2026 National Cost Intel
Basement Remodel Cost
by City — 2026
A basement remodel runs $16,203–$85,779 nationally, typically around $34,248. Pick your metro below for local 2026 pricing backed by live BLS labor data.
Low range
$16,203
Typical
$34,248
High range
$85,779
Basement Remodel cost in 152 US metros
San Francisco, CA
$28,593–$85,779
San Jose, CA
$28,212–$84,635
New York, NY
$27,640–$82,920
Honolulu, HI
$27,068–$81,204
Los Angeles, CA
$26,687–$80,060
Santa Cruz, CA
$26,306–$78,917
Santa Barbara, CA
$25,924–$77,773
San Diego, CA
$25,734–$77,201
Seattle, WA
$25,734–$77,201
Santa Rosa, CA
$25,162–$75,486
Washington, DC
$25,162–$75,486
Oxnard, CA
$24,781–$74,342
Riverside, CA
$24,781–$74,342
Salinas, CA
$24,781–$74,342
Boston, MA
$24,399–$73,198
Fairbanks, AK
$24,399–$73,198
Stockton, CA
$23,828–$71,483
Bridgeport, CT
$23,637–$70,911
Vallejo, CA
$23,637–$70,911
Denver, CO
$23,256–$69,767
Miami, FL
$23,256–$69,767
New Haven, CT
$22,874–$68,623
Portland, OR
$22,874–$68,623
Trenton, NJ
$22,493–$67,479
Worcester, MA
$22,493–$67,479
Boulder, CO
$22,112–$66,336
Sacramento, CA
$22,112–$66,336
Philadelphia, PA
$21,921–$65,764
Poughkeepsie, NY
$21,731–$65,192
Baltimore, MD
$20,968–$62,905
Bend, OR
$20,968–$62,905
Modesto, CA
$20,968–$62,905
Springfield, MA
$20,968–$62,905
Albany, NY
$20,587–$61,761
Allentown, PA
$20,587–$61,761
Bellingham, WA
$20,587–$61,761
Fresno, CA
$20,587–$61,761
Olympia, WA
$20,587–$61,761
New Orleans, LA
$20,396–$61,189
Reno, NV
$20,206–$60,617
Santa Fe, NM
$20,206–$60,617
Ann Arbor, MI
$20,015–$60,045
Austin, TX
$20,015–$60,045
Chicago, IL
$20,015–$60,045
Detroit, MI
$20,015–$60,045
Eugene, OR
$20,015–$60,045
Las Vegas, NV
$20,015–$60,045
Minneapolis, MN
$20,015–$60,045
Nashville, TN
$20,015–$60,045
Salem, OR
$20,015–$60,045
Hartford, CT
$19,824–$59,473
Providence, RI
$19,824–$59,473
Milwaukee, WI
$19,634–$58,902
Atlanta, GA
$19,443–$58,330
Charlottesville, VA
$19,443–$58,330
Duluth, MN
$19,443–$58,330
Fort Collins, CO
$19,443–$58,330
Harrisburg, PA
$19,443–$58,330
Madison, WI
$19,443–$58,330
Rochester, MN
$19,443–$58,330
Rochester, NY
$19,443–$58,330
Dallas, TX
$19,062–$57,186
Green Bay, WI
$19,062–$57,186
Lancaster, PA
$19,062–$57,186
Missoula, MT
$19,062–$57,186
North Port, FL
$19,062–$57,186
Orlando, FL
$19,062–$57,186
Pittsburgh, PA
$19,062–$57,186
Raleigh, NC
$19,062–$57,186
Salt Lake City, UT
$19,062–$57,186
Spokane, WA
$19,062–$57,186
Syracuse, NY
$19,062–$57,186
Tampa, FL
$19,062–$57,186
Boise, ID
$18,871–$56,614
Colorado Springs, CO
$18,871–$56,614
Albuquerque, NM
$18,681–$56,042
Asheville, NC
$18,681–$56,042
Buffalo, NY
$18,681–$56,042
Charlotte, NC
$18,681–$56,042
Greensboro, NC
$18,681–$56,042
Jacksonville, FL
$18,681–$56,042
Phoenix, AZ
$18,681–$56,042
Provo, UT
$18,681–$56,042
Richmond, VA
$18,681–$56,042
Scranton, PA
$18,681–$56,042
St. Louis, MO
$18,681–$56,042
Tucson, AZ
$18,681–$56,042
Virginia Beach, VA
$18,681–$56,042
Billings, MT
$18,490–$55,470
Cape Coral, FL
$18,490–$55,470
Charleston, SC
$18,490–$55,470
Des Moines, IA
$18,490–$55,470
Lansing, MI
$18,490–$55,470
Ogden, UT
$18,490–$55,470
Akron, OH
$18,300–$54,899
Cincinnati, OH
$18,300–$54,899
Cleveland, OH
$18,300–$54,899
Columbus, OH
$18,300–$54,899
Durham, NC
$18,300–$54,899
Grand Rapids, MI
$18,300–$54,899
Houston, TX
$18,109–$54,327
Kansas City, MO
$18,109–$54,327
Omaha, NE
$18,109–$54,327
San Antonio, TX
$18,109–$54,327
Toledo, OH
$18,109–$54,327
Appleton, WI
$17,918–$53,755
Cedar Rapids, IA
$17,918–$53,755
Deltona, FL
$17,918–$53,755
Indianapolis, IN
$17,918–$53,755
Lakeland, FL
$17,918–$53,755
Myrtle Beach, SC
$17,918–$53,755
Roanoke, VA
$17,918–$53,755
South Bend, IN
$17,918–$53,755
Dayton, OH
$17,728–$53,183
Gainesville, FL
$17,728–$53,183
Greenville, SC
$17,728–$53,183
Lincoln, NE
$17,728–$53,183
Savannah, GA
$17,728–$53,183
Winston-Salem, NC
$17,728–$53,183
Baton Rouge, LA
$17,537–$52,611
Columbia, SC
$17,537–$52,611
Fort Wayne, IN
$17,537–$52,611
Knoxville, TN
$17,537–$52,611
Lexington, KY
$17,537–$52,611
Pensacola, FL
$17,537–$52,611
Youngstown, OH
$17,537–$52,611
Chattanooga, TN
$17,346–$52,039
Evansville, IN
$17,346–$52,039
Huntsville, AL
$17,346–$52,039
Tallahassee, FL
$17,346–$52,039
Augusta, GA
$17,156–$51,467
Corpus Christi, TX
$17,156–$51,467
El Paso, TX
$17,156–$51,467
Fayetteville, NC
$17,156–$51,467
Lafayette, LA
$17,156–$51,467
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
$17,156–$51,467
Tulsa, OK
$17,156–$51,467
Wichita, KS
$17,156–$51,467
Fayetteville, AR
$16,965–$50,896
Little Rock, AR
$16,965–$50,896
Mobile, AL
$16,965–$50,896
Shreveport, LA
$16,965–$50,896
Springfield, MO
$16,965–$50,896
Waco, TX
$16,965–$50,896
Amarillo, TX
$16,775–$50,324
Jackson, MS
$16,775–$50,324
Lubbock, TX
$16,775–$50,324
Memphis, TN
$16,775–$50,324
Montgomery, AL
$16,775–$50,324
Oklahoma City, OK
$16,775–$50,324
Birmingham, AL
$16,203–$48,608
McAllen, TX
$16,203–$48,608
Where the money goes: labor vs. materials
Across the 152 metros tracked, labor averages about 58% of a basement remodel budget and materials about 42%. When you review a bid, judge its labor line against your metro's trade wages — the biggest source of overpricing we see — not a national average.
How we calculate these numbers
Every figure on this page is a blend of three independent cost sources — construction cost data (70%), homeowner-reported project spend (15%), and live U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics trade wages (15%) — localized to each metro with a regional cost factor and a current-year escalation index. Ranges refresh as the underlying wage and materials data moves, which is why they're dated 2026 rather than recycled from older surveys.
Full scoring methodology →Permits for a basement remodel
Budget another 0.5–2% of project value for permit fees. Rules and turnaround vary by city.
Building permit fees by city →Compare before you commit
Basement Remodel costs: FAQ
How much does a basement remodel cost in 2026?
A basement remodel typically costs $16,203 to $85,779 in 2026, with a national median around $34,248. Actual pricing varies by metro — San Francisco runs highest and McAllen lowest among the 152 markets tracked here.
Which cities have the highest basement remodel costs?
Among the 152 metros tracked, San Francisco, San Jose, New York carry the highest basement remodel costs in 2026, driven by local labor wages and material logistics. McAllen sits at the lower end.
Why does basement remodel cost vary so much by city?
The same basement remodel scope is priced differently across metros because of local trade wages, permit timelines, and material delivery costs. RemodelerIQ localizes every estimate using live 2026 BLS wage data for each metro rather than a single national average.
How do I know if my basement remodel bid is fair?
Find your city below for the local 2026 range, then compare your contractor's bid against it. RemodelerIQ analyzes your actual PDF estimate against live local labor and material data for free, flagging padded scope and inflated margins.
How much of a basement remodel cost is labor vs. materials?
Across the 152 metros tracked, labor averages about 58% of a basement remodel budget and materials about 42%. The split shifts with finish level and local wages — which is why a bid's labor line should be judged against local rates, not national ones.
Do I need a permit for a basement remodel?
Most basement remodel projects that touch structure, electrical, or plumbing require permits; purely cosmetic scopes usually don't. Permit fees typically run 0.5–2% of project value. See our city-by-city building permit guides for local fees, rules, and timelines.
Got a basement remodel bid?
We audit your PDF estimate against live local wage data to flag padded scope and hidden margins — free.
Data sources: Zonda Cost vs Value 2025; Houzz 2024 Cost Guides; BLS OEWS 2023; FRED regional price indices; Reddit homeowner & contractor reports.
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