Is it expensive to renovate in Vermont?

Vermont construction trades earn $62,030 a year on average — 5% below the U.S. average of $65,360 (BLS, 2025). Because labor is roughly half of most bills, that pushes a typical total about 3% less than the national figure.

Why does Vermont cost less than average?

Materials cost about the same nationwide; the difference is local labor. Vermont ranks 30 of 51 states for construction-trade wages, which is the main driver of the less-than-average pricing here.

Do these Vermont prices include my city?

These are statewide adjustments. Large metros — and very remote areas — can run higher than the state average, so always confirm with local quotes. Use the calculator on any guide for a tailored ballpark.

State cost guide · BLS 2025

Home improvement costs in Vermont (2026)

Construction trades in Vermont earn $62,030 a year — 5% below the U.S. average. That makes most home projects run about 3% less than the national typical. Here's what 100+ projects cost in Vermont, adjusted for local labor.

Vermont construction labor

$62,030 avg / year

Ranks 30 of 51 states · project cost adjustment ×0.97 vs. national

		U.S. typical
How Much Do Gutter Guards Cost?	Roofing	$5–$12/linear ft	$4.85–$12/linear ft
How Much Do Kitchen Countertops Cost?	Remodeling	$50–$200/sq ft	$49–$190/sq ft
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?	Solar & Energy	$15,000–$35,000	$14,600–$34,000
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?	Remodeling	$6,000–$25,000	$5,800–$24,300
How Much Does a Chimney Sweep Cost?	Roofing	$150–$400	$150–$390
How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$10,000	$2,900–$9,700
How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$4–$8/sq ft	$3.90–$7.75/sq ft
How Much Does a Fire Pit Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$300–$5,000	$290–$4,900
How Much Does a French Drain Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$1,500–$6,000	$1,500–$5,800
How Much Does a Garage Conversion Cost?	Remodeling	$6,000–$27,000	$5,800–$26,200
How Much Does a Gravel Driveway Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1,200–$3,500	$1,200–$3,400
How Much Does a Heat Pump Cost to Install?	Heating & Cooling	$6,000–$20,000	$5,800–$19,400
How Much Does a Home Addition Cost?	Remodeling	$22,000–$100,000	$21,300–$97,000
How Much Does a Home Battery Cost?	Solar & Energy	$12,000–$20,000/unit	$11,600–$19,400/unit
How Much Does a Hot Tub Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$5,000–$25,000	$4,900–$24,300
How Much Does a Kitchen Island Cost?	Remodeling	$3,000–$10,000	$2,900–$9,700
How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?	Remodeling	$15,000–$50,000	$14,600–$48,500
How Much Does a Metal Roof Cost?	Roofing	$15,000–$40,000	$14,600–$38,800
How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$16,000	$2,900–$15,500
How Much Does a Pergola Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$2,000–$8,000	$1,900–$7,800
How Much Does a Pole Barn Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$10,000–$40,000	$9,700–$38,800
How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$12,000	$2,900–$11,600
How Much Does a Septic System Cost?	Plumbing	$3,000–$20,000	$2,900–$19,400
How Much Does a Sprinkler System Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1,600–$5,000	$1,600–$4,900
How Much Does a Storage Shed Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1,500–$10,000	$1,500–$9,700
How Much Does a Sunroom Addition Cost?	Remodeling	$20,000–$60,000	$19,400–$58,200
How Much Does a Tankless Water Heater Cost?	Heating & Cooling	$1,500–$4,500	$1,500–$4,400
How Much Does a Walk-In Shower Cost?	Remodeling	$4,500–$15,000	$4,400–$14,600
How Much Does a Water Softener Cost?	Plumbing	$800–$3,500	$780–$3,400
How Much Does a Whole House Generator Cost?	Solar & Energy	$7,000–$15,000	$6,800–$14,600
How Much Does Air Conditioner Repair Cost?	Heating & Cooling	$150–$700/unit	$150–$680/unit
How Much Does an Asphalt Driveway Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$7,000	$2,900–$6,800
How Much Does an Egress Window Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$2,500–$6,000	$2,400–$5,800
How Much Does an Inground Pool Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$45,000–$90,000	$43,700–$87,300
How Much Does an Outdoor Kitchen Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$6,000–$35,000	$5,800–$34,000
How Much Does Artificial Turf Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$8–$20/sq ft	$7.75–$19/sq ft
How Much Does Asbestos Removal Cost?	Remodeling	$1,200–$3,200	$1,200–$3,100
How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost?	Insulation	$1–$4/sq ft	$0.95–$3.90/sq ft
How Much Does Basement Waterproofing Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$2,500–$12,000	$2,400–$11,600
How Much Does Bathtub Refinishing Cost?	Remodeling	$300–$650	$290–$630
How Much Does Blown-In Insulation Cost?	Insulation	$0.9–$2.4/sq ft	$0.85–$2.35/sq ft
How Much Does Carpet Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$2–$8/sq ft	$1.95–$7.75/sq ft
How Much Does Chimney Repair Cost?	Roofing	$200–$2,500/unit	$190–$2,400/unit
How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?	Insulation	$3,000–$8,000	$2,900–$7,800
How Much Does Drain Cleaning Cost?	Plumbing	$150–$500/unit	$150–$490/unit
How Much Does Driveway Sealing Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$100–$300	$97–$290
How Much Does Drywall Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$1.5–$3.5/sq ft	$1.45–$3.40/sq ft
How Much Does Flooring Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$3–$25/sq ft	$2.90–$24/sq ft
How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$2,500–$15,000	$2,400–$14,600
How Much Does Garage Door Replacement Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$1,000–$3,500	$970–$3,400
How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost?	Roofing	$100–$350	$97–$340
How Much Does Gutter Installation Cost?	Roofing	$1,000–$4,500	$970–$4,400
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$4,000–$25,000	$3,900–$24,300
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage?	Remodeling	$20,000–$50,000	$19,400–$48,500
How Much Does It Cost to Build an ADU?	Remodeling	$80,000–$250,000/sq ft	$77,600–$242,500/sq ft
How Much Does It Cost to Epoxy a Garage Floor?	Remodeling	$1,500–$3,500	$1,500–$3,400
How Much Does It Cost to Finish a Basement?	Remodeling	$15,000–$50,000	$14,600–$48,500
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Ceiling Fan?	Electrical	$150–$600/unit	$150–$580/unit
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Fence?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$2,000–$8,000	$1,900–$7,800
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Fireplace?	Remodeling	$1,000–$10,000	$970–$9,700
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Mini Split?	Heating & Cooling	$2,000–$14,500	$1,900–$14,100
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Skylight?	Roofing	$1,200–$4,200/unit	$1,200–$4,100/unit
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Sump Pump?	Plumbing	$650–$2,000	$630–$1,900
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Toilet?	Plumbing	$250–$800	$240–$780
How Much Does It Cost to Install an EV Charger at Home?	Solar & Energy	$1,000–$3,000	$970–$2,900
How Much Does It Cost to Install Recessed Lighting?	Electrical	$125–$300/unit	$120–$290/unit
How Much Does It Cost to Install Sod?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1–$3.5/sq ft	$0.95–$3.40/sq ft
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House Exterior?	Windows & Exterior	$3,000–$10,000	$2,900–$9,700
How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Interior of a House?	Remodeling	$2,000–$6,000	$1,900–$5,800
How Much Does It Cost to Pump a Septic Tank?	Plumbing	$250–$600	$240–$580
How Much Does It Cost to Reface Kitchen Cabinets?	Remodeling	$4,000–$10,000	$3,900–$9,700
How Much Does It Cost to Repipe a House?	Plumbing	$4,000–$15,000	$3,900–$14,600
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Boiler?	Heating & Cooling	$4,000–$10,000	$3,900–$9,700
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Central AC Unit?	Heating & Cooling	$4,000–$12,000	$3,900–$11,600
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Furnace?	Heating & Cooling	$3,000–$12,000	$2,900–$11,600
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Roof?	Roofing	$7,000–$18,000	$6,800–$17,500
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Water Heater?	Heating & Cooling	$900–$3,500	$870–$3,400
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Well Pump?	Plumbing	$1,500–$4,000	$1,500–$3,900
How Much Does It Cost to Replace an HVAC System?	Heating & Cooling	$7,000–$20,000	$6,800–$19,400
How Much Does It Cost to Replace Ductwork?	Heating & Cooling	$1,400–$12,000	$1,400–$11,600
How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House?	Electrical	$8,000–$30,000	$7,800–$29,100
How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room?	Remodeling	$1,000–$3,000	$970–$2,900
How Much Does It Cost to Stucco a House?	Windows & Exterior	$8,000–$30,000	$7,800–$29,100
How Much Does It Cost to Upgrade an Electrical Panel?	Electrical	$1,500–$6,000	$1,500–$5,800
How Much Does Landscaping Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$15,000	$2,900–$14,600
How Much Does Mold Remediation Cost?	Remodeling	$1,500–$6,000	$1,500–$5,800
How Much Does Popcorn Ceiling Removal Cost?	Remodeling	$1–$6/sq ft	$0.95–$5.80/sq ft
How Much Does Pressure Washing Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$200–$600	$190–$580
How Much Does Radiant Floor Heating Cost?	Heating & Cooling	$6–$20/sq ft	$5.80–$19/sq ft
How Much Does Radon Mitigation Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$800–$2,500	$780–$2,400
How Much Does Roof Repair Cost?	Roofing	$350–$1,900	$340–$1,800
How Much Does Sewer Line Replacement Cost?	Plumbing	$3,000–$12,000	$2,900–$11,600
How Much Does Siding Replacement Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$7,000–$20,000	$6,800–$19,400
How Much Does Spray Foam Insulation Cost?	Insulation	$1.5–$5/sq ft	$1.45–$4.85/sq ft
How Much Does Stamped Concrete Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$8–$20/sq ft	$7.75–$19/sq ft
How Much Does Tile Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$7–$20/sq ft	$6.80–$19/sq ft
How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$400–$1,800/unit	$390–$1,700/unit
How Much Does Tree Trimming Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$250–$1,000	$240–$970
How Much Does Vinyl Plank Flooring Cost?	Remodeling	$3–$10/sq ft	$2.90–$9.70/sq ft
How Much Does Window Replacement Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$5,000–$15,000	$4,900–$14,600

How these are adjusted: we take each project's national range and apply Vermont's labor-cost multiplier (×0.97), built from BLS construction-wage data. Materials price close to national — in 2026 construction inputs are up 5.6% year over year (material tracker) — so the state difference is mostly labor. These are budgeting estimates, not quotes, and big metros vary. Always get local bids.

What construction trades earn in Vermont

Annual mean wage by trade (2025), and how each compares to the U.S. average — the real driver behind Vermont's costs. From BLS data.

Trade	Vermont	vs. U.S.
Electricians	$73,360	+3%
Plumbers	$68,980	−4%
HVAC technicians	$67,070	+4%
Carpenters	$62,000	−6%
Roofers	$56,330	−3%
Painters	$54,890	−1%
Construction laborers	$51,000	−2%

Hiring a contractor in Vermont

Vermont requires contractors to register with the Vermont Secretary of State (residential contractor registration) — a registration, not a competency exam, so check references as carefully as the paperwork.

Verify before you sign. Check the license or registration at the official Vermont lookup, and ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as certificate holder.
Get three written bids on the same scope. The spread tells you more than any single number — and it's the fastest way to spot a padded quote.
Keep deposits small and tied to milestones. Many states cap deposits; a demand for most of the money upfront is the classic warning sign.

Frequently asked questions

Do contractors need a license in Vermont?: Vermont requires contractors to register with the Vermont Secretary of State (residential contractor registration) — a registration, not a competency exam, so check references as carefully as the paperwork. Before you sign anything, confirm the license or registration is current and ask for a certificate of insurance.
Is it expensive to renovate in Vermont?: Vermont construction trades earn $62,030 a year on average — 5% below the U.S. average of $65,360 (BLS, 2025). Because labor is roughly half of most bills, that pushes a typical total about 3% less than the national figure.
Why does Vermont cost less than average?: Materials cost about the same nationwide; the difference is local labor. Vermont ranks 30 of 51 states for construction-trade wages, which is the main driver of the less-than-average pricing here.
Do these Vermont prices include my city?: These are statewide adjustments. Large metros — and very remote areas — can run higher than the state average, so always confirm with local quotes. Use the calculator on any guide for a tailored ballpark.

Compare every state on the cost-by-state index, see major-metro costs on the cost-by-city index, or the underlying BLS wage data.