Home addition cost in Portland, OR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $46,600 – $94,300
- Per sq ft
- $154 – $307
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +23%
- US $57,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #7
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a home addition in the Portland area: $46,600 to $94,300 for 300 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 23% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $35.44 an hour in the Portland area, 22% above 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 Portland, OR, standard level
$60,900 to $80,000
About $200 to $261 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 71% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,400 | $21,500 |
| Labor | $43,500 | $56,900 |
| Permits and fees | $1,000 | $1,650 |
| Total | $60,900 | $80,000 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Portland, OR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $12,600 | $18,900 | $25,300 | 27% |
| Labor | $33,500 | $50,200 | $67,000 | 71% |
| Permits and fees | $530 | $1,300 | $2,100 | 2% |
| Total | $46,600 | $70,500 | $94,300 | 100% |
Why Portland prices look the way they do
Labor is 71% of the midpoint bill here, against 67% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (50%), cement masons and concrete finishers (10%), electricians (10%), plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (10%), drywall and ceiling tile installers (10%), roofers (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Portland the blended ratio comes out at 1.31.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Portland is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $18,000 nationally becomes $18,900 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 105.4: $530 to $2,100.
Pick a size, pick a tier: home addition pricing in Portland
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Portland. 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
$46,600 to $65,700
Bump-out or simple room without plumbing
Standard
$60,900 to $80,000
Standard room addition with HVAC and electrical
Premium
$75,200 to $94,300
Large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bump-out (100 sq ft) | $15,900 – $22,700 | $21,000 – $27,800 | $26,100 – $32,800 |
| 20x20 room (400 sq ft) | $62,000 – $87,200 | $80,900 – $106,000 | $99,800 – $125,000 |
| large suite (600 sq ft) | $92,700 – $130,500 | $121,000 – $158,500 | $149,000 – $186,500 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Portland bid
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).
Who does the work: Portland trade wages
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 Portland the blend is 1.31.
Carpenters (47-2031), 50% of the weighting: a median of $35.44 an hour, 22% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.53 and $49.78 an hour. About 9,210 work in the metro. That is 76.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 10% of the weighting: a median of $36.10 an hour, 32% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $29.01 and $44.74 an hour. About 1,410 work in the metro. That is 11.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $50.53 an hour, which is 66% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $37.95 and $60.26 an hour. BLS counts 7,340 of them working in the area, 60.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $48.56 an hour, 58% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $34.83 and $61.71 an hour. About 4,600 work in the metro. That is 38.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081, weighted 10%) the local median is $38.99 an hour, which is 38% above the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $27.00 and $50.94 an hour. BLS counts 1,100 of them working in the area, 9.1 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 $29.43 an hour, 10% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $24.33 and $38.06 an hour. About 2,280 work in the metro. That is 18.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $9,400 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $4,550. That is a swing of roughly 6.4% to 13.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has 1,208,410 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 25th 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% | $28.53 | $35.44 | $49.78 | $29.12 | 1.22 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 10% | $29.01 | $36.10 | $44.74 | $27.41 | 1.32 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $37.95 | $50.53 | $60.26 | $30.38 | 1.66 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $34.83 | $48.56 | $61.71 | $30.67 | 1.58 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $27.00 | $38.99 | $50.94 | $28.33 | 1.38 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $24.33 | $29.43 | $38.06 | $26.65 | 1.10 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.31 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Portland?
Jobs that often go together with home addition are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Portland wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+20%) and roof replacement lowest (+9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,500 – $34,900 | +11% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,650 – $27,900 | +20% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $33,300 – $66,900 | +15% |
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,700 – $13,600 | +9% |
Portland against nearby metros and the rest of Oregon
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Portland. Eugene is the lowest at about $62,100 (midpoint, 300 sq ft), 115 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ORthis page | $46,600 – $94,300 | $70,500 | |
| Salem, OR50 miles | $41,100 – $83,200 | $62,200 | −12% |
| Olympia, WA95 miles | $42,800 – $86,500 | $64,700 | −8% |
| Yakima, WA100 miles | $41,100 – $83,200 | $62,100 | −12% |
| Eugene, OR115 miles | $41,000 – $83,100 | $62,100 | −12% |
| Bend, OR125 miles | $42,300 – $85,600 | $64,000 | −9% |
| Oregon (statewide) | $43,300 – $87,700 | $65,500 | −7% |
| United States | $38,000 – $77,000 | $57,500 | −18% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Portland ranks #7 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Portland is 8% above the Oregon figure.
Elsewhere in Oregon
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | 188,620 jobs | $41,100 – $83,200 | $62,200 | −12% |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $41,000 – $83,100 | $62,100 | −12% |
| Bend, OR | 108,240 jobs | $42,300 – $85,600 | $64,000 | −9% |
| Medford, OR | 89,060 jobs | $39,500 – $79,900 | $59,700 | −15% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Portland against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $33,800 – $68,700 | $51,300 | −27% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1,136,960 jobs | $37,700 – $76,400 | $57,100 | −19% |
| St. Louis, MO | 1,341,320 jobs | $41,800 – $84,600 | $63,200 | −10% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $48,400 – $97,800 | $73,100 | +4% |
The best months for home addition in Portland
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Portland Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Portland: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Portland gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (5.8 inches in December). The station averages about 15 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 | 48 | 36 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 52 | 37 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 57 | 40 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 62 | 44 | 2.9 | Workable |
| May | 69 | 49 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 74 | 54 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 59 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 59 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 54 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 47 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 54 | 41 | 5.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 36 | 5.8 | Workable |
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 $60,900 to $80,000 for Portland, OR is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
The report lays out the home addition numbers for Portland, OR 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 Portland: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a home addition in Portland?
For 300 sq ft, expect $46,600 to $94,300 in the Portland area. A standard-spec job lands at $60,900 to $80,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for home addition in Portland?
About $154 to $307 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $530 to $2,100 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $125 to $250.
+Is home addition cheaper in Portland or Salem?
Salem is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $62,200, which is 12% less than Portland ($70,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Portland?
About 71% at the midpoint, or $50,200 out of $70,500. Materials are 27% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 67%.
+What would 20x20 room (400 sq ft) cost in Portland?
$62,000 to $125,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does home addition need a permit in Portland?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $530 to $2,100 for fees in the Portland area (our national range of $500 to $2,000 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Portland expensive for home addition compared with the rest of Oregon?
Portland is 8% above the Oregon statewide estimate ($65,500 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Oregon; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Portland?
The BLS median is $35.44 an hour in the Portland area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.53 to $49.78.
+What do basic and premium home addition work cost in Portland?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $46,600 to $65,700 and premium work $75,200 to $94,300. Basic means: bump-out or simple room without plumbing. Premium means: large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation.
+Is there a bad season to build a home addition in Portland?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Home addition near Portland
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.