, asking local utility companies to mark underground lines is a must for safety.

Most homeowners insurance policies will not cover French drains unless added into the policy under a special provision. Neither will most insurance policies cover flood damage unless it is written as a separate policy. The best way to know if your French drain is operating properly is by checking in your yard or basement. If you detect any presence of water, there is a good chance that your drain is clogged. Multiple professionals can install a French drain.

Waterproofing contractors, basement contractors, drainage contractors, and landscapers all have the skills and equipment to perform the job. French drains do not always need an exit. They can be designed to transport water to another location for it to drain if you are in an area with heavy rains, or it can be designed without an outlet and will simply seep in the water as it travels along the perforated pipe.

On average French drains last between 3 and 40 years if well maintained. Some factors may shorten the longevity of a French drain, such as iron ochre in the soil, poor installation, and uncleared clogs. Curtain drains are usually shallower and installed outdoors, while French drains can be deeper and installed indoors. This depends on the size of the drain. Install larger and longer drains, if needed, to cover bigger areas. The water from a French drain can be directed to any area where the water can drain without causing an issue.

Common areas include sewers, dry wells, the street, trenches, or rain gardens. Cost to install a French drain varies greatly by region and even by zip code. To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours. FIXR provides cost guides, comparisons, and term cheat sheets for hundreds of remodeling, installation and repair projects.

Log In. Loading, please wait Password Recovery. Get Local Cost. Reviewed by Nieves Caballero. Written by Fixr. Feb 24, What's new?

Nov 24, This cost guide has been updated. Mar 30, Added a data visualization graphic comparing the cost, installation, effectiveness, appearance, and durability of the four types of French drain. Oct 15, All costs have been updated and new sections such as "signs you need a french drain", "French drains vs ground gutters" and "FAQs" have been added. When to Install a French Drain? Average Cost. What Is a French Drain?

Compare prices from French drain installation companies near you. Compare Quotes. Get free estimates from French drain installation experts near me. Get Free Estimates. Find local pros to install your French drain. Hire a local pro to install your French drain. Find Pros. Additional Considerations and Costs Interior and exterior French drains may require permits. Check with your local town or city hall for more information about costs and what may be needed in your area.

Always call your utility company or before digging in the yard to find out if you have utility lines nearby. The drain may need to be relocated if this is the case. French drains vs. Ground gutters are generally shallower, while French drains may be deep or shallow, depending on the need. Ground gutters also typically run to a dry well for collection, which may be lined with a membrane to contain the water more effectively.

Or, they may simply allow the water to drain naturally. French drains typically terminate at a sewer, street, or into an area better equipped to handle the water.

French Drain vs Drain Tile. French drains and drain tiles are similar in their function, but where they are placed and their output makes them different. Drain tiles are installed eight to ten feet below ground around the foundation footings and drain groundwater away from the foundation. Landscaping factors. When installing a French drain, some considerations will need to be made in terms of landscaping.

Since the trench will often be at least several feet deep and a few feet wide, you need to determine if it can be worked around landscaped areas, such as fences, sidewalks, gardens, driveways, trees, and shrubs.

Prebabricated French drain. A prefabricated French drain is designed for easier installation. Pricing will be similar to typical French drain installation jobs because although the material is more costly, less labor is needed for the projects.

Every 10 ft. Hydroblox vs French Drain. Hydroblox is a newer system used in place of French drains. Instead of laying pipe, Hydroblox is placed down as planks. The surface is designed to pull in and carry water away from the home.

Each panel made from recycled plastics is equivalent to a 4-inch pipe. Landscaping repair. When you install a French drain, your landscaping may suffer.

Holes are dug in the yard, and shrubbery and plants may become damaged in the process. Do French drains really work? Does homeowners insurance cover French drains? How to tell if a French drain is working? Who installs French drains?

What is the average cost to install a French drain? Does a French drain need an exit? How long does a French drain last? What is the difference between a curtain drain and a French drain? Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet Definitions in laymen's terms, cost considerations, pictures and things you need to know.

See full cheat sheet. Water runs through a trench filled with gravel into a perforated pipe underneath, which leads the water downhill to a safe area. How much does it cost to install a French drain in my city? Updated: Feb 24, What's new? Get free estimates on FIXR from trusted foundation repair contractors in your area. Get estimates Invalid Zip code Find yours. Was this guide helpful to you? Yes No. Feedback Send.

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Rain gardens are placed at the end of a French drain to help promote drainage and manage water runoff. Retaining walls control and slow the flow of water runoff, prevent slopes from eroding, and are commonly used with shallow French drains.

French drainage systems are typically installed near house foundations with only gravel covering the drain. French drains are placed in the basement, crawl space, or exterior of the home and are either deep or shallow, which drastically affects the cost. Backyard French drains more than 10 feet away from the house may have sod or soil above the gravel, with a proper soil separator around the trench to keep dirt out of the drain.

Professionals recommend installing a sump pump with most French drain systems to pump water out more efficiently. A full-perimeter drain tile system is not always necessary, and costs are reduced proportionately for smaller jobs.

A drain tile system is a perforated pipe embedded in gravel alongside the foundation footings. It catches water that seeps inside and channels it to a sump pump that discharges the water away from the foundation or into a drain line. To install interior drain tile, a contractor cuts a 12" wide channel in the concrete slab along the perimeter of the basement floor. The contractor excavates a trench in the channel down to the foundation footings, then installs a perforated drain pipe and connects it to a sump pump.

Then, the trench is filled with gravel, and the slab is finished with new concrete. French drains require an existing backyard drainage system to direct the water out of the crawl space. Extra costs apply to install the backyard piping that connects to the French drain. After installing a drainage solution, consider crawl space encapsulation to further block out moisture, mold and pests. French drains prevent foundation damage due to hydrostatic pressure caused from groundwater pushing against the foundation walls.

Hydrostatic pressure can cause porous basement walls to absorb moisture, leak, crack, bow inward, and even collapse under the pressure. A curtain drain is a 2' wide shallow exterior French drain dug horizontally in front or around a house to divert surface water. Curtain drains prevent water pooling in the yard or near the home and can be connected to a larger backyard drainage system.

Exterior drain tile or footing drain costs depend on the excavation depth, foundation repairs, waterproofing, and removing or working around landscaping, decks, patios, or sidewalks. A waterproofing coating or membrane is applied to the foundation walls.

Then, an exterior French drain with perforated PVC pipe is installed next to the foundation footing, and the excavation is filled with drainage gravel.

Sloped lots rely on gravity to move the drainage to an exit point or storm drain. Otherwise, a sump pump is required to pump the water away from the foundation. Exterior drain tiles are more expensive than interior drain tiles, but the large excavation and waterproofing barrier prevents water from entering the basement or crawl space completely.

Interior drainage systems require a sump pump to pump the water out of the crawlspace or basement. Exterior French drains may only require a sump pump if the slope is too high. Residential drainage systems vary in cost depending on the type, materials, labor, permits, equipment required, volume of water that needs draining, and if the drainage work is combined with other landscaping projects.

Other pricing factors to fix drainage problems in a yard include:. Combining drainage work with other landscaping and plumbing projects saves time and money, since it's done at the same time. Drainage systems require various yard drainage pipes.

French drain pipe is perforated has small holes , while solid pipes are used in sub-surface yard drainage systems to transport runoff water. Trench excavation, dewatering, backfill, and compaction fees not included. Additional inspection fees apply if the project modifies the public right-of-way. Permits are typically needed when connecting to a public drainage system, changing any structure on your property, or any electrical work to install a sump pump.

When you're experiencing drainage problems in your yard, call a landscaper , plumber , or waterproofing company that's experienced with French drains. Professionals will custom-design the best drainage solution for your water-management issues.