Home addition cost in Bismarck, ND
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $35,600 – $72,100
- Per sq ft
- $117 – $234
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $57,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #164
- 1 = most expensive
Bismarck homeowners pay roughly $35,600 to $72,100 to build a home addition at 300 sq ft, or $117 to $234 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Bismarck is 6% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $26.28 an hour in the Bismarck area, 10% below the US median of $29.12.
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 Bismarck, ND, standard level
$46,500 to $61,200
About $152 to $199 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 66% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $14,900 | $19,500 |
| Labor | $30,800 | $40,200 |
| Permits and fees | $860 | $1,400 |
| Total | $46,500 | $61,200 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Bismarck, ND
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $11,500 | $17,200 | $23,000 | 32% |
| Labor | $23,700 | $35,500 | $47,300 | 66% |
| Permits and fees | $460 | $1,150 | $1,800 | 2% |
| Total | $35,600 | $53,800 | $72,100 | 100% |
Why Bismarck prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 6 trades: carpenters at 50%, cement masons and concrete finishers at 10%, electricians at 10%, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters at 10%, drywall and ceiling tile installers at 10%, roofers at 10%. Weighted together, Bismarck wages are 0.93 times the national level. Labor makes up about 66% of the midpoint estimate (67% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bismarck metro is 95.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $17,200, compared with $18,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.0) and land at $460 to $1,800.
Data note: 10% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Bismarck. The wage table below marks each row.
When to schedule home addition in Bismarck
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bismarck (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Bismarck (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, November 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 184 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Bismarck gets about 19 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 51 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (3.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 1.7 and 1.4 inches. The station averages about 21 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 2 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 28 | 7 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 19 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 30 | 1.3 | Cold |
| May | 68 | 42 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 53 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 58 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 56 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 46 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 57 | 33 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 41 | 19 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 8 | 0.6 | Cold |
Bismarck against nearby metros and the rest of North Dakota
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. St. Cloud is the priciest of the group at $61,300. Rapid City is the cheapest at $50,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, NDthis page | $35,600 – $72,100 | $53,800 | |
| Fargo, ND190 miles | $37,400 – $75,800 | $56,600 | +5% |
| Rapid City, SD210 miles | $33,200 – $67,300 | $50,300 | −7% |
| Sioux Falls, SD305 miles | $33,500 – $67,900 | $50,700 | −6% |
| St. Cloud, MN325 miles | $40,600 – $82,100 | $61,300 | +14% |
| Sioux City, IA380 miles | $34,700 – $70,300 | $52,500 | −2% |
| North Dakota (statewide) | $36,600 – $74,100 | $55,300 | +3% |
| United States | $38,000 – $77,000 | $57,500 | +7% |
Across 300 US metros, Bismarck comes in at #164 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $79,600; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $44,300 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Bismarck is 3% below the North Dakota figure.
Other North Dakota metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND | 148,660 jobs | $37,400 – $75,800 | $56,600 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Bismarck's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bismarck against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CA | 71,550 jobs | $41,700 – $84,500 | $63,100 | +17% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $37,900 – $76,900 | $57,400 | +7% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $40,000 – $81,000 | $60,500 | +12% |
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $43,100 – $87,100 | $65,100 | +21% |
Cost by quality level and size in Bismarck
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bismarck wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$35,600 to $50,200
Bump-out or simple room without plumbing
Standard
$46,500 to $61,200
Standard room addition with HVAC and electrical
Premium
$57,500 to $72,100
Large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bump-out (100 sq ft) | $12,200 – $17,400 | $16,100 – $21,300 | $20,000 – $25,200 |
| 20x20 room (400 sq ft) | $47,300 – $66,600 | $61,800 – $81,100 | $76,200 – $95,500 |
| large suite (600 sq ft) | $70,700 – $99,400 | $92,200 – $121,000 | $113,500 – $142,500 |
Planning more than one job in Bismarck?
Because every project leans on different trades, Bismarck's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, detached garage runs −4% and roof replacement −6%.
| 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 | $27,700 – $55,600 | −4% |
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,700 – $11,800 | −6% |
Home addition: what moves the price in Bismarck
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).
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 6 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Bismarck is 0.93 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 50%) the local median is $26.28 an hour, which is 10% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.75 and $30.71 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 71.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051, weighted 10%) the local median is $27.66 an hour, which is in line with the national $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $23.01 and $30.05 an hour. BLS counts 190 of them working in the area, 26.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 13.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Electricians (47-2111), 10% of the weighting: a median of $29.76 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $23.86 and $38.29 an hour. About 480 work in the metro. That is 67.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 10%) the local median is $33.81 an hour, which is 10% above the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.18 and $38.82 an hour. BLS counts 220 of them working in the area, 30.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is about average.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Bismarck metro, so we used the North Dakota statewide median: $21.69 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.13 and $23.31 an hour.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 10%) the local median is $24.20 an hour, which is 9% below the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.37 and $33.96 an hour. BLS counts 50 of them working in the area, 7.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($30.71 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $2,900. At the 25th percentile ($22.75) it shrinks by about $2,300. The total moves by 5.4% or 4.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 71,270 jobs in the Bismarck area. That makes it the 258th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 50% | $22.75 | $26.28 | $30.71 | $29.12 | 0.90 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 10% | $23.01 | $27.66 | $30.05 | $27.41 | 1.01 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $23.86 | $29.76 | $38.29 | $30.38 | 0.98 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $24.18 | $33.81 | $38.82 | $30.67 | 1.10 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $21.13 | $21.69 | $23.31 | $28.33 | 0.77 | state |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $23.37 | $24.20 | $33.96 | $26.65 | 0.91 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
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 $46,500 to $61,200 for Bismarck, ND is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
The report lays out the home addition numbers for Bismarck, ND 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 Bismarck: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a home addition in Bismarck?
For 300 sq ft, expect $35,600 to $72,100 in the Bismarck area. A standard-spec job lands at $46,500 to $61,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for home addition in Bismarck?
About $117 to $234 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $460 to $1,800 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $125 to $250.
+Is home addition cheaper in Bismarck or Fargo?
Fargo is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $56,600, which is 5% more than Bismarck ($53,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bismarck?
About 66% at the midpoint, or $35,500 out of $53,800. Materials are 32% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 67%.
+What would 20x20 room (400 sq ft) cost in Bismarck?
$47,300 to $95,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does home addition need a permit in Bismarck?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $460 to $1,800 for fees in the Bismarck area (our national range of $500 to $2,000 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bismarck expensive for home addition compared with the rest of North Dakota?
Bismarck is 3% below the North Dakota statewide estimate ($55,300 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in North Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Bismarck?
The BLS median is $26.28 an hour in the Bismarck area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.75 to $30.71.
+What do basic and premium home addition work cost in Bismarck?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $35,600 to $50,200 and premium work $57,500 to $72,100. 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 Bismarck?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. September and October 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 Bismarck
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.