Blown-in Insulation Prices

[matt151617]

Anyone have any recent experience with blown-in done by a contractor? I got 2 quotes recently, one for $2800 and one for $3100, for 10" covering about 1500 sq ft. This seems insane... with current prices at Lowes I could do it myself for about $850 for blown-in and $700 for fiberglass batts. It seems like insulation prices drop about 30% around fall, so $700 or $500. What a massive difference.

 

[Gary S]

Blowing in insulation is a dirty job. Either you save money and do it yourself, or you pay the man to do the dirty work for you. Your choice.

 

[jimhaebe]

I had my 1440 sq.ft. ceiling blown in at 12" dp. for $ 1000.00 bucks, by a local insulation contractor. I am in Northern Idaho..

 

[Highbeam]

I found that the contractors could do it the same or cheaper than I could after buying the bales at home depot. Either FG or cellulose.

Maybe the summer high temperatures in an attic are so miserable that they charge more in winter? Maybe the government subsidies have gone away.

Do not use batts in an attic. That application ends up with a very inferior result.

 

[matt151617]

I heard that... but the prices are crazy. I asked one contractor if they even did insulation during the summer and he said they actually have less work to do in the summer because people aren't thinking about insulation until its cold.

I'm still debating doing batts, just unrolling them sideways across the joists over the existing fiberglass. Much easier than trying to install baffles in a low clearence attic.

 

[JakeKohl]

I have a 24x36 2 story 1,700 sq ft garage in South Carolina. I had blown in cellulose put in all wall cavities (2x4 studs - 10' tall downstairs), attic, and the garage ceiling/upstairs floor blown in with a fiberglass mesh stapled in place. Including the fiberglass mesh and everything was $2400. I had fiberglass quotes as low as $2000 and as high as $3,800. I had one spray foam quote at $10,000 (which was enough to convince me that I didn't need to get another quote for that).

 

[50cal]

Anyone have any recent experience with blown-in done by a contractor? I got 2 quotes recently, one for $2800 and one for $3100, for 10" covering about 1500 sq ft. This seems insane... with current prices at Lowes I could do it myself for about $850 for blown-in and $700 for fiberglass batts. It seems like insulation prices drop about 30% around fall, so $700 or $500. What a massive difference.

Your getting hosed. Better get a couple more bids.

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's dirty/dusty work and hot during the Summer. If you decide to do it wear a dust mask. If you can spray a garden hose and water the grass out front, you can blow in cellulouse insulation. It does take atleast one other person to feed the bales into machine while you're in the attic.

Contractors can do it for about the same price as you can buy because they are buying in bulk or have a contract with a manufacturer. We have a local place that manufacturers the stuff and several contractors buy it direct from the plant.

If you hire it done, I'd go up prior to their arrival and make on the trusses the depth you want. After they are finished, you can quickly and visibly see how much they blew in.

 

[matt151617]

Your getting hosed. Better get a couple more bids.

I agree. Unfortunately that's really it for blown-in contractors in my area. The only other one is a pest control company that does borate-laced cellulose. No way that'll be cheaper.

Looks like I'll be doing it myself...

 

[green.bubbly]

I agree. Unfortunately that's really it for blown-in contractors in my area. The only other one is a pest control company that does borate-laced cellulose. No way that'll be cheaper.

Looks like I'll be doing it myself...

Wife and I did our first house years ago with a rented blower from Lowes. We did it at night when it was cooler. It certainly is not hard. She fed the machine and I aimed the hose. Just don't cover up any soffit vents.

 

[JakeKohl]

I agree. Unfortunately that's really it for blown-in contractors in my area. The only other one is a pest control company that does borate-laced cellulose. No way that'll be cheaper.

Looks like I'll be doing it myself...

All cellulose insulation products are treated with a boric acid for fire retardation - which, consequently, makes it taste bad to bugs too. It's also a recycled product (paper/cardboard) so, besides being a really good insulation, it has some feel-good-green qualities to it.

 

[Steves32]

Around here- typically runs 75 cents to a buck a square foot to blow in R38.
Double that to vacuum out the old rat turd filled blown in & blow in new.
We include it on alot of HVAC installs we do.