Waterlogged garden or field?
What do land drainage contractors charge?
A garden land drain or French drain typically costs £50–£100 per metre installed (typical 2026 quotes), so a 20–30 metre run usually lands between £1,000 and £3,000. Field drainage for farms is priced per scheme, not per metre, and honest contractors will say so. Tell us about the wet ground and local drainage contractors will quote their price for the job.
What happens next
- Tell us about the wet ground: where it is, how big, how urgent. Two minutes, no account.
- We pass your details to relevant land drainage contractors covering your postcode, and to no one else.
- They contact you directly with their price for your ground. Compare, choose, or walk away.
Land Drainage Contractors is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd; we pass your details to relevant local drainage contractors who quote you directly. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are not a drainage contractor and nothing here is legal or engineering advice; cost figures are typical 2026 quote ranges that vary by region, soil and access.
Typical land drainage costs, 2026
Last updated
What garden and field drainage work typically costs. These are typical quote ranges observed across the UK market in 2026, not fixed prices; ground conditions, access and where the water can be sent move the figure.
Ranges reflect typical quotes for domestic land drainage work observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by region, soil, access and outfall. The small-garden scheme figure is derived from the per-metre range (20–30 m at £50–£100/m). Agricultural field drainage is priced per scheme or per hectare and varies too much for an honest headline figure, so none is given. Get exact prices for your ground via the form above.
| Item | Typical cost (2026 quotes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Garden land drain / French drain, installed | £50–£100 per metre | Trench, perforated pipe, gravel and membrane; clay soil, poor access and reinstatement push toward the top |
| Small garden scheme (20–30 m of drain runs) | £1,000–£3,000 | Derived from the per-metre range; assumes a workable outfall for the water |
| Agricultural field drainage | Priced per scheme or per hectare | Varies too much with area, spacing and outfall for a headline figure; contractors quote after walking the land |
| Soakaway serving a new building | Design-led, under Building Regulations Part H | Sized by percolation test and roof/paved area, so priced per design rather than per metre |
| Field or agricultural drainage scheme, per hectare | £2,000–£5,000 | Varies widely with spacing, soil, outfall and whether an existing system is being renewed |
- A garden land drain or French drain typically costs £50–£100 per metre installed (typical 2026 quotes; varies by soil, access and outfall).
- A small garden drainage scheme of 20–30 metres of runs typically lands between £1,000 and £3,000, derived from the per-metre range (typical 2026 quotes).
- Works in an ordinary watercourse need consent from the lead local flood authority or internal drainage board under the Land Drainage Act 1991.
Cite this page
“Typical land drainage costs, 2026”, Land Drainage Contractors, https://landdrainagecontractors.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Ranges reflect typical quotes for domestic land drainage work observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by region, soil, access and outfall. The small-garden scheme figure is derived from the per-metre range (20–30 m at £50–£100/m). Agricultural field drainage is priced per scheme or per hectare and varies too much for an honest headline figure, so none is given. Get exact prices for your ground via the form above.
Worth knowing
Every figure sourced and dated.
- Land drainage cost: per metre prices and what moves them in 2026
Land drainage costs £50–£100 per metre installed for garden drains (typical 2026 quotes). What pushes jobs to the top of the range and where the water has to go.
- Land drain for a garden: French drains, clay soil and real fixes
A garden land drain typically costs £50–£100 per metre installed (typical 2026 quotes). How French drains work, why clay gardens flood, and when a soakaway helps.
- Field drainage cost: why farm schemes are priced per hectare
Agricultural field drainage is priced per scheme or per hectare and varies too much for one headline figure. What drives farm drainage costs and how schemes are scoped.
- Land drainage consent and riparian responsibilities, explained
Works in an ordinary watercourse need consent from the lead local flood authority or IDB under the Land Drainage Act 1991. Riparian owners' duties and who to ask.
The questions we get
How much does land drainage cost?
Garden land drains and French drains typically cost £50–£100 per metre installed (typical 2026 quotes), so a 20–30 metre garden scheme usually totals £1,000–£3,000. Agricultural field drainage is priced per scheme or per hectare after walking the land; it varies too much for one headline figure.
What does a land drainage contractor actually do?
Design and dig drainage that moves water off your ground lawfully: trenching, perforated pipe, gravel and membrane for gardens; designed mains and laterals for fields; plus the outfall, the part that decides whether any of it works. Good contractors also handle or advise on watercourse consents.
Do I need consent to work on a ditch or stream?
Works in an ordinary watercourse, culverts, dams and similar obstructions, need consent from the lead local flood authority or internal drainage board under the Land Drainage Act 1991. Main rivers are consented by the Environment Agency instead. Ask the council's flood risk team before touching any watercourse.
Whose job is it to maintain the watercourse on my boundary?
Yours, in part: riparian owners are expected to maintain the bed and banks of watercourses on or adjoining their land and keep flow unobstructed, per gov.uk guidance on owning a watercourse. On a boundary ditch, responsibility commonly runs to the middle from each side unless deeds say otherwise.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you, with no obligation to accept any quote. We pass your details only to relevant local drainage contractors, who quote you directly; we may receive a fee from those providers, which is how the service is funded.