Crawl space insulation installation costs probably aren’t something you’ve given much thought to — especially if you’ve never owned or rented a home with a crawl space before. For those who are curious, crawl spaces are low-ceilinged areas beneath the home's main part that are used for additional storage. But not all homes have these built-in storage spaces, and there’s a good chance that if you’ve got a crawl space under your home, it’s unfinished.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the different types of crawl space insulation, how much insulation costs, and whether or not you should hire a professional to get the job done.
While a crawl space is an excellent place to store lawn and garden equipment, outdoor toys, building supplies, and other items you don’t use every day, an unfinished and uninsulated crawl space could draw heat and air conditioning out of your home. Insulating your crawl space can make your home more energy efficient and prevent your HVAC unit from having to work harder to make your home comfortable.
Naturally, the material cost of insulating your crawl space depends on the type of insulation you’re using, how much insulation you need, and whether you choose to have a contractor install it for you.
Standard Services | Quantity | Low | High | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
What you can expect | |||||
Range per square foot: | $1.14 | $2.56 | |||
Range for this type of project: | $342 | $767 | |||
Estimate: $554 | |||||
Batt Insulation Cost | 320 square feet | $175 | $409 | ||
Cost of residential-grade, 15" x 40' roll of insulation batting for friction-fit installation between common framing. R-value energy efficience rating of 3.4 per inch of thickness. Rate is inclusive of local delivery, as well as standard excess for perfect installation and occasional repairs. | |||||
Batt Insulation Labor, Basic | 4 hours | $129 | $314 | ||
Labor cost, under typical conditions, for a complete installation. Batt insulation will be fit and secured between floor joists. Fee is inclusive of all aspects of the project, such as thorough planning, acquisition of equipment and material, preparation and protection of project site, and meticulous cleanup. | |||||
Batt Insulation Job Supplies | 320 square feet | $38 | $43 | ||
Requisite supplies for the job, including fasteners, vent flow baffles, and sealing tape. |
cost to insulate a crawl space | |
National Avg. Materials Cost per square foot | $0.95 |
National Avg. Cost (labor and materials) for 300 square foot | $575.57 |
National Cost Range (labor and materials) for 300 square foot | $355.02 - $796.11 |
Several factors can affect your overall crawl space insulation installation cost. These factors are as follows:
There are four main types of insulation, as follows:
The average labor cost associated with installing insulation in a crawl space is $0.50 to $1.30 per square foot, with actual prices varying according to the type of insulation. For example, batting is the fastest to install, whereas spray foam requires some time for preparation but typically installs faster than foam board.
The cost of insulation per square foot is naturally different for each type of insulation. Roll and batt insulation, for example, has an average cost between $0.90 and $1.40 per square foot, while closed cell spray foam averages between $2.00 and $5.00 per square foot.
Since spray foam insulation is the best option for insulating a crawl space, it’s also the more expensive type. With a material cost of $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot and a labor cost of $0.50 to $1.30, you can expect a total cost range of $2.50 to $6.30.
Although it is certainly possible to install crawl space insulation on your own, it is best to hire a professional due to the multi-faceted nature of this kind of project.
In order to effectively insulate crawl space, the following tasks need to be done:
What is the cost difference between insulating crawl space walls and the ceiling?
Why do I need to insulate my crawl space?
What is the recommended R-value for crawl space insulation?
What are the benefits of crawl space insulation?
How much does it cost to clean and repair crawl space insulation?