Home addition cost in Scranton, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $37,400 – $75,800
- Per sq ft
- $123 – $246
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $57,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #124
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a home addition in the Scranton area: $37,400 to $75,800 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 lands close to the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $28.96 an hour in the Scranton area, 1% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Scranton, PA, standard level
$48,900 to $64,300
About $160 to $209 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 66% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15,700 | $20,500 |
| Labor | $32,300 | $42,300 |
| Permits and fees | $890 | $1,450 |
| Total | $48,900 | $64,300 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Scranton, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $12,100 | $18,100 | $24,200 | 32% |
| Labor | $24,900 | $37,300 | $49,700 | 66% |
| Permits and fees | $470 | $1,150 | $1,850 | 2% |
| Total | $37,400 | $56,600 | $75,800 | 100% |
Where the Scranton price comes from
Labor is 66% 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 Scranton the blended ratio comes out at 0.98.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Scranton is at 100.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $18,000 nationally becomes $18,100 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.6: $470 to $1,850.
The best months for home addition in Scranton
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Wilkes-Barre Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). 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 Scranton are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March 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 122 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Scranton gets about 39 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 45 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, August and September (4.2 inches in September). Inside the workable window, April and November are the driest, at 3.3 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 12 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 | 36 | 20 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 39 | 22 | 2.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 29 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 61 | 39 | 3.3 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 50 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 58 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 54 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 34 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 40 | 26 | 2.8 | Cold |
Specs and site conditions that change a Scranton bid
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).
Who does the work: Scranton 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 Scranton the blend is 0.98.
Carpenters (47-2031), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.96 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.00 and $35.74 an hour. About 1,070 work in the metro. That is 41.9 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 $27.89 an hour, in line with the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $22.23 and $33.20 an hour. About 140 work in the metro. That is 5.5 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 $33.44 an hour, which is 10% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $24.46 and $47.24 an hour. BLS counts 1,050 of them working in the area, 41.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $29.40 an hour, 4% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.05 and $34.74 an hour. About 450 work in the metro. That is 17.6 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 $22.91 an hour, which is 19% below the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $17.61 and $32.89 an hour. BLS counts 50 of them working in the area, 2.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 5.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.86 an hour, 10% below the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $22.15 and $34.25 an hour. About 150 work in the metro. That is 5.9 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 $4,450 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $3,900. That is a swing of roughly 6.9% to 7.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre has 255,620 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 102nd 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% | $23.00 | $28.96 | $35.74 | $29.12 | 0.99 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 10% | $22.23 | $27.89 | $33.20 | $27.41 | 1.02 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $24.46 | $33.44 | $47.24 | $30.38 | 1.10 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $23.05 | $29.40 | $34.74 | $30.67 | 0.96 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $17.61 | $22.91 | $32.89 | $28.33 | 0.81 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $22.15 | $23.86 | $34.25 | $26.65 | 0.90 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Is Scranton 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 $56,100 to $60,900 across Scranton and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton, PAthis page | $37,400 – $75,800 | $56,600 | |
| Allentown, PA45 miles | $38,500 – $78,100 | $58,300 | +3% |
| Binghamton, NY60 miles | $40,300 – $81,500 | $60,900 | +8% |
| Reading, PA65 miles | $37,300 – $75,500 | $56,400 | level |
| Lancaster, PA90 miles | $37,000 – $75,100 | $56,100 | −1% |
| Harrisburg, PA90 miles | $38,300 – $77,500 | $57,900 | +2% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $38,300 – $77,600 | $58,000 | +2% |
| United States | $38,000 – $77,000 | $57,500 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Scranton ranks #124 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Scranton is 2% below the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $39,300 – $79,600 | $59,400 | +5% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $38,900 – $78,700 | $58,800 | +4% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $38,500 – $78,100 | $58,300 | +3% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $38,300 – $77,500 | $57,900 | +2% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $37,000 – $75,100 | $56,100 | −1% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $38,700 – $78,300 | $58,500 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Scranton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $41,500 – $84,000 | $62,700 | +11% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $37,000 – $75,100 | $56,100 | −1% |
| Lakeland, FL | 265,280 jobs | $32,300 – $65,500 | $48,900 | −14% |
| Palm Bay, FL | 245,170 jobs | $33,300 – $67,600 | $50,400 | −11% |
Scranton: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Scranton. 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
$37,400 to $52,800
Bump-out or simple room without plumbing
Standard
$48,900 to $64,300
Standard room addition with HVAC and electrical
Premium
$60,400 to $75,800
Large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bump-out (100 sq ft) | $12,800 – $18,300 | $16,900 – $22,400 | $21,000 – $26,500 |
| 20x20 room (400 sq ft) | $49,700 – $70,000 | $64,900 – $85,200 | $80,100 – $100,500 |
| large suite (600 sq ft) | $74,400 – $104,500 | $97,000 – $127,000 | $119,500 – $149,500 |
Planning more than one job in Scranton?
Jobs that often go together with home addition are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Scranton wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+2%) and roof replacement lowest (−5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,600 – $31,700 | +1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,800 – $23,900 | +2% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $29,100 – $58,400 | +1% |
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,750 – $11,900 | −5% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Home addition in Scranton: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a home addition in Scranton?
For 300 sq ft, expect $37,400 to $75,800 in the Scranton area. A standard-spec job lands at $48,900 to $64,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for home addition in Scranton?
About $123 to $246 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $470 to $1,850 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $125 to $250.
+Is home addition cheaper in Scranton or Allentown?
Allentown is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $58,300, which is 3% more than Scranton ($56,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Scranton?
About 66% at the midpoint, or $37,300 out of $56,600. Materials are 32% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 67%.
+What would 20x20 room (400 sq ft) cost in Scranton?
$49,700 to $100,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does home addition need a permit in Scranton?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $470 to $1,850 for fees in the Scranton area (our national range of $500 to $2,000 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Scranton expensive for home addition compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Scranton is 2% below the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($58,000 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Scranton?
The BLS median is $28.96 an hour in the Scranton area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.00 to $35.74.
+What do basic and premium home addition work cost in Scranton?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $37,400 to $52,800 and premium work $60,400 to $75,800. 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 Scranton?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April 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 Scranton
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.