Home addition cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (300 sq ft)
- $38,000 – $77,000
- Per sq ft
- $125 – $250
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $44,300
- Brownsville, TX
- Priciest metro
- $79,600
- Honolulu, HI
A home addition runs $38,000 to $77,000 nationally for 300 sq ft, or $125 to $250 per sq ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $44,300 in Brownsville, TX to $79,600 in Honolulu, HI.
Estimate your home addition cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in the US average, standard level
$49,700 to $65,300
About $163 to $213 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 67% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15,600 | $20,400 |
| Labor | $33,200 | $43,400 |
| Permits and fees | $950 | $1,550 |
| Total | $49,700 | $65,300 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $12,000 | $18,000 | $24,000 | 31% |
| Labor | $25,500 | $38,200 | $51,000 | 67% |
| Permits and fees | $500 | $1,250 | $2,000 | 2% |
| Total | $38,000 | $57,500 | $77,000 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$38,000 to $53,600
Bump-out or simple room without plumbing
Standard
$49,700 to $65,300
Standard room addition with HVAC and electrical
Premium
$61,400 to $77,000
Large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bump-out (100 sq ft) | $13,000 – $18,600 | $17,200 – $22,800 | $21,400 – $27,000 |
| 20x20 room (400 sq ft) | $50,500 – $71,100 | $66,000 – $86,600 | $81,400 – $102,000 |
| large suite (600 sq ft) | $75,500 – $106,000 | $98,400 – $129,000 | $121,500 – $152,000 |
How a home addition job goes, step by step
- Design, engineering, and permits. Plans, zoning review and permits come first and can take weeks. Ask about setbacks and lot coverage.
- Foundation and framing. Footings, foundation walls, framing and roof tie-in; this stage sets the structural quality of everything else.
- Mechanicals and inspections. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC rough-ins are inspected before insulation and drywall.
- Finishes and final inspection. Flooring, paint, trim and fixtures, then a final inspection and certificate of occupancy where required.
What changes the price of a home addition
Type of addition
A new room is $125-$250 per sq ft; a bump-out $85-$200; an attic conversion $50-$150; a garage conversion $50-$200 (HomeGuide).
Plumbing and fixtures
Adding a bathroom or kitchen drives the price up the most.
Permits
Construction permits run $500-$2,000, or $5-$21 per $1,000 of project cost (HomeGuide).
Foundation
A foundation, framing, roofing and matching exterior finishes all have to be built before the interior work starts.
Wages behind the national estimate
Carpenters (47-2031) do the largest share of the work, about 50% of the weighting. Their national median is $29.12 an hour. Among 300 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $17.13 in Brownsville, TX to $45.34 in Honolulu, HI, and the middle metro sits at $27.19. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.65 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 50% | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 | $29.12 | 1.00 | US |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 10% | $22.60 | $27.41 | $32.15 | $27.41 | 1.00 | US |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $23.76 | $30.38 | $40.36 | $30.38 | 1.00 | US |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $24.13 | $30.67 | $40.92 | $30.67 | 1.00 | US |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $28.33 | 1.00 | US |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $22.24 | $26.65 | $31.44 | $26.65 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Does the season matter for home addition?
We checked NOAA 1991-2020 normals for 300 metros and counted the months with no freezing or heat problem for digging and ground work. 25 metros have all 12 months comfortable; the median metro has 8. The shortest seasons are in Anchorage, AK (5), Bozeman, MT (5), Flagstaff, AZ (5) and Grand Junction, CO (5). The wettest metro is Pensacola; the driest is El Centro at about 3 inches a year.
Local pages show a month-by-month table for each metro. We do not change prices by month, because there is no reliable published seasonal price series.
How much the price varies by city
Across the 300 metros we cover, the midpoint for 300 sq ft runs from $44,300 in Brownsville to $79,600 in Honolulu, a gap of 80%. The median metro is $54,500, which is −5% against the national midpoint of $57,500. 42 metros are 10% or more above the national figure, 111 are 10% or more below, and 147 sit within 10% of it.
Most expensive metros for home addition
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $52,700 – $106,500 | $79,600 |
| San Francisco, CA | $49,600 – $100,500 | $75,000 |
| Kahului, HI | $49,400 – $99,900 | $74,600 |
| Chicago, IL | $49,000 – $99,000 | $74,000 |
| San Jose, CA | $48,400 – $97,800 | $73,100 |
| Seattle, WA | $46,900 – $94,800 | $70,900 |
| Portland, OR | $46,600 – $94,300 | $70,500 |
| Napa, CA | $45,800 – $92,700 | $69,300 |
| Anchorage, AK | $45,800 – $92,600 | $69,200 |
| Bellingham, WA | $45,500 – $92,000 | $68,800 |
Least expensive metros for home addition
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | $29,200 – $59,300 | $44,300 |
| McAllen, TX | $30,100 – $61,000 | $45,500 |
| El Paso, TX | $30,200 – $61,200 | $45,700 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $30,300 – $61,500 | $45,900 |
| Laredo, TX | $30,400 – $61,800 | $46,100 |
| Albany, GA | $30,600 – $62,100 | $46,300 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $30,600 – $62,100 | $46,400 |
| Lubbock, TX | $30,600 – $62,100 | $46,400 |
| Texarkana, TX | $30,900 – $62,700 | $46,800 |
| Dothan, AL | $31,000 – $62,900 | $46,900 |
Home addition cost by state
| State | Range (300 sq ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $32,900 – $66,800 | $49,800 |
| Alaska | $46,600 – $94,200 | $70,400 |
| Arizona | $36,200 – $73,400 | $54,800 |
| Arkansas | $31,800 – $64,500 | $48,200 |
| California | $43,800 – $88,800 | $66,300 |
| Colorado | $38,400 – $77,800 | $58,100 |
| Connecticut | $40,000 – $81,000 | $60,500 |
| Delaware | $37,100 – $75,200 | $56,200 |
| District of Columbia | $41,700 – $84,500 | $63,100 |
| Florida | $33,700 – $68,400 | $51,100 |
| Georgia | $34,100 – $69,200 | $51,700 |
| Hawaii | $50,500 – $102,000 | $76,300 |
| Idaho | $34,700 – $70,300 | $52,500 |
| Illinois | $47,400 – $95,800 | $71,600 |
| Indiana | $38,500 – $78,000 | $58,300 |
| Iowa | $35,900 – $72,700 | $54,300 |
| Kansas | $35,200 – $71,300 | $53,300 |
| Kentucky | $34,500 – $70,000 | $52,200 |
| Louisiana | $33,700 – $68,300 | $51,000 |
| Maine | $38,200 – $77,400 | $57,800 |
| Maryland | $39,100 – $79,300 | $59,200 |
| Massachusetts | $44,400 – $89,800 | $67,100 |
| Michigan | $39,200 – $79,400 | $59,300 |
| Minnesota | $42,200 – $85,400 | $63,800 |
| Mississippi | $32,500 – $66,000 | $49,300 |
| Missouri | $37,800 – $76,500 | $57,200 |
| Montana | $38,700 – $78,400 | $58,600 |
| Nebraska | $33,700 – $68,300 | $51,000 |
| Nevada | $38,000 – $76,900 | $57,400 |
| New Hampshire | $38,300 – $77,600 | $58,000 |
| New Jersey | $42,600 – $86,300 | $64,500 |
| New Mexico | $36,000 – $72,900 | $54,500 |
| New York | $43,500 – $88,000 | $65,700 |
| North Carolina | $33,300 – $67,500 | $50,400 |
| North Dakota | $36,600 – $74,100 | $55,300 |
| Ohio | $37,400 – $75,700 | $56,600 |
| Oklahoma | $32,400 – $65,700 | $49,000 |
| Oregon | $43,300 – $87,700 | $65,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,300 – $77,600 | $58,000 |
| Rhode Island | $38,700 – $78,500 | $58,600 |
| South Carolina | $33,500 – $67,900 | $50,700 |
| South Dakota | $33,000 – $66,900 | $49,900 |
| Tennessee | $33,800 – $68,600 | $51,200 |
| Texas | $33,600 – $68,200 | $50,900 |
| Utah | $35,000 – $71,100 | $53,000 |
| Vermont | $38,400 – $77,700 | $58,100 |
| Virginia | $36,100 – $73,300 | $54,700 |
| Washington | $45,200 – $91,400 | $68,300 |
| West Virginia | $34,400 – $69,700 | $52,100 |
| Wisconsin | $39,300 – $79,500 | $59,400 |
| Wyoming | $36,100 – $73,000 | $54,600 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $49,700 to $65,300 for your area is attached.
Detailed home addition report for your address, $9
Multi-page report for your address: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Home addition cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a home addition?
$38,000 to $77,000 for 300 sq ft at national prices, including a permit of $500 to $2,000.
+What is the average cost per sq ft?
$125 to $250 per sq ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $187.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 80% above the cheapest for the same 300 sq ft job. The cheapest is Brownsville, TX; the priciest is Honolulu, HI.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 67% at the national midpoint ($38,200). Materials are 31%.
+What do carpenters earn on a home addition job?
The national BLS median is $29.12 an hour for carpenters, with the middle half earning $23.32 to $36.94. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium home addition job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $38,000 to $53,600 and premium $61,400 to $77,000 for 300 sq ft. Basic means: bump-out or simple room without plumbing. Premium means: large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation.
+Can home addition work be done in winter?
It depends on where you are. We checked NOAA 1991-2020 normals for 300 metros and counted the months with no freezing or heat problem for digging and ground work. 25 metros have all 12 months comfortable; the median metro has 8. The shortest seasons are in Anchorage, AK (5), Bozeman, MT (5), Flagstaff, AZ (5) and Grand Junction, CO (5). The wettest metro is Pensacola; the driest is El Centro at about 3 inches a year.
Related projects
Largest metros: Home addition prices
- New York, NY$68,500 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$66,000 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$74,000 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$52,100 midpoint
- Houston, TX$51,600 midpoint
- Washington, DC$60,100 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$59,400 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$52,800 midpoint
- Miami, FL$53,200 midpoint
- Boston, MA$67,000 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$55,600 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$75,000 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$70,900 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$68,500 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$62,400 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$62,500 midpoint
- Denver, CO$59,800 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$66,600 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$51,300 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$50,300 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$51,300 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$57,700 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$63,200 midpoint
- Austin, TX$51,300 midpoint
- Portland, OR$70,500 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$57,100 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$73,100 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$49,600 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$58,800 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$58,800 midpoint
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Home Addition Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 32% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Structural' category split (56% labor, 32% materials, 11% permits and design). It is a category average rather than an addition-specific figure.