How Much Does It Cost to Insulate a Wall? [2025 Data]
The average cost to insulate a wall is $2,400, but it often ranges between $1,150 and $6,000, depending on the project scope and materials your installation pro uses.
If you’re remodeling your home or simply want to make your living space more comfortable, you may ask: how much does it cost to insulate a wall? The average wall insulation cost is $2,400, though it can range between as little as $150 and as much as $10,500. Adding insulation to your home's exterior walls can reduce your energy bills by up to 20%. The project cost will vary by material choice, size, and extra work necessary to complete the task.
Wall Insulation Cost Factors
While the average cost to insulate a wall ranges between $1 and $4 per square foot, several factors will determine your final project price. Insulation costs for existing walls will cost more than those for installing insulation during the construction of a new home or during a remodel or addition installation.
Project Size
The biggest pricing factor is the size of the exterior wall you're insulating. The average square footage of exterior walls in an average home is roughly 1,500 square feet. If you're remodeling or building walls as part of an addition, you may opt to insulate only new exterior walls or replace the existing insulation in spaces where the wall covering is removed.
| Wall Square Footage | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 150 | $150–$600 |
| 300 | $300–$1,200 |
| 500 | $500–$2,000 |
| 1200 | $1,200–$4,800 |
| 1500 | $1,500–$6,000 |
Scope
Many homeowners who add insulation to already finished spaces choose to insulate the walls without removing the drywall. While doing so results in some drywall or plaster repair after the insulating project is complete, the job can be significantly less costly than removing and re-installing drywall, which will add another $1.50 to $3 per square foot to accomplish, on top of the insulation installation price.
Insulation Type
The type of insulation you choose will greatly affect the cost of your insulation project. If you opt to leave the drywall in place, you can choose loose-fill, spray foam, or professionally installed blow-in blanket insulation. For new construction or remodeling, you can choose from batts or rolls, spray foam, rigid types, and others.
| Insulation Type | Average Material Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Fiberglass or mineral wool batts or rolls | $0.30–$1.50 |
| Loose-fill fiberglass or cellulose | $1–$2 |
| Spray foam | $0.50–$2 |
| Foam board | $0.25–$2 |
Labor
Who installs your insulation can affect the total cost of the project. Insulating walls that don't have drywall or plaster on them can be a relatively simple DIY project, provided you have some experience or solid guidance for the task.
Doing the project yourself can save up to $0.50 per square foot. However, professional installation is always recommended and, in many cases, necessary when the drywall is still in place. The average labor cost for wall insulation is between $0.25 and $0.50 per square foot.
If you're installing wall insulation as a part of a larger project, your contractor will include the insulation cost in the pricing estimate. Additionally, many local handypersons are qualified to perform insulation projects.
Contractors cost: 10%–50% of your overall project cost
Handyperson cost: $50–$150 per hour
Prep
The preparation work required before insulating your home's walls will depend on the scope of the project. If drywall or plaster removal is necessary, or if you need to drill holes in the wall covering in preparation for adding insulation to the wall cavities, expect to spend between $50 and $100 per hour for the work.
Post-Construction Cleanup
Insulation jobs can get messy and dusty, especially when drywall or plaster work is involved. Regardless of the specifics, cleanup work is not uncommon after the project is complete. On average, post-construction cleaning costs between $50 and $250 per 500 square feet.
Hazardous Material Costs
The reason for your insulation installation project can dramatically affect its total cost. In cases where you're replacing existing insulation, the cost of removal is a significant consideration, especially in cases where pest damage or hazardous conditions exist. Pests and their waste, water damage, mold, and the presence of asbestos will all increase the cost of adding insulation to your walls.
Pest extermination cost: $200–$600
Mold remediation cost: $1,225–$3,750
Asbestos removal cost: $1,190–$3,255
DIY Wall Insulation Installation vs. Hiring a Pro
Installing wall insulation as a DIY project is doable in many cases. However, the project requires a firm knowledge of the principles involved. Improperly installed insulation can be detrimental to your home and your energy bills. Regardless of the type of insulation you install and the job's specifics, you'll need adequate personal protection equipment, including gloves, eye protection, clothing, and a respirator for most of the work.
Most homeowners choose to hire a local insulation company to perform all the necessary tasks. This ensures that the new insulation meets building code requirements to maximize its energy-saving capacity. A pro will also handle any situation in which hazardous materials or conditions exist, keeping you safe and free to decide on paint colors when the wall is back in working order.
Cost of Common Wall Insulation Add-Ons
Discovering how much money insulation can save on your energy bills may convince you to pursue other energy-efficiency-related projects around your home while you insulate the walls. Here are some ideas and their associated costs.
Home energy audit cost: $211–$700
Crawlspace encapsulation cost: $5,000–$15,000
Basement insulation cost: $1,800–$3,000
Wall insulation cost: $1,400–$6,300
Garage insulation cost: $1,900–$7,700
HVAC replacement cost: $5,000–$12,500
Tips to Reduce Costs While Insulating Walls
Insulating walls is excellent for helping to reduce your home's energy consumption for heating and cooling. For that reason, insulation addition projects realize excellent returns on your investment (ROI) by lowering your energy bills each month. However, the project still comes with potentially significant up-front costs. Here are a couple of ways to save money if you're sticking to a budget.
Take advantage of available federal, state, regional, or local energy-efficiency rebates and incentives. Your utility company may offer them as well, and your insulation contractor can help you identify which ones your project qualifies for.
If your wall insulation project involves demolition or preparation work that doesn't include the removal of hazardous materials, consider performing some of the preliminary tasks yourself to shave a few dollars off of your professional's price bid.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Insulating your home's exterior walls can realize up to a 20% reduction in your monthly energy bills. This means that regardless of how much the project costs, it can begin to pay you back immediately. Additionally, adding spray foam and other high-end materials can increase the selling value of the property.
Every exterior wall in a house should have insulation. Municipalities require that new construction homes come with adequate insulation to handle the local climate. The state or local building code lays out the minimum insulation requirements. Interior walls seldom have insulation. Exceptions include interior wall insulation for sound dampening or temperature control of specific rooms.
