Home addition cost in Dover, DE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $34,700 – $70,400
- Per sq ft
- $114 – $228
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $57,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #174
- 1 = most expensive
A home addition in Dover, DE usually costs $34,700 to $70,400 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $114 to $228 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $4,900 less. Carpenters earn a median of $25.07 an hour in the Dover area, 14% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Dover, DE, standard level
$45,400 to $59,700
About $148 to $194 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 65% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15,000 | $19,700 |
| Labor | $29,500 | $38,600 |
| Permits and fees | $930 | $1,500 |
| Total | $45,400 | $59,700 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Dover, DE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $11,600 | $17,300 | $23,100 | 33% |
| Labor | $22,700 | $34,000 | $45,400 | 65% |
| Permits and fees | $490 | $1,200 | $1,950 | 2% |
| Total | $34,700 | $52,600 | $70,400 | 100% |
Where the Dover price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $25.07 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Dover is 0.89 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 65% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dover is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $18,000 nationally becomes $17,300 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.5: $490 to $1,950.
Dover weather and the home addition calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Dover (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Dover are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 79 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Dover gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 13 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, August and September (4.9 inches in August). Inside the workable window, April and November are the driest, at 3.7 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 25 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44 | 28 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 47 | 29 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 55 | 35 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 66 | 45 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 54 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 64 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 69 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 67 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 61 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 69 | 50 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 58 | 39 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 49 | 32 | 4.0 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Dover
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 6 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Dover the blend is 0.89.
Carpenters (47-2031), 50% of the weighting: a median of $25.07 an hour, 14% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.87 and $32.20 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 39.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 10% of the weighting: a median of $25.27 an hour, 8% below the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $30.38 an hour. About 30 work in the metro. That is 4.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $29.21 an hour, which is 4% below the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $22.51 and $36.72 an hour. BLS counts 340 of them working in the area, 49.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is about average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.08 an hour, 8% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.22 and $36.70 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 13.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081, weighted 10%) the local median is $20.93 an hour, which is 26% below the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $16.32 and $29.13 an hour. BLS counts 60 of them working in the area, 8.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 5.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.04 an hour, 5% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $24.27 and $28.37 an hour. About 30 work in the metro. That is 4.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $4,700 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,450. That is a swing of roughly 2.7% to 8.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dover has 68,080 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 265th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 50% | $22.87 | $25.07 | $32.20 | $29.12 | 0.86 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 10% | $22.09 | $25.27 | $30.38 | $27.41 | 0.92 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $22.51 | $29.21 | $36.72 | $30.38 | 0.96 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $24.22 | $28.08 | $36.70 | $30.67 | 0.92 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $16.32 | $20.93 | $29.13 | $28.33 | 0.74 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $24.27 | $28.04 | $28.37 | $26.65 | 1.05 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
Why two Dover quotes can differ
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.
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).
Is Dover cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 300 sq ft range from $52,600 to $62,700 across Dover and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DEthis page | $34,700 – $70,400 | $52,600 | |
| Vineland, NJ25 miles | $41,500 – $84,000 | $62,700 | +19% |
| Atlantic City, NJ45 miles | $40,200 – $81,400 | $60,800 | +16% |
| Philadelphia, PA55 miles | $39,300 – $79,600 | $59,400 | +13% |
| Baltimore, MD60 miles | $38,100 – $77,300 | $57,700 | +10% |
| Lancaster, PA75 miles | $37,000 – $75,100 | $56,100 | +7% |
| Delaware (statewide) | $37,100 – $75,200 | $56,200 | +7% |
| United States | $38,000 – $77,000 | $57,500 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dover ranks #174 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dover is 6% below the Delaware figure.
Dover is the only Delaware metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dover against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $36,600 – $74,100 | $55,300 | +5% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $33,000 – $67,000 | $50,000 | −5% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $36,900 – $74,700 | $55,800 | +6% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $34,000 – $68,900 | $51,500 | −2% |
Related projects, priced for Dover
Jobs that often go together with home addition are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dover wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+1%) and bathroom remodel lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,600 – $29,900 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,000 | −6% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $27,300 – $54,800 | −6% |
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,200 – $12,600 | +1% |
Dover: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dover. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from bump-out (100 sq ft) to large suite (600 sq ft).
Basic
$34,700 to $49,000
Bump-out or simple room without plumbing
Standard
$45,400 to $59,700
Standard room addition with HVAC and electrical
Premium
$56,200 to $70,400
Large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bump-out (100 sq ft) | $11,900 – $17,100 | $15,800 – $20,900 | $19,600 – $24,800 |
| 20x20 room (400 sq ft) | $46,100 – $65,000 | $60,300 – $79,100 | $74,400 – $93,300 |
| large suite (600 sq ft) | $69,000 – $97,000 | $90,000 – $118,000 | $111,000 – $139,000 |
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Detailed home addition report for Dover, DE, $9
The report lays out the home addition numbers for Dover, DE line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 in Dover: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a home addition in Dover?
For 300 sq ft, expect $34,700 to $70,400 in the Dover area. A standard-spec job lands at $45,400 to $59,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for home addition in Dover?
About $114 to $228 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $490 to $1,950 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $125 to $250.
+Is home addition cheaper in Dover or Vineland?
Vineland is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $62,700, which is 19% more than Dover ($52,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dover?
About 65% at the midpoint, or $34,000 out of $52,600. Materials are 33% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 67%.
+What would 20x20 room (400 sq ft) cost in Dover?
$46,100 to $93,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does home addition need a permit in Dover?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $490 to $1,950 for fees in the Dover area (our national range of $500 to $2,000 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dover expensive for home addition compared with the rest of Delaware?
Dover is 6% below the Delaware statewide estimate ($56,200 at the midpoint).
+What do carpenters earn in Dover?
The BLS median is $25.07 an hour in the Dover area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.87 to $32.20.
+What do basic and premium home addition work cost in Dover?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $34,700 to $49,000 and premium work $56,200 to $70,400. Basic means: bump-out or simple room without plumbing. Premium means: large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation.
+When is the best time to build a home addition in Dover?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. April and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Home addition near Dover
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.