# Curtain drain vs French drain (vs perimeter & footing drains) - Kansas City

> Premier Gutters KC - NDS-certified drainage contractor. (816) 469-9563. Published pricing.

**Short answer:** Mostly position, not construction. Curtain drain = a shallow French drain placed UPHILL of what it protects (intercepts water in transit). French drain = the general perforated-pipe-in-rock-and-fabric system. Perimeter/footing drain = the same pipe at the foundation footing. Drain tile = the old Midwest name for all of it. We install curtain/interceptor and yard French drains at $25-$60/LF (most systems $1,500-$3,800); footing-depth excavation is quoted per site; interior under-slab versions are basement-waterproofing territory.

**Honest triage:** most "we need a perimeter drain" houses need something cheaper first - buried downspouts ($300-$700/line) because roof water is the actual source, or a curtain drain uphill. Footing digs are rarely the FIRST answer.

Full page: https://premiergutterskc.com/answers/curtain-drain-vs-french-drain/