French Drain Installation Cost in North Carolina
City-by-city comparison for the same default project size, priced with BLS metro CPI where available and a regional model elsewhere. Use the table to gauge how much your ZIP code alone will move the quote.
Cheapest North Carolina metro
$4,771
Winston-Salem
Statewide median
$4,857
Across 5 North Carolina cities
Most expensive North Carolina metro
$4,914
Durham
French Drain Installation — City-by-City Total
Open national calculator →| City | Cost multiplier | Typical project total | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | 0.83× | $4,771 | Open → |
| Greensboro | 0.84× | $4,785 | Open → |
| Charlotte | 0.89× | $4,857 | Open → |
| Raleigh | 0.93× | $4,914 | Open → |
| Durham | 0.93× | $4,914 | Open → |
All totals priced with the calculator's default scope. To re-run for your specific project size, open the city link in the right column. Local labor wages and seasonality (below) are pulled from BLS OEWS and NOAA climate normals for North Carolina.
Typical Project Cost by Drain configuration
Adjusted for Charlotte, NC (-11%)Same default project size (default scope), priced across each material tier.
| Tier | Material rate | Total project | Installed per lf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior perimeter | $44.77 | $4,857 | $61 |
| Interior perimeter | $54.73 | $5,654 | $71 |
| Yard / surface drain | $34.83 | $4,062 | $51 |
Material rates reflect the latest BLS construction PPI adjustment. Installed totals include labor and supplies but exclude permits and any tear-out beyond the calculator's default scope.
Tier table priced for Charlotte, the state's largest metro by population. Per-city totals in the table above use the same default scope across the 5 cities we cover.
Local Labor Rates Near North Carolina
State-level mean hourly wages from BLS OEWS, May 2023.
| Trade | SOC | Mean hourly (NC) | vs national | Loaded billing rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction LaborersMost relevant | 47-2061 | $18.45 | -19.0% | ~$44/hr |
| Electricians | 47-2111 | $25.20 | -21.8% | ~$60/hr |
| Plumbers & Pipefitters | 47-2152 | $24.62 | -25.0% | ~$59/hr |
| HVAC Mechanics | 49-9021 | $23.46 | -18.1% | ~$56/hr |
| Carpenters | 47-2031 | $21.84 | -24.6% | ~$52/hr |
| Painters | 47-2141 | $19.41 | -21.7% | ~$47/hr |
| Roofers | 47-2181 | $20.95 | -19.0% | ~$50/hr |
"Mean hourly" is the BLS OEWS state-level cross-industry mean wage paid to the worker. Loaded billing rate is a typical 2.4× multiple used in residential bids to cover overhead, insurance, taxes, vehicle, and contractor margin. Use it as a sanity check on a quoted hourly rate.
Best Months to Schedule Landscaping & sod / planting in North Carolina
Derived from NOAA climate normals for NC: heating/cooling degree days, freeze months, and annual precipitation.
Why these months
Plant establishment needs mild soil temperatures. The state's humid summers and mild winters with hurricane-coast considerations pushes ideal install months into the windows above.
Booking tip
Pair planting with the local nursery's drought-resistant catalog to avoid paying twice if a heat wave kills new sod.
Recommendations derived from North Carolina's climate profile (IECC zone 3A-4A, ~2 freeze months, 47" annual precipitation).
About this comparison
Project totals on this page use the calculator's default size and tier — they are designed for inter-city comparison, not as a quote. Pricing is built from the BLS residential construction PPI for materials and labor, with regional and direct metro CPI applied to capture local cost-of-living differences. Read the full methodology for source detail.