How Much Does It Cost to Frame a House in 2024?

House Framing Cost Factors

The frame is the single most expensive part of a new home, and carpentry framing costs aren’t based on square footage alone. The total cost to frame a house varies depending on a variety of contributing factors.

Size & Complexity

Size matters because contractors estimate per square foot. However, size is less important than complexity. The more complex your building plans, the more you can expect to pay for house framing. Every intersecting wall requires more studs, increasing your material costs. Extra slopes and valleys add even more time and materials.

For example, framing a simple, 3,000-square-foot home estimated at $5 per square foot costs around $15,000. By comparison, framing for a complex, 2,000-square-foot, two-story home estimated at $12 per square foot has a higher total price of $24,000.

Residential vs. Commercial 

The cost to frame commercial properties is higher than for residential homes. Framing commercial properties ranges in price from $20 to $40 per square foot, including labor, installation, and insulation. This is partly because most commercial buildings use steel construction rather than wood.

Plan Changes

Making changes after framing has begun increases the price. Increases depend on many variables specific to each project. Simple changes like adding a door, moving the location of a window, or adding loads to a second floor all affect the final bill. Try to keep these changes to a minimum.

Labor

The labor cost for framing per square foot is $4 to $10. In urban areas, expect to pay on the higher end of this range. In areas with high demand, you may even pay a little more. The size of the project significantly impacts the cost of installation. Some professionals charge per square foot rather than the amount of time a project takes. Regardless, bigger homes take longer and require more materials.

Windows

When framing a house, windows are considered obstructions with special framing requirements. For example, header material needs to be installed over all windows on a wall. Adding more windows increases costs. 

New Structure vs. Replacement

Replacing all or part of the older framing on an existing home comes with additional costs. In addition to the materials and installation required for new structures, replacement also requires the cost of home demolition. 

New roof construction often costs less than replacing a roof at an average of $20 per hour for labor plus $3 to $6 per square foot in materials. Replacing an old roof frame requires an additional $4 to $15 per square foot on top of those costs.

Framing Costs per Square Foot

On average, the cost to frame a house is $7 to $16 per square foot, which includes $4 to $10 per square foot for labor and $3 to $6 per square foot for materials. You may pay less for simpler structures like garages, which cost around $4 to $5 per square foot in total. If you’re framing a two-story home, the second story may cost an additional $3 per square foot.

Framing Costs by Construction Type

There is more than one kind of home construction, and specific jobs have their own considerations when it comes to the cost of framing.

Full-House Framing

Framing costs for an average 2,000-square-foot single-story home run $14,000 to $32,000. Combined with sheathing and wrap, this can add up to one-sixth of the total average home building cost of $320,000. The cost to frame the second story of a two-story home generally runs about $3 per square foot more than framing for the first floor.

Home Addition

Framing makes up 8% to 12% of the cost of a home addition. For example, framing for a 500-square-foot addition costs $3,500 to $8,000, with a total project cost of $30,000 to $100,000.

Final home addition costs depend on the type of addition, the grade of materials used, and the design details. A simple box frame with no bump-outs or insets is far less expensive than one with complicated angles that require special framing. You may also need to factor in the cost to hire a local architect or structural engineer in your area to determine the best placement for an addition before framing.

Basement 

Framing for basement walls in established homes runs on the lower end of the cost spectrum at about $5 per square foot. These walls aren't load-bearing or complex and don't usually require extensive planning.

Attached or Detached Garages

Garages are usually the simplest structure to build onto a home, falling on the lowest end of the range of cost to frame a house at $4 to $5 per square foot. However, the type of garage you choose to build may increase costs. For example, adding an attached garage tends to be less expensive than building a detached garage. Larger garages will also drive up framing costs.

Wall, Ceiling, & Interior Reframing

Interior walls and ceilings usually cost $7 to $16 per square foot. On average, interior wall projects cost $1,900. Expect additional costs when adding interior walls to an already-established home. The homeowner is often living in the residence during construction, which presents challenges such as limited working space and avoiding dust and debris.

Roof Framing 

Roof framing costs $6 to $9 per square foot. Simple designs without dormers and few valleys or hips—the place where two slopes join—will fall on the low end. Complex designs with numerous angle changes and dormers will end up on the higher end of the spectrum. To lower overall project costs, consider using premade roof trusses.

Roof Trusses

Roof trusses cost between $35 to $150 per truss, depending on the length. Trusses for a standard 2,000-square-foot home run between $7,200 to $12,000, including labor and equipment.

Roof trusses are premade roof framing members 10 to 36 feet in length. Though they cost more per piece than wood rafters for a stick frame roof, they require less material and are easier to install, reducing labor costs.

Home Sheathing

Sheathing, which serves as a surface to add other structural elements to the home, will cost an additional $2 to $8 per square foot. Often, contractors will also install house wrap such as Typar or Tyvek to serve as a weather-resistant barrier for an additional $0.50 to $1 per square foot.

Framing Material Prices

Framing materials run from $3 to $6 per square foot. Lumber pricing fluctuates, so it can be tough to predict costs in advance. You'll pay anywhere from $350 to $500 for 1,000 board-feet of lumber. Metal framing costs tend to run a bit higher than wood by about 10%. Check with a local lumber yard or general contractor in your area for current pricing.

Lumber Frame

Lumber costs $1 to $5 per square foot, with waste overages ranging from 15% to 20%. A 2,000-square-foot home requires $2,000 to $10,000 in materials. For sheathing, add an additional 15% to 22%. Lumber is easy to work with, quick to install, and lasts the life of the home.

Steel Frame

Steel framing costs  $2 to $4 per square foot or about $4,000 to $8,000 for a 2,000-square-foot home. Some homes use steel, but it's most common in commercial construction. Steel installation labor is also slightly more expensive at $1.50 more per square foot. Steel is extremely durable, has a lower environmental impact, and holds up better against termites.

How to Estimate Framing Costs

To come up with a rough estimate for framing costs, a contractor will commonly look at a building plan to determine the complexity of the job. This may be based on details like specific angles, windows, or roofing elements that deviate from a standard box frame or A-frame. Based on this assessment, they will apply a price per square foot.

When receiving detailed bids, ask contractors to break out costs as line items. They should include insurance, travel expenses, waste, materials, labor, tools, equipment, and administrative expenses such as legal and accounting fees.

Additional Cost Factors

The cost of your framing project may be dependent on a number of other factors.

• Building permit costs can add $500 to $3,000.

• Site preparation, like grading and excavation, can add $5,000 or more.

• Complex design, like multiple roof lines and unusual angles, adds about 30% to your costs.

• Premium lumber or engineered wood products increase material costs by 20% to 50%.

• The waste factor for extra materials can increase your total cost by 10% to 15%.

Budgeting for Framing a House

Consider these budget-friendly suggestions for reducing your overall cost to frame a house.

• Stick to standard window and door sizes to reduce the need for custom materials cutting.

• Coordinate with your framing contractor to buy lumber and other materials in bulk for potential discounts.

• Schedule your house framing project during the off-season when contractors may offer lower rates.

• Opt for a simpler floor plan and roof design to reduce labor and material costs.

• Choose an open floor plan to reduce the number of interior walls needed.

• Use prefabricated components like roof trusses to save on custom labor costs.

• Salvage usable lumber from demolition to reuse in renovation and rebuild projects.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.