How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room In 2024?
- Pete Ortiz
- Last updated:
Some spaces in a home can be extremely noisy. Whether it is a garage workshop that floods the adjacent rooms with irritating sounds or a home office that lets in too much road noise to be a functional workspace, there are numerous reasons why someone might want to soundproof a space. Quieter spaces can help resale values and improve relaxation and concentration potential. If you are looking to have a room soundproofed, how much can you expect to pay? The prices can range from a few hundred dollars to multiple thousands depending on the size and scope of the project.
Here is how much it costs to soundproof a room this year.
Cost to Soundproof a Room in 2024
General Costs
Most soundproofing jobs fall into a certain range. Unless you are planning on doing a very large space or a very specialized project, the majority of estimates will come in between $1,000 and $3,000. Basic soundproofing jobs can be completed for a few hundred dollars, and that usually includes some simple non-permanent alterations to a space.
The average cost of a soundproofing job in the United States is between $1,800 and $1,900, according to the most recent data. However, some jobs can balloon to costs that exceed $10,000 or even $20,000, depending on the type of project and the size of the space. Large basements or high-end home theaters can see costs that rapidly approach and pass the $10,000 mark.
People that do not have massive basements or expensive home theaters can expect to pay around $5,000 on the upper end.
Cost Range | Price ($) |
Basic | $300 – $500 |
Low | $1,000 |
Average | $1,850 |
High | $3,000 – $5,000 |
Cost Per Square Foot and Area
Another way you can estimate the cost of a soundproofing job is to calculate the cost using the total square footage of the area. Basic soundproofing jobs cost around $10 per square foot. That means soundproofing a standard bedroom should cost an estimated $1,300, which tracks right in line with our data.
Intermediate soundproofing is a little more in-depth and therefore costs a little bit more money. Intermediate soundproofing accounts for the average price of most jobs and will eliminate most noise from most spaces. Intermediate soundproofing costs around $15 per square foot.
Full soundproofing makes a space completely insulated from noise. There should be no incoming or outgoing sound from a space. That is the most expensive form of soundproofing and the most complete. Full soundproofing can cost as much as $30 per square foot or more.
Price Range | Cost Per Square Foot |
Basic | $10 |
Intermediate | $15 |
Full | $30+ |
Cost Per Type of Room
Some rooms are more expensive to soundproof than others. Generally, the smaller the room, the easier it is to soundproof. People looking to soundproof a laundry room to keep the noise of the washer and dryer from escaping into the house will be pleased to learn that they are one of the cheapest types of rooms to soundproof. Typical rooms like bedrooms, offices, and home gyms are also reasonably priced.
The most expensive types of spaces to soundproof include garages, basements, and home theaters. These spaces are usually larger and more in-depth than a home office. These spaces are not only larger than a typical bedroom, but they also require more soundproofing material to keep them insulated from noise.
Here are some basic price ranges for the most common types or rooms that people look to have soundproofed.
Type of Room | Price Range |
Bedroom | $1,200 – $5,000 |
Office | $1,000 – $2,500 |
Garage | $2,000 – $15,000 |
Gym | $1,500 – $7,500 |
Laundry Room | $500 – $2,500 |
Basement | $5,000 – $20,000+ |
Home Theater | $1,000 – $10,000 |
Cost Factors
Area
When it comes to the final cost of soundproofing a space one of the biggest factors is the size of the area. The larger the space, the more expensive the soundproofing will be. That is why there are some very large fluctuations in price for areas like basements, theaters, and garages. A large basement is going to cost a lot more money than a small bedroom, even if you are only doing light soundproofing in the basement.
The price per square foot is not a super accurate way to get a final price, but it’s a good measuring stick to estimate the final price of a space based on the area. As the square footage rises, so too does the cost. If you are planning on soundproofing a large room, be sure to also plan for a hefty price tag.
Labor
Another factor that comes into play is labor. Labor can vary wildly from region to region. Some areas primarily use union labor which can be extremely expensive compared to non-union labor. The size of the job also affects the amount of labor you will have to hire. A large basement or garage is going to take a lot more people or a lot more hours to complete than a small job. Labor is generally one of the highest costs, if not the highest cost, of any job, so be sure to factor labor into your estimating process.
Type of Soundproofing
Lastly, you need to think about what kind of soundproofing you want to do. There is full soundproofing which attempts to make a room as noise insulated as possible using a variety of modern methods. There is also basic soundproofing which just aims to reduce the overall noise level entering or leaving a space without making it fully insulated to sound. Full soundproofing is much more expensive than basic soundproofing.
You can also do targeted soundproofing where you just want to soundproof a problem wall, ceiling, or doorway rather than the whole room. Targeted soundproofing is done on a much smaller scale than a whole room job. Even if the soundproofing methods themselves are expensive, if you are only targeting a single wall or window unit, it will be a lot less expensive than if you were planning on covering the whole room.
Additional Costs
Material Removal
One additional cost to be aware of is the cost to remove existing material. If you are changing out windows or drywall or ripping out old tile and replacing it, then you might be hit with a removal fee. Some contractors include the cost of material removal in their initial quote, but not everyone does. Removal fees can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 depending on the size, amount, and type of debris being removed.
Structural Changes
If your soundproofing plan includes any serious structural changes, that could also greatly affect the price of your quote. Changes such as alterations to window or door openings, insulation types, and tile or wall configurations can come with a slew of extra costs. These costs can include permitting, inspections, electrical alterations, engineering consultation, and more. Some serious soundproofing contractors will insist that the best way to cut down on the noise is to completely change a room’s configuration.
Specialized Materials
Another potential upcharge you could face is the cost of specialized materials. Not all soundproofing materials are created equal. Some are far more expensive than others. Basic materials like foam, rugs, fireproof drywall, and weatherstripping are fairly common. Then you have specialized tiles, ceiling blocks, window inserts, soundproofing panels, and unique baffles that are more specialized and more expensive. Pay attention to the details of what type of parts are being recommended before signing off, or you could be in for a surprise when it comes to the cost of materials.
Conclusion
The level of soundproofing, size of the space, and type of room all greatly factor into the final price of an estimate. Large in-depth spaces like home theaters, studios, or basement apartments can quickly run into thousands of dollars. Basic soundproofing for small bedrooms or bathrooms might only cost a few hundred dollars to one thousand. There are numerous reasons why you might want to soundproof a room, numerous ways to do it, and numerous prices that it could cost you in the end.
Featured Image Credit: Radovan1, Shutterstock
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