Home addition cost in Olympia, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $42,800 – $86,500
- Per sq ft
- $141 – $282
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $57,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #32
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a home addition in the Olympia area: $42,800 to $86,500 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 12% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $30.41 an hour in the Olympia area, 4% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Olympia, WA, standard level
$55,900 to $73,400
About $183 to $239 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 69% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,400 | $21,400 |
| Labor | $38,500 | $50,400 |
| Permits and fees | $980 | $1,600 |
| Total | $55,900 | $73,400 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Olympia, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $12,600 | $18,900 | $25,200 | 29% |
| Labor | $29,600 | $44,500 | $59,300 | 69% |
| Permits and fees | $520 | $1,300 | $2,050 | 2% |
| Total | $42,800 | $64,700 | $86,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Olympia number
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, Olympia wages are 1.16 times the national level. Labor makes up about 69% of the midpoint estimate (67% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Olympia is at 105.0 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 103.7: $520 to $2,050.
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 Olympia. The wage table below marks each row.
Olympia against nearby metros and the rest of Washington
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Olympia. Yakima is the lowest at about $62,100 (midpoint, 300 sq ft), 105 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WAthis page | $42,800 – $86,500 | $64,700 | |
| Bremerton, WA50 miles | $42,400 – $85,800 | $64,100 | −1% |
| Seattle, WA60 miles | $46,900 – $94,800 | $70,900 | +10% |
| Portland, OR95 miles | $46,600 – $94,300 | $70,500 | +9% |
| Yakima, WA105 miles | $41,100 – $83,200 | $62,100 | −4% |
| Bellingham, WA140 miles | $45,500 – $92,000 | $68,800 | +6% |
| Washington (statewide) | $45,200 – $91,400 | $68,300 | +6% |
| United States | $38,000 – $77,000 | $57,500 | −11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Olympia ranks #32 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Olympia is 5% below the Washington figure.
Elsewhere in Washington
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $46,900 – $94,800 | $70,900 | +10% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $41,500 – $84,000 | $62,700 | −3% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $43,500 – $88,100 | $65,800 | +2% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $41,100 – $83,200 | $62,100 | −4% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $42,400 – $85,800 | $64,100 | −1% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $45,500 – $92,000 | $68,800 | +6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Olympia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | 131,430 jobs | $32,200 – $65,300 | $48,700 | −25% |
| Waco, TX | 129,860 jobs | $32,300 – $65,600 | $48,900 | −24% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $38,400 – $77,700 | $58,100 | −10% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $43,500 – $88,100 | $65,800 | +2% |
Home addition: what moves the price in Olympia
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).
Plumbing and fixtures
Adding a bathroom or kitchen drives the price up the most.
What nearby projects cost in Olympia
Jobs that often go together with home addition are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Olympia wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+17%) and roof replacement lowest (+5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,000 – $34,100 | +8% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,500 – $27,200 | +17% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $31,900 – $63,900 | +10% |
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,450 – $13,200 | +5% |
The best months for home addition in Olympia
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Olympia 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 Olympia are March through January: 11 of 12. Outside them, February has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In February the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 77 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Olympia gets about 51 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (8.2 inches in November). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 0.5 and 1.0 inches. The station averages about 7 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 | 46 | 33 | 7.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 49 | 32 | 5.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 54 | 35 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 59 | 38 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 66 | 43 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 71 | 47 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 78 | 51 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 51 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 46 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 60 | 41 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 36 | 8.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 45 | 33 | 7.8 | Workable |
Who does the work: Olympia 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 Olympia the blend is 1.16.
Carpenters (47-2031), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.41 an hour, 4% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.58 and $36.82 an hour. About 800 work in the metro. That is 61.4 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 $36.47 an hour, 33% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $27.97 and $45.34 an hour. About 120 work in the metro. That is 9.2 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 $46.44 an hour, which is 53% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $31.45 and $58.14 an hour. BLS counts 530 of them working in the area, 40.7 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 $38.48 an hour, 25% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $28.18 and $48.74 an hour. About 310 work in the metro. That is 23.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Olympia metro, so we used the Washington statewide median: $35.16 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $30.15 and $48.45 an hour.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $27.84 an hour, 4% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.13 and $36.74 an hour. About 260 work in the metro. That is 20.0 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 $4,200 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,200. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 6.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has 130,300 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 167th 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% | $28.58 | $30.41 | $36.82 | $29.12 | 1.04 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 10% | $27.97 | $36.47 | $45.34 | $27.41 | 1.33 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $31.45 | $46.44 | $58.14 | $30.38 | 1.53 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $28.18 | $38.48 | $48.74 | $30.67 | 1.25 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $30.15 | $35.16 | $48.45 | $28.33 | 1.24 | state |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $23.13 | $27.84 | $36.74 | $26.65 | 1.04 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Olympia
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Olympia. 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
$42,800 to $60,300
Bump-out or simple room without plumbing
Standard
$55,900 to $73,400
Standard room addition with HVAC and electrical
Premium
$69,000 to $86,500
Large addition with bath or kitchen and a new foundation
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bump-out (100 sq ft) | $14,600 – $20,900 | $19,300 – $25,500 | $24,000 – $30,200 |
| 20x20 room (400 sq ft) | $56,800 – $80,000 | $74,200 – $97,300 | $91,600 – $114,500 |
| large suite (600 sq ft) | $85,000 – $119,500 | $111,000 – $145,000 | $136,500 – $171,000 |
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Home addition in Olympia: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a home addition in Olympia?
For 300 sq ft, expect $42,800 to $86,500 in the Olympia area. A standard-spec job lands at $55,900 to $73,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for home addition in Olympia?
About $141 to $282 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $520 to $2,050 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $125 to $250.
+Is home addition cheaper in Olympia or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $64,100, which is 1% less than Olympia ($64,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Olympia?
About 69% at the midpoint, or $44,500 out of $64,700. Materials are 29% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 67%.
+What would 20x20 room (400 sq ft) cost in Olympia?
$56,800 to $114,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does home addition need a permit in Olympia?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $520 to $2,050 for fees in the Olympia area (our national range of $500 to $2,000 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Olympia expensive for home addition compared with the rest of Washington?
Olympia is 5% below the Washington statewide estimate ($68,300 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Olympia?
The BLS median is $30.41 an hour in the Olympia area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.58 to $36.82.
+What do basic and premium home addition work cost in Olympia?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $42,800 to $60,300 and premium work $69,000 to $86,500. 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 Olympia?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through January. July and August 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 Olympia
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.