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 Virginia
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Virginia. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Virginia
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 19 building trades in Virginia — 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 VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $24.57 | $36.84 | $52.32 | 24,170 |
| Carpenters | $17.91 | $24.15 | $34.49 | 18,340 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $17.71 | $23.32 | $31.63 | 4,550 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $18.49 | $24.89 | $35.96 | 1,800 |
| Tile & stone setters | $12.00 | $19.96 | $30.32 | 570 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $17.81 | $22.88 | $28.95 | 660 |
| Floor sanders & finishers | $14.30 | $22.52 | $32.32 | 210 |
| Carpet installers | $17.76 | $21.78 | $44.68 | 180 |
| Painters | $16.90 | $21.48 | $28.25 | 5,300 |
| Glaziers | $18.64 | $28.00 | $31.92 | 630 |
| Insulation workers | $16.60 | $21.29 | $28.95 | — |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $22.46 | $25.95 | $30.13 | 150 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $18.23 | $26.75 | $30.78 | 1,580 |
| Roofers | $16.73 | $23.52 | $32.58 | 2,360 |
| Electricians | $18.45 | $29.62 | $53.23 | 24,300 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $19.73 | $28.64 | $36.85 | 13,190 |
| HVAC technicians | $19.57 | $29.15 | $39.31 | 13,640 |
| Equipment operators | $19.03 | $25.11 | $35.48 | 11,280 |
| Construction laborers | $15.27 | $19.33 | $26.72 | 26,860 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Virginia's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$20.73 in 2019 → $24.15 in 2024
$24.97 in 2019 → $29.62 in 2024
$24.73 in 2019 → $28.64 in 2024
$15.24 in 2019 → $19.33 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Virginia'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
$36.84/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
26,860 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Glaziers
+$0.72/hr vs $27.28
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Glaziers
+ 52% 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 Virginia
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Virginia's contractor licensing board.