What home projects cost in District of Columbia
Construction workers in District of Columbia earn $1,804 a week on average, +15.7% against the national $1,559. Because labour is roughly 45% of a residential project and materials cost much the same everywhere, that works out to about +7.1% on the price of a job here.
Biggest difference: ADU, where a typical project runs $12,700 more here than the national figure.
Idaho, lowest Alaska, highest
District of Columbia pays more than 48 of the 51, and the taller notch marks the national average.
| Project | In District of Columbia | National |
|---|---|---|
| Home Addition cost in District of Columbia | $70,200 – $105,400 | $65,600 – $98,400 |
| Bathroom Remodel cost in District of Columbia | $14,600 – $22,800 | $13,700 – $21,400 |
| Basement Finishing cost in District of Columbia | $30,800 – $46,200 | $28,800 – $43,200 |
| Interior Painting cost in District of Columbia | $4,650 – $6,950 | $4,300 – $6,500 |
| Garage Conversion cost in District of Columbia | $27,700 – $45,100 | $25,800 – $42,200 |
| Shower Remodel cost in District of Columbia | $5,500 – $9,000 | $5,150 – $8,350 |
| Flooring Installation cost in District of Columbia | $6,000 – $9,400 | $5,600 – $8,800 |
| ADU cost in District of Columbia | $142,600 – $242,800 | $133,200 – $226,800 |
| Cabinet Refacing cost in District of Columbia | $5,650 – $8,850 | $5,250 – $8,250 |
| Kitchen Remodel cost in District of Columbia | $34,200 – $55,800 | $31,900 – $52,100 |
| Countertop cost in District of Columbia | $3,000 – $4,700 | $2,800 – $4,400 |
How the District of Columbia figures are worked out
Every range on this page is the national estimate with one adjustment: the labour portion is scaled by what construction actually pays in District of Columbia.
Wages come from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages, NAICS 23 (Construction), private ownership. District of Columbia averages $1,804 a week against $1,559 nationally, an index of 1.157. Applied to a labour share of 45%, that gives a multiplier of 1.071.
What this cannot tell you. It is a state average, and the gap between a metro and a rural county inside District of Columbia is often wider than the gap between states. Materials are treated as national, which is close to true for lumber and shingles and less true where freight is long. Permit costs, local code and how busy contractors are that month move real quotes as much as wages do. Treat this as a starting point and get a written quote.
Questions about District of Columbia costs
- Is home improvement more expensive in District of Columbia?
- Construction wages in District of Columbia run +15.7% against the national average of $1,559 a week. Labour is about 45% of a residential project and materials cost much the same everywhere, so that works out to roughly +7.1% on the price of a job. District of Columbia pays more than 48 of the 51 states and the District of Columbia.
- Does the District of Columbia adjustment hit some projects harder than others?
- No. It is a wage adjustment, so it moves every project by the same +7.1%, whether that is a tree removal or an addition. What changes is the dollar amount: ADU moves by about $12,700 while tree removal moves by less than $100. If a contractor tells you one trade is unusually expensive in District of Columbia, that is a local market condition, not something this data can show.
- What is the cheapest home improvement project in District of Columbia?
- Of the 36 projects priced here, tree removal is the least expensive at $650 to $1,150 for a typical job, and ADU is the most at $142,600 to $242,800. Both assume a mid finish level; every calculator lets you change the scope and the finish.
- Are these figures accurate for my city in District of Columbia?
- They are state-level figures and should be read that way. The gap between a metro area and a rural county inside one state is often wider than the gap between two states, and the wage data behind this page does not resolve below the state. Use the range as a starting point for what to expect, then get an on-site quote, which is the only firm number.