How Much Does Crawl Space Insulation Cost? [2025 Data]

Crawl space insulation costs $3,550 for the average 1,000-square-foot crawl space, but prices can range from $2,600 to $16,900 depending on size and materials. Adding insulation to your crawl space may help lower energy bills and provide comfort no matter the season. Use this cost guide to determine how much crawl space insulation might cost for your home.

Crawl Space Insulation Cost Factors 

When budgeting for crawl space insulation costs, you can break down how much you might spend by looking at the type of insulation, the materials, the size of your crawl space, labor, prep work, your location, and any insulation removal costs.

Crawl Space Size

The average cost to insulate a crawl space is between $0.30 and $6.75 per square foot for materials. This means your insulation cost will largely depend on the size of your crawl space. Most crawl spaces fall between 250 and 2,500 square feet and will cost between $75 and $16,900 for insulation materials. 

Refer to the following chart to estimate the cost of your insulation by crawl space size:

Type of Insulation

When it comes to crawl space insulation type, fiberglass batts and rolls often have the lowest overall costs, while spray foam comes with the highest price tag. Here's how insulation type affects cost:

Batt and Roll

Both batt and roll insulation cost between $0.30 and $1.50 per square foot for a total of $300 to $1,500 in materials for a standard crawl space of 1,000 square feet. These materials consist of fiberglass and are very DIY-friendly, thanks to the ease with which they can be installed.

Blown-In and Loose-Fill

The average cost to install blown-in insulation or loose-fill insulation is between $1 and $2 per square foot or $1,000 to $2,000 per 1,000 square feet of space. These types of crawl space insulation are made from cellulose, and they’re best left to professional insulation installers. That said, if you're up for a task, you can learn how to install cellulose insulation yourself using a blowing machine and safety equipment.

Rigid Foam Board

Most rigid foam board insulation costs between $0.25 and $2 per square foot on average, not including labor. This means you'll spend somewhere between $250 and $2,000 to install this type of insulation in a standard crawl space. Rigid foam boards come in panels, making them easy to install but more challenging to customize for uniquely shaped crawl spaces. 

Spray Foam

Spray foam is priced by the board foot—a unit equal to 1 square foot at 1 inch thick. Spray foam insulation costs between $1 and $4 per board foot on average. The total installed cost, including labor, often ranges from $3 to $8 per square foot for a typical 3-inch application. Spray foam comes in many different types, with polyurethane spray foam costing the least. Open-cell foam insulation is the most budget-friendly, while closed-cell spray foam insulation falls toward the higher end of the price range. 

Insulation Material

Crawl space insulation materials cost between $0.30 and $6.75 per square foot. Polystyrene insulation and fiberglass are the most cost-friendly materials, while wood fiber is the most expensive. Here’s a breakdown of each insulation material, along with average cost:

Fiberglass 

When most people think of what insulation is, fiberglass is a popular material that comes to mind. Fiberglass costs anywhere between $0.30 and $1.50 per square foot and is commonly used in attic roof insulation, subflooring, and between joists. While fiberglass isn’t ideal for crawl spaces due to its vulnerability to moisture, it can perform well when paired with proper vapor barriers or full encapsulation. Note that costs vary depending on the insulation’s thickness and R-value.

Cellulose

The average cost of cellulose insulation is between $0.60 and $2.30 per square foot. For small crawl spaces, cellulose can make for an easy installation because it’s blown into the crawl space to fill the area. The higher cost is largely due to the equipment needed to install cellulose. 

Mineral Wool

Mineral wool insulation costs range from $1.40 to $3.10 per square foot, depending on the quality of the material. You'll pay more for mineral wool insulation because of the higher manufacturing costs, but it’s environmentally friendly because it’s made from up to 40% recycled materials. 

Polystyrene

Polystyrene rigid foam boards cost between $0.25 and $0.50 per square foot. As the cheapest crawl space insulation material, polystyrene is great for those looking for an effective, water-resistant option. 

Wood Fiber

Another water-resistant insulation for crawl spaces is wood fiber, which costs between $4.25 and $6.75 per square foot. Wood fiber insulation boards are eco-friendly, but they come at a higher cost than all other insulation materials because of their limited availability.

Labor

If you work with a local insulation company, you’ll need to add anywhere from $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot to the cost of your installation. This makes for a total crawl space insulation cost of $0.55 to $7.25 per square foot with labor. Spray foam insulation will cost the most to install, while batts or rolls tend to cost the least.

Keep in mind that some installers charge by the hour. Anticipate paying between $60 and $100 per hour for companies that charge hourly. 

Preparation

Your crawl space may need prep work before you can begin installing insulation. The cost to prep a crawl space depends on its condition. For instance, cleaning a crawl space costs between $0.55 and $2.70 per square foot on average, or $550 to $2,700 for a typical 1,000-square-foot crawl space.

Location

Where you live can also affect the overall cost of installing crawl space insulation. Areas with a higher cost of living may be at the upper end of the price range, while regions with a lower cost of living may be at the bottom end of the price range.

Similarly, since some insulation installers charge an hourly rate, crawl spaces that are hard to access can take longer to insulate—leading to an increase in cost.

Removing Existing Insulation

If you already have insulation in your crawl space, the cost to remove it falls between $1 and $1.50 per square foot. Batts and rolls are the easiest and therefore less expensive materials to remove, while spray foam is more time-consuming and costly.

Crawl Space Insulation Ongoing Expenses

Most crawl space insulation does not require any ongoing expenses or maintenance, though all crawl spaces benefit from routine inspections to ensure there’s no water damage, pests, moisture buildup, or other compromises to the area. With this in mind, you may need to repair your crawl space on occasion. Here’s a quick look at how much this may cost, especially if you need to invest in repairs before installing new insulation.

Repairs

The average cost to repair a crawl space falls between $0.55 and $2.70 per square foot. In most cases, repairing insulation is not a feasible way to get the most out of your insulation. If your boards are damaged—or if water damage has struck your fiberglass—there’s a good chance you’ll need to remove the old insulation and install new insulation. 

Why You Should Hire a Crawl Space Insulation Pro

While you might be tempted to install crawl space insulation yourself to save on labor ($0.25 and $0.50 per square foot—or $60 to $1,250 total), you should defer to an insulation company near you. This is especially important if you don’t have experience installing insulation or plan to use spray foam insulation, which benefits from the expertise and precision of a trained professional.

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a crawl space insulation pro

While you can technically DIY insulation, crawl space insulation is a deceptively nuanced project. Hiring a pro comes with many benefits, including:

• Pros know which insulation type is best for your specific space. 

• Air-sealing gaps is important in order to avoid a drain on the HVAC system.

• A pro can check for issues with your foundation or attic when they are installing the insulation. 

• Homeowners likely won’t have the right tools for the job, and considering the safety aspects, shouldn’t try to rent or purchase them. 

• The work of a pro will come with a warranty, so you’ll be covered if there are any manufacturer defects. 

• Installing insulation in tight spaces is a challenging task, so homeowners may not install it properly. 

• Professional work will increase the thermal efficiency of your home and reduce moisture issues. 

If you want to DIY a crawl space insulation installation 

While we don’t recommend you actually install the insulation yourself, there are some steps you can take to speed up the project or reduce costs, including:

• Removing old insulation yourself is only recommended if you are 100% certain there are no harmful chemicals present. 

• Ensuring the crawl space is empty so the pros can move freely. 

• Providing a copy of your electricity bills for one year, which might help a pro decide which insulation is best. 

• Addressing any other issues before this project, such as pest issues or moisture problems. 

Cost of Common Crawl Space Insulation Add-Ons

When insulating your crawl space, you might be tempted to add on several other services, including crawl space encapsulation, a sump pump installation, pest removal, and mold remediation. Let's break down how much each of these add-ons can cost.

• Crawl space encapsulation cost: $5,000–$15,000 

• Sump pump installation cost: $3,900 

• Pest removal cost: $110–$260

• Mold remediation cost: $500–$2,000

How You Can Save Money While Insulating a Crawl Space

There's no way to get around this—insulating a crawl space can add up big time. But with a few tips and tricks, you can save on the cost of insulating your crawl space. Consider the following money-saving solutions to cut back on costs.

• DIY the installation if you feel confident doing so.

• Opt for low-cost materials like fiberglass or polystyrene boards.

• Choose batts, rolls, or rigid foam board insulation.

• If you choose spray foam insulation, open-cell insulation is cheaper up front.

• Prepare the space yourself to save on hourly labor costs.

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. 

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