Attic insulation cost in Hawaii
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,100 – $4,500
- Per sq ft
- $1.10 – $4.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 2
Across Hawaii, attic insulation costs about $1,100 to $4,500 for 1,000 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 12% above the US figure of $2,500. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median $23.62 an hour in Hawaii (US: $23.62).
Inside Hawaii, the metros we cover range from $2,800 (Honolulu) to $2,800 (Kahului) at the midpoint.
Estimate your attic insulation cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Hawaii (statewide), standard level
$2,150 to $3,450
About $2.15 to $3.45 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $2,300 |
| Labor | $830 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $2,150 | $3,450 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Hawaii
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $560 | $1,800 | $3,000 | 64% |
| Labor | $560 | $1,000 | $1,450 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,100 | $2,800 | $4,500 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Hawaii
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Hawaii wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,100 to $2,450
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$2,150 to $3,450
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$3,150 to $4,500
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $670 – $1,500 | $1,300 – $2,100 | $1,900 – $2,700 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,100 – $2,450 | $2,150 – $3,450 | $3,150 – $4,500 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $2,000 – $4,450 | $3,850 – $6,250 | $5,650 – $8,050 |
Hawaii labor market for attic insulation
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.13 for Hawaii.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) carry 80% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for Hawaii, so we used the national median: $23.62 an hour against $23.62 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.77 and $29.32 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $37.07 an hour, 64% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $25.13 and $42.19 an hour. About 4,580 work in the state. That is 73.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall ($29.32 an hour) would add about $170 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.77) would take off about $85. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 627,530 jobs across Hawaii (May 2025), which is 0.4% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $20.77 | $23.62 | $29.32 | $23.62 | 1.00 | US |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $25.13 | $37.07 | $42.19 | $22.66 | 1.64 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.13 | |||||
Hawaii against its neighbors
Hawaii ranks 2 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for attic insulation, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Washington at $2,900 and the cheapest West Virginia at $2,250, both for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint. Hawaii sits at $2,800. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2530 miles away | $1,050 – $4,250 | $2,650 | −6% |
| Oregon | 2590 miles away | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −1% |
| Washington | 2710 miles away | $1,200 – $4,550 | $2,900 | +3% |
| Nevada | 2730 miles away | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −14% |
| Alaska | 2850 miles away | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −2% |
Hawaii metro-by-metro prices
0 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,800, and the top-to-bottom gap is 0%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,000 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | $1,150 – $4,500 | $2,800 | level |
| Honolulu, HI | $1,100 – $4,500 | $2,800 | level |
Other Hawaii jobs that often go with attic insulation
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Hawaii wages and prices. Against national midpoints, vinyl siding comes out highest (+30%) and roof replacement lowest (+14%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $7,000 – $14,200 | +14% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $12,200 – $38,000 | +18% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $10,900 – $32,800 | +30% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,450 – $17,800 | +19% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,650 – $5,150 | +24% |
Attic insulation: what moves the price in Hawaii
Type of insulation
Blown-in is $0.90-$2.40 per sq ft and loose-fill is $1.00-$2.50 installed; spray foam costs more (HomeGuide).
Job size
Small attics start around $500 and large ones go up to $6,000 (HomeGuide).
Air sealing and fixture damming
Sealing gaps and damming around recessed lights are part of what moves the price within a type.
Removing old insulation
Old, wet or pest-damaged insulation has to come out first, at extra cost.
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 $2,150 to $3,450 for Hawaii is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Hawaii: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Attic insulation in Hawaii: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Hawaii?
$1,100 to $4,500 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Hawaii can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Hawaii is cheapest for attic insulation?
Honolulu at about $2,800 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Kahului at $2,800.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in Hawaii than the US average?
It is 12% more expensive: $2,800 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Hawaii?
About 36% ($1,000). Materials are 64%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.13x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Hawaii?
BLS has no statewide figure for this trade, so we use the national median of $23.62 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.77 to $29.32.
+Where does Hawaii rank for attic insulation costs?
2nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,800 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Hawaii?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,100 to $2,450 and premium work $3,150 to $4,500. Basic means: blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value. Premium means: spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic.
Attic insulation by city in Hawaii
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 Attic Insulation Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $0.50-$1.30 per sq ft insulation labor, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.