How to Compare Drainage Quotes: A Line-by-Line Checklist for Tulsa Homeowners
Two drainage quotes for the same Tulsa backyard can be thousands of dollars apart. Sometimes one company is simply more expensive. More often the two quotes describe different jobs: a different depth, a different outlet, more pipe, or no sod repair at all. Until the scope matches, the prices can't be compared.
This guide gives you a line-by-line checklist, a few red flags, and the questions that tend to show which quote actually solves the problem.
How many quotes should you get?
Two or three written quotes is a reasonable target for most yard drainage projects. One gives you nothing to compare. More than three often adds confusion rather than information, especially when each company proposes a different fix. What matters most is that each quote is written, itemized and based on someone walking your property.
Start with the diagnosis, not the price
Before you look at totals, read how each company explains the problem. Where does the water come from: the roof, an uphill lot, a low spot, or water collecting against the slab? A contractor who can explain why water sits where it does is more likely to propose the right fix. If one company recommends a French drain, another suggests regrading, and a third says to fix the downspouts first, that disagreement is useful. Ask each one why they disagree with the others. The French drain vs swale post can help you follow that conversation.
The lines every drainage quote should include
| Line item | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Length and route | Total feet of trench and pipe, ideally on a sketch |
| Depth and slope | Start and end depth, and how grade will be checked |
| Pipe | Type (rigid PVC or corrugated), diameter, perforated vs solid sections |
| Fabric and gravel | Whether the trench or pipe is wrapped, and the stone size and amount |
| Outlet | Exactly where water leaves: street, daylight, pop-up emitter, dry well or pump |
| Cleanout | Whether there is a way to flush the line later |
| Downspouts | Which downspouts tie in, if any, and how |
| Restoration | Sod, seed or topsoil over the trench, and how much area is covered |
| Concrete or hardscape | Any cutting, boring or patching |
| Locates and permits | Who contacts OKIE811 and who checks permits |
| Cleanup and spoil | Whether extra soil is hauled off or spread on site |
| Payment schedule | Deposit, progress payments and final payment |
If a quote is a single number with "install French drain" beside it, ask for these lines in writing before you compare it to anything.
Check the price against published ranges
Published Tulsa estimates put a French drain at about $23 to $36 per linear foot (HomeBlue, May 2024), and Fixr lists a typical national French drain project at $2,800 to $6,500 (Jan 2025). Sod after trenching runs about $1 to $2 per square foot (Bob Vila, Jun 2024). These are published estimates, not quotes, and Tulsa companies' quotes vary with depth, clay, roots, outlet distance and restoration. A quote far outside the range isn't automatically wrong, but it should have a clear reason. The Tulsa French drain cost guide has the full table and a calculator, and the cost per foot post explains how per-foot pricing works.
Licensing and insurance
Oklahoma doesn't issue a state license for general, landscape or drainage contractors. Plumbing, electrical and mechanical work does require a Construction Industries Board license. Ask any contractor for proof of liability insurance, and use a licensed plumber for anything tied into your home's plumbing. If a sales pitch leans on a state drainage license, ask to see it, because Oklahoma doesn't issue one.
Red flags
- No outlet on the quote. If nobody can tell you where the water goes, the drain has not really been designed.
- Water sent toward a neighbor. Tulsa requires that drainage be conveyed "without causing damage to adjoining properties." A plan that dumps water at the property line is a problem.
- A tie-in to the sanitary sewer. Drains and downspouts should never go into a sanitary line.
- Foundation promises. Good drainage can help reduce moisture swings in Tulsa's clay soils, but a drainage quote that promises to fix cracks or stop settling is overselling. That is a different trade.
- Flood promises. French drains handle yard and roof runoff, not creek or river flooding.
- "Sign today" pricing. A real price should hold long enough for you to compare it.
- No mention of 811 or private lines. Oklahoma law requires anyone digging for hire to contact OKIE811 at least 48 hours ahead (excluding weekends and holidays). Sprinkler lines aren't marked, so ask how they will be handled. See our OKIE811 guide.
Permits and HOA
Inside Tulsa city limits, the city's Watershed Development Permit rules cover excavating, grading and regrading, and work in the street right-of-way, like a pipe through the curb, needs a separate right-of-way permit. Ask each contractor whether your project needs a permit and who will get it, or call City of Tulsa Development Services (311). Suburbs have their own rules. Check your HOA covenants and plat for drainage easements before regrading or trenching.
Your right to cancel. If you sign at home, the FTC Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you three business days to cancel, and Oklahoma law gives a similar right for financed home-solicitation sales. Keep your copy of the contract and any cancellation form.
Questions that separate quotes
- What do you think is causing the water, and how did you decide?
- Where will the water exit, and how much fall is there to get it there?
- What happens if you hit roots, rock or a line that wasn't marked?
- What does the lawn look like when you leave, and who handles settling over the trench?
- How would I clean this drain in five years?
- Is there anything you would do first, such as downspouts or grading, before a French drain?
Write the answers next to each quote. The company with the clearest answers is often a better guide than the one with the lowest number.
Get comparable quotes
The free quote form lets you describe the problem once, and independent local drainage companies around Tulsa can reply with quotes. Tulsa French Drain Pros is a free matching service, not a drainage contractor, and there is no obligation to hire anyone. For background on how a typical job runs, see the French drain installation page or the yard drainage and standing water page.
Questions people ask
How many quotes should I get for a French drain?
Two or three written quotes is a reasonable target. Each should come from a site visit and list length, depth, pipe, fabric, gravel, outlet, cleanout and lawn restoration. Matching those lines is what makes the prices comparable. If companies recommend different fixes, ask each one to explain why.
Why are drainage quotes so different?
Usually because the quotes describe different jobs. Depth, length, outlet distance, pipe type, roots, concrete cutting and sod repair all move the price. Some quotes leave restoration or permits out entirely. Ask for an itemized scope from each company so you can compare the same work.
Does a drainage contractor need a license in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma doesn't issue a state license for general, landscape or drainage contractors. Plumbing, electrical and mechanical work does require a Construction Industries Board license. Ask any contractor for proof of liability insurance, and use a licensed plumber for anything tied into your home's plumbing.
Can I cancel a drainage contract I signed at home?
If you sign at home, the FTC Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you three business days to cancel qualifying sales, and Oklahoma law gives a similar right for financed home-solicitation sales. Keep your copy of the contract and the cancellation form, and send any cancellation in writing.