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 West Virginia
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in West Virginia. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in West Virginia
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 16 building trades in West 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.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in WV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $23.12 | $38.64 | $60.30 | 5,550 |
| Carpenters | $17.54 | $22.75 | $31.95 | 2,910 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $15.07 | $22.61 | $28.59 | 570 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $16.50 | $28.24 | $30.31 | 70 |
| Tile & stone setters | $17.28 | $22.40 | $31.96 | 50 |
| Carpet installers | $11.63 | $17.39 | $26.78 | 70 |
| Painters | $13.65 | $20.89 | $31.38 | 800 |
| Glaziers | $16.20 | $23.68 | $32.06 | 130 |
| Insulation workers | $16.37 | $18.16 | $28.14 | 100 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $14.64 | $22.51 | $31.30 | 260 |
| Roofers | $13.18 | $18.95 | $28.32 | 470 |
| Electricians | $18.43 | $30.70 | $42.77 | 4,010 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $16.95 | $23.86 | $39.12 | 1,860 |
| HVAC technicians | $16.95 | $22.13 | $31.44 | 1,450 |
| Equipment operators | $17.18 | $24.04 | $38.87 | 7,940 |
| Construction laborers | $14.05 | $18.64 | $28.64 | 7,580 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for West Virginia's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$20.06 in 2019 → $22.75 in 2024
$26.76 in 2019 → $30.70 in 2024
$24.70 in 2019 → $23.86 in 2024
$15.88 in 2019 → $18.64 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by West 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
$38.64/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Equipment operators
7,940 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Drywall & ceiling-tile installers
+$3.20/hr vs $25.04
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Drywall & ceiling-tile installers
+ 93% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
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 West Virginia
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with West Virginia's contractor licensing board.