How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?

Crawl space encapsulation costs can vary so greatly it is difficult to explain. If you plan to DIY your crawl space encapsulation, one would think the costs to be lower. But many people forget to add a value to their own time. If you make $15/hour and it takes you 40 hours to encapsulate your crawl space that’s $600 plus materials and tools. Not to mention time lost with loved ones.

Basic Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost $1500+

I love reading blogs that have a starter price for a basic encapsulation of $1,500 to $4,000. These are obviously people or contractors that do not install dehumidifiers or deal with mold. Most likely this is someone installing loose laid vapor barrier on the ground and sealing the crawl space vents.

I am not sure what basic is but other websites say basic crawl space encapsulation includes:

• Light cleaning (what are they cleaning?)
• Vapor barrier (how is it being installed?)
• Sealing (what is being sealed?)
• No unexpected problems (good luck with that!)
• No dehumidifier (of course, let’s not control humidity!)

By the time we get called to address a crawl space, there is no basic option available. Since the #1 reason(s) Crawl Space Ninja provides encapsulation is to fix a humidity, mold, and/or flood problem, basic is not doable. Basic was done during the construction of the home. Instead of just throwing out costs to encapsulate, I want to share the different variables that will increase or decrease the cost.

Cost of Crawl Space Encapsulation Variable 1

Who is doing the work? Will you be encapsulating your own crawl space? If so, you could save thousands of dollars if you don’t put a value on your time. The average crawl space professional can make $20 plus an hour. Many crawl space teams consist of 2 to 4 people. So three people working in a crawl space 4 days at 8 hours a day is a labor only cost of $1,920 at $20/hour. That blows up that basic $1,500 price touted on many crawl space contractor websites. Also, that is not considering any type of insurance or worse an injury a homeowner could take during the crawl space DIY project.

Crawl Space Encapsulation is Very Difficult

Some may not think that paying someone $20 plus an hour to work in a crawl space is worth it. Many do not understand how difficult crawl space encapsulation can be on the body. Two years ago I interviewed an active duty Air Force member that encapsulated his own crawl space during the lockdown. You can watch the video but he told his wife he’d rather be on deployment in Afghanistan than encapsulating the crawl space. It is extremely hard work. Keep this in mind if you are considering encapsulating your own crawl space.

Encapsulation Cost Variable 2

The size of  crawl space is a huge factor when it comes to cost. Encapsulating a 500 square feet crawl space is way different than a 3,500 square feet one. Also the height of the crawl space can increase the time spent by the professional when it comes to basic repairs. Pulling insulation from the subfloor of a 9 feet tall crawl space requires a ladder and can be dangerous and slow. Believe me there are some out there even taller. On the other hand, short crawl spaces, typically under 2 feet, are more difficult to maneuver. These cause it to take more time to get materials, debris and personnel in and out.