CostGuideHQ

Blown-In Insulation Cost: $930–$3,050 (Average $1,650) in 2026

Author: CostGuideHQ Editorial·✓ Fact-checked·Updated July 2026·7 min read·4 sources·US national averages, USD
Quick answerQuick answer: Blown-in insulation typically costs $930 to $3,050 per project, averaging around $1,650, or $0.60 to $3.80 per square foot installed. Fiberglass is cheapest, rock wool costs the most, and wall drill-and-fill work runs more than attic jobs. A full house with a garage can run closer to $5,000.
  • A typical blown-in insulation project costs $930 to $3,050, averaging around $1,650 (Bob Vila, Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor).
  • Fiberglass material runs $0.50 to $1.10 per sq ft, cellulose $0.60 to $2.30, and rock wool the most at $1.40 to $2.10 per sq ft (Fixr, Bob Vila).
  • Attic installation costs about $0.60 to $1.50 per sq ft, while wall drill-and-fill work runs $1.00 to $3.30 per sq ft because of the extra labor to drill and patch (Bob Vila, Fixr, Thumbtack).
  • A whole-home job covering both walls and attic in a 2,000 sq ft house with a garage can average around $5,000, well above a single-area project (Fixr).

How much does blown-in insulation cost?

National average
$1,650
total project
Typical range
$930–$3,050
Most projects
Whole project
$930–$3,050
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Cost by material / type

TypeLowHigh
fiberglass (material cost per sq ft)$1$1
cellulose (material cost per sq ft)$1$2
rock wool/mineral wool (material cost per sq ft)$1$2
attic, installed (per sq ft)$1$2
wall drill-and-fill/dense-pack, installed (per sq ft)$1$3
Estimate your cost
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Rough estimate only — get local quotes for exact pricing.

What affects the cost?

  • Material choice — fiberglass costs $0.50-$1.10 per sq ft in material alone, cellulose runs $0.60-$2.30, and rock wool/mineral wool costs $1.40-$2.10, the priciest of the three common loose-fill options (Fixr, Bob Vila)
  • Attic vs. wall installation — attic blown-in typically runs about $0.60-$1.50 per sq ft installed, while wall cavities (drill-and-fill/dense-pack) cost more per sq ft (roughly $1.00-$3.30) because installers have to drill access holes, fill each stud bay, and patch afterward (Bob Vila, Fixr, Thumbtack)
  • R-value target — reaching R-30 in fiberglass runs about $500 for a 1,000 sq ft attic, while R-60 nearly doubles that to about $1,060; a comparable R-24 wall job runs about $1,000 versus roughly $430 for R-13 (Bob Vila, Thumbtack)
  • Project scope — a single attic-or-wall job typically lands in the $930-$3,050 range, but insulating both walls and attic together in a full 2,000 sq ft home with a garage can run closer to $5,000 (Bob Vila, Thumbtack, Fixr)
  • Labor rate — professional installers charge $40-$80 per hour on top of material cost (HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila)
  • DIY vs. professional install — renting a blower machine costs roughly $100-$200 per day (or about $125/day per Fixr), letting DIYers who buy their own bags cut total cost to around $500 or less for a small job (Bob Vila, Fixr, HomeAdvisor)
  • House/project size — Fixr's installed per-sq-ft rate scales a 1,000 sq ft job to $1,650-$3,800 and a 3,000 sq ft job to $4,950-$11,400 (Fixr)

Why does blown-in insulation cost so much?

The price comes down to material, square footage, and whether you’re filling an attic or drilling into finished walls. A typical single-area project costs $930 to $3,050, averaging around $1,650 (Bob Vila, Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor). Per square foot installed, expect roughly $0.60 to $3.80 depending on material and location — attic work runs cheaper, around $0.60 to $1.50 per sq ft, while wall drill-and-fill (dense-pack) work runs $1.00 to $3.30 per sq ft because installers have to drill access holes into each stud bay, fill it, and patch the holes afterward (Bob Vila, Fixr, Thumbtack). Scope matters too: these figures describe a single attic or wall job, but insulating both walls and the attic together in a full 2,000 sq ft home with a 2-car garage can push the average closer to $5,000 (Fixr) — a much bigger job than a typical attic top-off.

What affects the cost?

A few factors explain most of the spread between a $930 job and a $3,050+ one:

  • Material. Fiberglass costs $0.50 to $1.10 per sq ft in material alone, cellulose runs $0.60 to $2.30, and rock wool (mineral wool) costs the most at $1.40 to $2.10 per sq ft (Fixr, Bob Vila).
  • Attic vs. wall. Attic blown-in typically runs $0.60 to $1.50 per sq ft installed. Wall cavities cost more, roughly $1.00 to $3.30 per sq ft, since drill-and-fill/dense-pack work takes more labor than pouring loose-fill into an open attic (Bob Vila, Fixr, Thumbtack).
  • R-value target. Reaching R-30 in fiberglass runs about $500 for a 1,000 sq ft attic, while R-60 nearly doubles that to about $1,060 (Bob Vila, Thumbtack). Colder climates that need a higher R-value cost more.
  • Project scope. A single attic-or-wall job lands in the $930 to $3,050 range, but a whole-home project covering both areas plus a garage can run closer to $5,000 (Fixr).
  • Labor rate. Professional installers charge $40 to $80 per hour on top of material cost (HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila).
  • House size. Fixr’s installed per-sq-ft rate scales a 1,000 sq ft job to $1,650 to $3,800 and a 3,000 sq ft job to $4,950 to $11,400.

Attic vs. wall dense-pack: what’s the difference?

Attic blown-in is the simpler job — insulation is poured or blown loose across an open attic floor, which is why it’s the cheaper option at roughly $0.60 to $1.50 per sq ft installed, or $600 to $1,200 for a 1,000 sq ft attic (Bob Vila). Wall drill-and-fill (also called dense-pack) is a different process: installers drill a hole into each stud bay from outside or inside, pack insulation in under pressure so it doesn’t settle over time, then patch the holes. That extra labor is why wet-spray cellulose in 1,000 sq ft of exterior wall runs $1,000 to $1,500 (Bob Vila), and Fixr’s installed rate for existing walls runs $1.75 to $3.30 per sq ft — noticeably above its own attic figures. If you’re comparing this to a full attic overhaul, see our attic insulation cost guide; if your walls or attic already have old, failing insulation, check insulation removal cost before adding new material on top. For garages specifically, garage insulation cost breaks out ceiling, wall, and door pricing separately, and if you’re weighing loose-fill against a foam option, see spray foam insulation cost.

How to lower your blown-in insulation cost

  • Choose fiberglass or cellulose over rock wool unless you specifically need rock wool’s fire resistance or soundproofing — the material alone can save $1 or more per sq ft (Fixr, Bob Vila).
  • Insulate the attic before tackling walls. Attic work costs less per sq ft than wall drill-and-fill, and attics are usually the biggest source of heat loss to address first (Bob Vila).
  • Rent the machine and do it yourself if the job is small and accessible. A blower rental runs $100 to $200 for 24 hours (Bob Vila) or about $125 a day (Fixr), and buying your own bags can bring total DIY cost to around $500 or less (HomeAdvisor).
  • Target the R-value your climate actually needs rather than over-insulating — going from R-30 to R-60 roughly doubles the material cost for the same attic (Bob Vila).
  • Get multiple quotes, especially for whole-home jobs, since scope (attic only vs. walls and attic together) swings the total from around $1,650 to as much as $5,000 (Bob Vila, Thumbtack, Fixr).

Prices vary by region, home size, and material, so treat the figures above as a planning budget. Get two or three local quotes, and confirm whether the bid covers attic only, walls only, or both, before committing to a final number.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does blown-in insulation cost for an attic?
A 1,000 sq ft attic typically runs $600 to $1,200 (Bob Vila), and cellulose installed in an attic runs about $1.20 to $1.25 per sq ft (Thumbtack). A 1,200 sq ft attic with cellulose lands around $1,200 to $1,800 (Bob Vila).
Is cellulose or fiberglass cheaper for blown-in insulation?
Fiberglass is the cheaper material at $0.50 to $1.10 per sq ft versus $0.60 to $2.30 per sq ft for cellulose (Fixr, Bob Vila). Rock wool costs more than either, at $1.40 to $2.10 per sq ft.
How much does blown-in insulation cost for walls?
Wall drill-and-fill (dense-pack) work costs more per sq ft than attic work because of the extra labor. A 1,000 sq ft of exterior wall with wet-spray cellulose runs $1,000 to $1,500 (Bob Vila), finished walls run about $1.50 per sq ft (Thumbtack), and Fixr's installed rate for existing walls is $1.75 to $3.30 per sq ft.
How much does it cost to rent a blow-in insulation machine for DIY?
Expect $100 to $200 for a 24-hour rental (Bob Vila) or around $125 per day (Fixr); HomeAdvisor puts it at under $100 a day. Buying your own bags and doing the labor yourself can bring total DIY cost down to around $500 or less for a small job (HomeAdvisor).
How does R-value affect the cost?
Cost roughly doubles as the target R-value doubles. Reaching R-30 in fiberglass runs about $500 for a 1,000 sq ft attic, while R-60 costs about $1,060 for the same space (Bob Vila, Thumbtack). In walls, R-13 runs about $430 per 1,000 sq ft versus about $1,000 for R-24 (Thumbtack).
Is rock wool more expensive than fiberglass or cellulose?
Yes. Rock wool (mineral wool) material costs $1.40 to $2.10 per sq ft, more than fiberglass ($0.50 to $1.10) and generally more than cellulose ($0.60 to $2.30) (Fixr, Bob Vila).
Why do cost estimates vary so much between sources?
Bob Vila, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor cluster around $930 to $3,050 for a single attic-or-wall job, while Fixr's $5,000 average ($3,000-$7,000 range) covers a full 2,000 sq ft home with a garage, insulating walls and attic together — a much bigger scope.

Sources

Figures synthesized and cross-checked across these sources (retrieved 2026-07-28):

  • Fixr — National average $5,000; range $3,000-$7,000 (low $900, high $9,000) — most people pay around $5,000 to fill wall cavities and the attic with cellulose insulation in a 2,000 sq ft home with a 2-car garage. Installed per sq ft: new construction $1.65-$3.80, existing walls $1.75-$3.30. By sq ft installed: 1,000 sq ft $1,650-$3,800; 2,000 sq ft $3,300-$7,600; 3,000 sq ft $4,950-$11,400. Materials only per sq ft: fiberglass $0.50-$1.10, wet spray cellulose $0.60-$1.80, dense pack cellulose $2-$2.30, rockwool $1.40-$2.10. Labor $1.15-$1.50 per sq ft, or $2,300-$3,000 for a 2,000 sq ft job. By location installed: ductwork $400-$1,000; garage attic $600-$2,000; crawl space $900-$3,000; attic $1,750-$5,500; walls $2,000-$4,000. Blower rental about $125 per day. R-value per inch: fiberglass 2.5-3.5, rockwool 3.0-3.7, cellulose 3.2-3.7.
  • Bob Vila — Blown-in insulation cost varies from $930 to $2,085 depending on project extent (attic, walls, or both) and insulation type; national average $1,507. Attic (1,000 sq ft): $600-$1,200. Exterior walls (1,000 sq ft), wet-spray: $1,000-$1,500. Fiberglass to R-30 (1,000 sq ft attic): about $500; to R-60: about $1,060. Cellulose average installation: $1.20 per sq ft; 1,200 sq ft attic: $1,200-$1,800. Materials per sq ft: fiberglass $0.50-$1.10, cellulose $0.60-$2.30, rockwool $1.40-$2.10. Labor $40-$70 per hour. Blower machine rental: $100-$200 for 24 hours. Air sealing $350-$1,500. Mold remediation averages $2,216; asbestos removal averages $2,020.
  • HomeAdvisor — Blown-in insulation costs between $975 and $2,200 on average. Installers charge $40-$80 per hour. For DIY projects, rent a blower for under $100 a day; total DIY costs run $500 or less. Blown-in insulation is installed in attics, and loose-fill insulation is also sometimes used to backfill wall cavities.
  • Thumbtack — Average range $1,158-$3,050, most people pay around $1,863 (low end $569, high end $6,127). Per sq ft $0.17-$2.66, though some contractors charge $1-$1.50 per sq ft. Fiberglass: a 28.5-lb bag costs about $33; 15 bags for R-30 across 1,000 sq ft costs about $500. Cellulose: a 19-lb bag costs about $30; 32 bags for R-60 across 1,000 sq ft costs about $1,000. Attic (cellulose): $1.20-$1.25 per sq ft. Finished walls (cellulose): $1.50 per sq ft. 12x12 room: $216-$432 at $1.50-$3 per sq ft. R-13 wall insulation (1,000 sq ft): about $430. R-24 wall insulation (1,000 sq ft): about $1,000.

national_average_usd ($1,650) is a CostGuideHQ synthesized figure averaging the three sources that describe a single attic-or-wall blown-in project: Bob Vila ($1,507 average, $930-$2,085 typical range), Thumbtack ($1,863 average within a $1,158-$3,050 typical range, full range $569-$6,127), and HomeAdvisor ($975-$2,200 average range). range_low_usd ($930) is Bob Vila's typical-range low; range_high_usd ($3,050) is Thumbtack's typical-range high, which also comfortably covers HomeAdvisor's $2,200 upper figure. Fixr reports a much higher $5,000 average ($3,000-$7,000 range) but explicitly scopes that figure to a full 2,000 sq ft home with a 2-car garage, insulating both walls and attic together — a larger job than the single-area project the other three sources describe — so it's cited in cost_factors and sources for readers tackling a whole-home job rather than folded into the headline average. Per-sq-ft figures diverge depending on whether they cover material only or material-plus-labor installed: Fixr and Bob Vila report near-identical materials-only rates (fiberglass $0.50-$1.10, rock wool $1.40-$2.10, cellulose roughly $0.60-$2.30 combining wet-spray and dense-pack), which are used in by_type; installed (material+labor) per-sq-ft figures run higher, roughly $0.60-$1.50 for attic work and $1.00-$3.30 for wall drill-and-fill/dense-pack work, reflecting the extra labor of drilling access holes and patching stud bays (Bob Vila, Fixr, Thumbtack). unit_low_usd/unit_high_usd ($0.60-$3.80) span that installed per-sq-ft range. R-value examples (e.g., $500 for R-30 fiberglass vs. $1,060 for R-60 across the same 1,000 sq ft attic, or $430 for R-13 vs. $1,000 for R-24 in 1,000 sq ft of wall) come from Bob Vila and Thumbtack and show cost roughly doubling as the target R-value doubles. Figures generally include material and standard installation labor unless noted as materials-only; DIY blower-machine rental and reduced DIY totals are noted separately for homeowners doing their own labor.