Wall insulation costs a national average of $2,400, with most homeowners spending $1,150 to $6,000, according to Angi (updated October 2026)1. HomeGuide prices the job at $1 to $5 per square foot installed, or $1,700 to $8,500 for the exterior walls of a 2,000-square-foot home (updated September 2025)2. For whole-home context, Fixr puts insulating a 2,000-square-foot home with fiberglass batts or rolls at $2,000 to $7,400, not including opening and refinishing walls (updated January 2026)3. The publishers scope their figures differently, so figures are labeled separately throughout this guide.
Cost by wall size
Angi's size figures, which place project pricing at $150 to $6,000 depending on wall area (2026)1:
| Wall size (sq. ft.) | Angi average cost, per project (2026) |
|---|---|
| 150 | $150 – $600 |
| 300 | $300 – $1,200 |
| 500 | $500 – $2,000 |
| 1,200 | $1,200 – $4,800 |
| 1,500 | $1,500 – $6,000 |
HomeGuide's size figures at its installed rate (2025)2:
| Wall size (sq. ft.) | HomeGuide average total cost, per project installed (2025) |
|---|---|
| 100 | $100 – $500 |
| 200 | $200 – $1,000 |
| 300 | $300 – $1,500 |
| 400 | $400 – $2,000 |
| 500 | $500 – $2,500 |
| Whole house (exterior walls, 2,000 sq. ft. home) | $1,700 – $8,500 |
Cost by insulation type
All three publishers price insulation types per square foot, but their scopes differ – Angi and HomeGuide give material prices only, while Fixr does not state whether labor is included – so the tables are labeled separately rather than combined. Angi, material cost only (2026)1:
| Insulation type | Angi average material cost, per sq. ft. materials only (2026) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
HomeGuide, material price only, not including installation labor (2025)2:
| Insulation type | HomeGuide material price, per sq. ft. materials only (2025) |
|---|---|
| Cavity batt and roll | $0.80 – $1.75 |
| Blown-in / loose fill | $1.25 – $2.50 |
| Spray foam / injection foam | $1.00 – $2.50 |
| Rigid foam board | $0.75 – $2.00 |
Fixr, per-square-foot figures with labor scope unstated (2026)3:
| Insulation type | Fixr cost, per sq. ft. as published (2026) |
|---|---|
| Radiant barrier | $0.10 – $0.95 |
| Rigid foam board | $0.25 – $2 |
| Batts and rolls | $0.30 – $2.10 |
| Blown-in or loose-fill | $0.50 – $2.30 |
| Spray foam | $1 – $4.50 |
Angi's material-only range for fiberglass or mineral wool batts or rolls matches the fiberglass figure in Fixr's material table ($0.30 to $1.50 per square foot), though Fixr does not state whether that figure includes labor. These are separately published figures, and the pages state no shared sourcing; matching figures alone do not establish independent corroboration. HomeGuide adds that faced insulation costs $0.10 to $0.25 more per square foot than unfaced versions2.
New construction vs. finished walls
Access drives the method. Angi notes that for finished walls where drywall stays in place, the options are loose-fill, spray foam, or blow-in blanket insulation, while open walls in new construction or remodeling allow batts, rolls, or rigid foam board; removing and reinstalling drywall adds $1.50 to $3 per square foot (2026)1. Fixr prices exterior-wall insulation at $0.30 to $2.10 per square foot for new construction versus $0.50 to $4.50 for blown-in or spray foam in finished walls (2026)3. HomeGuide notes that for existing walls, contractors drill 1-inch access holes to inject insulation, with drywall repair adding $300 to $1,500 or more per hole and siding repair $10 to $100 or more per hole (2025)2.
Labor and related costs
Labor figures differ in scope: Angi publishes $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot for wall insulation labor, plus $50 to $100 per hour for prep work such as drilling access holes, and post-construction cleanup at $50 to $250 per 500 square feet (2026)1. HomeGuide puts professional installation at $0.25 to $2.50 per square foot depending on location and complexity (2025)2. Fixr puts labor at 30 to 50 percent of a typical project's total – $1,400 to $2,350 for its typical project – or $30 to $80 per hour, and notes that removing old insulation first adds $1 to $3 per square foot (2026)3. These are separately published figures with different scopes, and no conclusion about which applies follows from the differences.
Hazardous materials and remediation
When existing walls hide hazardous conditions, costs rise before insulation can go in. Angi's figures: pest extermination $200 to $600, mold remediation $1,225 to $3,750, and asbestos removal $1,190 to $3,255 (2026)1. HomeGuide's figures: one-time pest extermination $100 to $600, mold removal $15 to $30 per square foot or $1,500 to $6,000 total, and asbestos-containing material removal at $5 to $15 per square foot with testing at $250 to $850 (2025)2. The publishers' ranges diverge on asbestos and mold; these are separately published figures with different scopes, and no conclusion about which applies follows from the differences. For removal pricing, see our attic insulation removal cost guide.
Related projects
HomeGuide puts a professional home energy audit at $200 to $600 (2025)2, while Angi publishes $210 to $700 (2026)1 – separately published figures that diverge slightly, with no conclusion following from the difference. For adjacent insulation work, HomeGuide prices basement wall insulation at $600 to $4,600 or more, garage wall insulation at $500 to $3,100 or more for a standard two-car garage, and crawl space encapsulation at $3,000 to $8,000 (2025)2; Angi publishes crawl space encapsulation at $5,000 to $15,000 and basement insulation at $1,800 to $3,000 (2026)1. These figures also diverge and are labeled separately. Angi also reports that, based on its data, nearly 44 percent of homeowners installing batt and roll insulation put it in their attics1.
Hiring an insulation contractor
All three publishers recommend professional installation, particularly for finished walls. Fixr notes that batts or rolls in open walls are the most DIY-suitable option and puts typical DIY savings at $560 to $950 for a standard project (2026)3; Angi likewise limits DIY to open, drywall-free walls (2026)1. HomeGuide advises getting itemized quotes from at least three licensed contractors and paying in installments rather than in full up front (2025)2.
Related guides
See our guides to blown-in insulation cost, spray foam insulation cost, attic insulation cost, and crawl space encapsulation cost.