By Muhammad Awais. Updated October 2026.
The Home Improvement Cost Index gathers the national cost figures used across Home Improve Guide into one page that can be checked and cited. It covers 79 common items in roofing, concrete and masonry, interior work, plumbing and electrical service, and outdoor paving, and each row links to the calculator or cost guide that uses the same number. Every figure is a range with three values. Low marks the bottom of normal pricing for straightforward work, High marks the top of normal pricing for harder or pricier jobs, and Typical is the middle planning number. Two kinds of rate appear. Calculator rates are the dated national rate set that drives the calculators, with the method set out on the methodology page. Guide rates average published cost data from named home cost publishers, and the Basis column names them for each row. The figures were last reviewed in October 2026, and the whole set is reviewed on a 3 month cycle, so a citation should carry the month shown at the top of the page. None of these figures is a promise of what a given job will cost.
Headline figures
These six typical figures give a quick reference for common projects. Each is a typical national figure for planning, never a quote, and each links to the page that explains what the number covers.
- Concrete slab, installed: $10.00 per sq ft, typical national figure (range $6.00 to $14.00)
- Ready mix concrete: $165 per cubic yard, typical national figure (range $140 to $190)
- Asphalt shingle roof, installed: $450 per square (100 sq ft), typical national figure (range $325 to $575)
- Roof leak repair: $800 per job, typical national figure (range $355 to $1,525)
- Drywall, hung and finished: $2.25 per sq ft, typical national figure (range $1.50 to $3.25)
- Insulation, installed: $2.20 per sq ft, typical national figure (range $1.20 to $3.80)
Roofing
Roof replacement rates are priced per roofing square, which is 100 square feet of roof surface after the pitch multiplier, not 100 square feet of floor plan. Repair rows are priced per job for the common call outs.
| Project | Low | Typical | High | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle roof, installed | $325 | $450 | $575 | per square (100 sq ft) | Calculator rate set |
| Architectural shingle roof, installed | $400 | $550 | $725 | per square (100 sq ft) | Calculator rate set |
| Metal roof, installed, general rate | $900 | $1,250 | $1,700 | per square (100 sq ft) | Calculator rate set |
| Corrugated metal roof, installed | $350 | $1,200 | $2,050 | per square (100 sq ft) | Fixr, HomeAdvisor |
| Standing seam metal roof, installed | $550 | $1,775 | $3,000 | per square (100 sq ft) | Fixr, HomeAdvisor |
| Tear off of one old shingle layer | $75 | $115 | $150 | per square (100 sq ft) | Calculator rate set |
| Roof underlayment | $30 | $45 | $65 | per square (100 sq ft) | Calculator rate set |
| Roof leak repair, typical job | $355 | $800 | $1,525 | per job | Fixr, Angi |
| Roof leak repair with water damage | $900 | $1,950 | $3,000 | per job | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Emergency roof tarp | $165 | $450 | $700 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Emergency call surcharge | $150 | $225 | $300 | per job | Angi, HomeGuide |
| Minor storm damage repair | $150 | $575 | $1,000 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Hail or wind damage repair | $1,040 | $4,250 | $7,950 | per job | Angi, HomeAdvisor |
| Flat roof repair, typical job | $300 | $800 | $1,100 | per job | Fixr, HomeGuide |
| Flat roof recoating | $1.00 | $2.50 | $4.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide |
| Flat roof membrane replacement | $3.75 | $9.25 | $12.50 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Forbes Home |
| Roof cleaning, typical job | $275 | $450 | $615 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Roof cleaning by area | $0.18 | $0.41 | $0.65 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Roof inspection, one visit | $87.50 | $250 | $500 | per job | HomeGuide, Forbes Home |
| Drone roof inspection | $125 | $275 | $425 | per job | HomeGuide, Forbes Home |
Concrete and masonry
Material rows cover the product alone, such as a bag of premixed concrete or a single block. Installed rows cover material, labor and finishing on a prepared site. Foundation rows are installed prices per square foot of building footprint.
| Project | Low | Typical | High | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready mix concrete | $140 | $165 | $190 | per cubic yard | Calculator rate set |
| Ready mix delivery fee | $60 | $100 | $150 | per delivery | Calculator rate set |
| Premixed concrete, 80 lb bag | $5 | $6.50 | $8 | per bag | Calculator rate set |
| Premixed concrete, 60 lb bag | $4.50 | $5.50 | $7 | per bag | Calculator rate set |
| Premixed concrete, 40 lb bag | $4 | $4.50 | $6 | per bag | Calculator rate set |
| Concrete slab, 4 in, basic finish, installed | $6.00 | $10.00 | $14.00 | per sq ft | Calculator rate set |
| Concrete driveway, 5 in, installed | $8.00 | $12.00 | $18.00 | per sq ft | Calculator rate set |
| Footing labor | $9 | $14 | $20 | per linear ft | Calculator rate set |
| Rebar, #4, 10 ft stick | $7 | $10 | $14 | each | Calculator rate set |
| Slab on grade foundation | $5.00 | $9.50 | $14.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Crawl space foundation | $12.50 | $15.25 | $18.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Basement foundation | $27.50 | $38.75 | $50.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Sidewalk removal | $2.50 | $4.75 | $7.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Mudjacking a sunken slab | $4.00 | $9.75 | $15.50 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Concrete slab, plain, published rate | $5.00 | $6.00 | $10.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Forbes Home |
| Concrete patio, plain finish, installed | $4.00 | $6.75 | $9.50 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Stamped concrete patio, installed | $8.50 | $19.25 | $30.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Concrete removal with disposal | $2.00 | $4.00 | $6.00 | per sq ft | Fixr, Angi |
| Concrete steps, one set | $800 | $3,000 | $5,050 | per job | Angi, Forbes Home |
| Precast steps, delivered and set | $700 | $1,725 | $2,750 | per job | Angi, Forbes Home |
| Chimney repair, common job | $205 | $605 | $975 | per job | Angi, Fixr |
| New chimney flue liner | $1,350 | $3,575 | $5,800 | per job | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Tuckpointing brick | $5.00 | $15.00 | $25.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Fixr, Forbes Home |
| Manufactured stone veneer, installed | $11.50 | $20.00 | $28.50 | per sq ft | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Natural thin stone veneer, installed | $15.00 | $30.00 | $45.00 | per sq ft | HomeGuide |
| Concrete block, 8 in | $2 | $2.75 | $3.50 | each | Calculator rate set |
| Modular brick | $0.50 | $0.65 | $0.85 | each | Calculator rate set |
| Brick wall, single wythe, installed | $35 | $60 | $100 | per sq ft of wall face | Calculator rate set |
| Premixed mortar, 80 lb bag | $11 | $14 | $17 | per bag | Calculator rate set |
Interior
Drywall and insulation rates are installed prices per square foot of wall or ceiling, with sheet prices listed separately for readers who hang their own board.
| Project | Low | Typical | High | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall, hung and finished | $1.50 | $2.25 | $3.25 | per sq ft | Calculator rate set |
| Drywall sheet, 4 by 8 ft | $12 | $15 | $19 | each | Calculator rate set |
| Drywall sheet, 4 by 12 ft | $18 | $22 | $28 | each | Calculator rate set |
| Attic or wall insulation, installed | $1.20 | $2.20 | $3.80 | per sq ft | Calculator rate set |
Plumbing and electrical
Service trades bill by the hour and by the visit, so these rows mix hourly rates, service call fees and whole job prices. Drain rows are plumber prices for a single visit unless the unit says otherwise, and panel rows include installation by a licensed electrician.
| Project | Low | Typical | High | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber, hourly rate | $60 | $90 | $175 | per hour | HomeAdvisor, Fixr |
| Plumber service call | $75 | $150 | $225 | per job | HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide |
| Typical plumbing repair visit | $180 | $340 | $500 | per job | HomeAdvisor |
| Water heater, installed by a plumber | $700 | $1,425 | $2,150 | per job | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Drain clearing, single drain | $111 | $231 | $451 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Toilet clog cleared by a plumber | $105 | $190 | $275 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Main sewer line clearing | $150 | $475 | $800 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Hydro jetting | $250 | $525 | $800 | per job | HomeGuide |
| Drain auger rental | $30 | $55 | $80 | per day | HomeGuide |
| Repiping a whole house | $1,750 | $7,500 | $15,000 | per job | Angi, HomeGuide |
| New gas line, per job | $380 | $670 | $1,410 | per job | Fixr, Angi |
| Gas line, installed | $15 | $20 | $25 | per linear ft | Angi, Fixr |
| Electrician, hourly rate | $50 | $90 | $130 | per hour | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Electrician service call | $100 | $150 | $200 | per job | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Electrical panel upgrade, typical job | $1,010 | $2,150 | $3,350 | per job | Fixr, Angi |
| Panel upgrade to 200 amps | $1,550 | $2,400 | $3,250 | per job | Fixr, Angi |
Outdoor and pavers
Paver rows follow the layers of a patio: the stones, the compacted gravel base, the bedding sand and the joint sand, then the cost to clean and seal an existing surface and the installed price of a finished patio. Retaining wall rows are priced per square foot of wall face, the length times the exposed height.
| Project | Low | Typical | High | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paver stones, material only | $3.00 | $5.00 | $8.00 | per sq ft | Calculator rate set |
| Paver base gravel | $30 | $45 | $65 | per ton | Calculator rate set |
| Paver bedding sand | $25 | $40 | $55 | per ton | Calculator rate set |
| Polymeric joint sand, 50 lb bag | $24 | $36 | $60 | per bag | Calculator rate set |
| Paver cleaning, sanding and sealing | $1.25 | $2.00 | $3.13 | per sq ft | Angi, HomeGuide |
| Water based paver sealer | $41 | $60 | $80 | per gallon | Angi, HomeGuide |
| Paver patio, installed | $9.00 | $15.00 | $21.00 | per sq ft | HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide |
| Retaining wall, installed, published rate | $25 | $40 | $55 | per sq ft of wall face | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Retaining wall, typical project | $2,250 | $5,480 | $10,000 | per job | Fixr, Forbes Home |
| Segmental block retaining wall, installed | $20 | $40 | $65 | per sq ft of wall face | Calculator rate set |
How to read a range
A single number hides most of what decides a price, so every row carries three. A concrete slab with a basic broom finish shows $6.00, $10.00 and $14.00 per square foot. The low end fits a simple, accessible pad poured on a prepared base in a lower cost market. The high end fits a slab with a long wheelbarrow route, extra excavation, a tight schedule or a contractor with a full calendar. The typical value is where most plain jobs land, and it is the figure to use when a single planning number is needed.
For guide rates, the typical value is the national average that a publisher states. Where no publisher states one, the typical value is the midpoint between low and high. Rows built that way still rest on published data, with the midpoint standing in for an average the sources left out.
Units matter as much as the numbers. A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. A per job price assumes one ordinary visit and includes the trip charge. A per bag or per ton price is the shelf or yard price before delivery. Comparing two rows with different units gives a misleading answer, so each row states its unit in its own column.
The spread itself carries information. A narrow band, such as a bag of premixed concrete, means the item is a commodity sold at similar prices nearly everywhere. A wide band, such as hail or wind damage repair, means the label covers very different amounts of work, so the row says little until the scope is known. For wide rows, the matching calculator or guide is the better starting point, since it turns the national band into a figure for a stated size, material and region.
Low is not a bargain price and High is not a ceiling. Both describe the normal market, and a few jobs land outside them in each direction. A homeowner planning a budget can treat Typical as the working figure and the gap up to High as the room needed for the surprises that most projects bring, then narrow the number once written quotes arrive.
Regional adjustment
All figures in the index are national averages. Prices in a given state can sit well above or below them, mostly because of labor rates, and the calculators handle that with a region setting. The high cost band multiplies the national figure by 1.25 and covers Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia. The low cost band multiplies it by 0.85 and covers Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Every other state uses the national figure unchanged.
Applied to the typical slab rate, the high band gives $12.50 per square foot and the low band gives $8.50. The bands are deliberately broad. A busy metro area in an inexpensive state may charge coastal rates, while a small town in an expensive state may undercut the national figure, so each band works as a starting point for a local check rather than a local price.
The same factor applies to every cost line in the calculators, materials included, because delivered prices for concrete, block and lumber also track local wages, fuel and demand. A typical roof leak repair of $800 becomes $1,000 in the high band and $680 in the low band. Figures in the index tables themselves are always shown at the national level, so a citation never carries a regional factor by mistake.
Why a local quote differs
A contractor’s quote reflects one site on one date, and the index cannot see either. Access is the first gap: a crew that can back a truck to the work moves faster than one carrying material through a side yard. Condition is the second, since rot under shingles, a soft subgrade or a cracked drain line only shows up once work starts. Scope is the third, because two quotes for the same job often describe different work, one with permits, haul away and cleanup included and one without.
Timing moves prices too. Roofers after a regional hail storm and concrete crews in late spring both price against a full schedule, while the same firms often sharpen their numbers in a slow month. Small jobs carry minimum charges that push a per unit price well past the high value in the table. A quote that sits outside the range is a reason to ask what it includes, not proof that it is wrong.
Business costs differ as well. A licensed and insured contractor with a warranty, a permit history and a full time crew carries overhead that a part time operator does not, and the price reflects it. Product grade adds another layer: a premium shingle line, a thicker slab, a higher strength mix or a better sealer can each move a job toward the high value while still being the same item in name.
The most useful comparison is between two or three written quotes for the same scope. Holding each quote against the matching row shows whether a price is unusual, and the quote checklists on the calculator and guide pages show which line items deserve a question before any contract is signed.
What the figures exclude
Unless a row says otherwise, the figures leave out costs that vary too much by site to average fairly.
- Permits and inspection fees, which are set by each city or county.
- Demolition, haul away and disposal, except where a row prices removal itself.
- Structural repairs found during the work, such as rotten roof decking or a failed footing.
- Delivery charges on bagged goods and bulk materials, except the ready mix delivery row.
- Sales tax, which follows state and local rates.
- Design, engineering and survey work for foundations, retaining structures and large slabs.
The calculator pages list the exclusions for each tool in their results, and the cost guides cover the extras that come up most often for each trade.
Some costs belong to the property rather than the project. Equipment access through a narrow gate, a dumpster rental, a crane for a steep roof, an approval from a homeowner association or a utility locate before digging can all add to the final bill. Financing charges and the cost of living elsewhere during a large repair also sit outside every row. A budget built from the index should add an allowance for these items based on the site itself.
Where the figures come from
Calculator rates are a dated national rate set kept in a single configuration file, so the index, the calculators and the guides always show the same number. Guide rates rest on national data published by HomeGuide, Angi, HomeAdvisor, Fixr and Forbes Home, and the Basis column names the publishers behind each row. The corrugated and standing seam metal rows are calculator rates built the same way, so they name their publishers too. When two of them cover one item, the row takes the mean of their two low prices as Low and the mean of their two high prices as High. The methodology page explains the five step method behind every estimate, the rounding rules and the review cycle in full, and the guides page groups all of the cost guides by trade.
Citing the index
Short quotations with a link back to this page are welcome under the site’s terms of use. A citation works best when it names the figure as a typical national figure, keeps the unit, and gives the month of the update, for example “a typical national figure of $800 per job for roof leak repair (Home Improve Guide Cost Index, October 2026)”. Corrections or a request for an item that is missing can go to contact@homeimproveguide.com.
Frequently asked questions
How often is the cost index updated?
A full review of the figures takes place every 3 months, and the set on this page dates from October 2026. The update month appears at the top of the page and in the result area of every calculator.
Can the figures in the index be quoted in an article?
Yes. Short quotations with a link back to the index are welcome. The figure should be described as a typical national figure with its unit and the update month, since the ranges change at each review.
Do the prices include labor?
Rows marked installed, and every per job row, include labor and materials. Material rows such as bags, blocks, sheets or tons cover the product alone, and the unit column shows which kind each row is.
Why is a local quote higher than the typical figure?
Typical is a national middle value. Labor rates, site access, hidden damage, permits and a busy season can each push one job toward the high value or past it, so a quote above typical is common and worth a line by line review.
How can a national figure be adjusted for one state?
Multiply it by 1.25 for the high cost states and by 0.85 for the low cost states listed on this page, and use it unchanged elsewhere. The calculators apply the same factors through their region setting.