Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in North Carolina
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in North Carolina. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in North Carolina
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 18 building trades in North Carolina — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $23.76 | $35.25 | $48.88 | 31,760 |
| Carpenters | $15.49 | $22.90 | $30.70 | 13,410 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $17.58 | $22.78 | $27.95 | 4,170 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $14.80 | $23.30 | $31.10 | 1,860 |
| Tile & stone setters | $15.68 | $21.26 | $29.44 | 620 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $16.94 | $22.00 | $28.02 | 440 |
| Floor sanders & finishers | $16.61 | $20.94 | $25.89 | 370 |
| Carpet installers | $8.03 | $17.84 | $24.18 | 310 |
| Painters | $16.67 | $21.10 | $29.24 | 4,340 |
| Glaziers | $16.95 | $21.13 | $29.59 | 970 |
| Insulation workers | $14.52 | $21.71 | $29.73 | 1,280 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $17.57 | $23.28 | $28.97 | 1,670 |
| Roofers | $17.22 | $23.12 | $29.76 | 3,340 |
| Electricians | $18.61 | $26.00 | $34.70 | 23,660 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $18.12 | $24.52 | $34.93 | 14,300 |
| HVAC technicians | $18.15 | $24.97 | $36.29 | 13,750 |
| Equipment operators | $18.44 | $23.51 | $29.90 | 15,890 |
| Construction laborers | $14.17 | $20.31 | $29.63 | 38,530 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for North Carolina's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$17.87 in 2019 → $22.90 in 2024
$21.48 in 2019 → $26.00 in 2024
$21.24 in 2019 → $24.52 in 2024
$14.79 in 2019 → $20.31 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by North Carolina's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$35.25/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
38,530 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Roofers
-$0.55/hr vs $23.67
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Floor layers (non-carpet)
+ 49% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Pending wage detail pages for review
These generated detail pages are noindex and excluded from sitemap until the YMYL data audit approves them.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in North Carolina
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with North Carolina's contractor licensing board.