How Much Does Basement Spray Foam Insulation Cost In Pennsylvania?

Embarking on a home improvement project can be scary. No matter how handy you are, making changes to your home costs money. As you’ve researched insulation options for your basement, you landed on spray foam. You’re excited about the performance spray foam insulation offers, but you have no idea how much it will cost you. Is spray foam even within your budget?

At South Central Services, we want to equip everyone with the ability to create a ballpark estimate for spray foam. The truth is that the exact cost will vary, but there is a range you can expect to pay. Knowing a range can help you plan your finances and make decisions about insulating your basement.

Our spray foam team mostly works in areas of southern Pennsylvania like Greencastle, McConnellsburg, and Gettysburg. We also travel to Hagerstown, Maryland and some other towns in Virginia and West Virginia. The rates included in this guide are specific to our service area, but the method of calculation is the same no matter where you live.

In this article, you will learn how to calculate a sample estimate for spray foam insulation in basements. Specifically, by the end of this article, you will know:

• How contractors create quotes for spray foam insulation jobs
• What measurements you need to calculate a rough estimate
• How to calculate estimates for basement walls and basement ceilings
• How to save money when you insulate your basement with spray foam

Don't have time to read right now? Check out everything you need to know at a glance.

How To Calculate A Spray Foam Insulation Estimate

Spray foam insulation contractors create their quotes with a measurement called board feet. Board feet is derived from square feet by multiplying square footage and the depth of insulation necessary. While a square foot only measures length and height, a board foot measures length, height, and depth. Check out this visual to demonstrate.

To calculate an estimate for your basement, you’ll need to calculate the board feet of your space. Find the square footage of the area to be sprayed, and then multiply by the number of inches of insulation needed.

For basement applications, closed cell spray foam is applied at 2 to 3 inches depth. Our closed cell spray foam rates are $1.15 to $1.75 per board foot. We’ve summarized this key information into the following chart, which you can reference as you complete your sample estimate.

Sample Basement Ceiling Estimate

If you are insulating your basement ceiling, it is because you are not interested in finishing your basement. By insulating the ceiling, you prevent any temperature differences in the basement from affecting your living space upstairs.

The temperature below ground can still impact the temperature of the basement, but those temperature differences stay in the basement itself.

1. Find Square Footage

This basement ceiling is not a simple rectangle. If we break down the ceiling square footage, we have two rectangles. One is 20 feet wide by 20 feet long, and the other is 10 feet wide by 30 feet long. The total square footage is 700.

[20 ft x 20 ft = 400 sq ft]

[10 ft x 30 ft = 300 sq ft]

[400 sq ft + 300 sq ft = 700 sq ft]

2. Find Board Feet From Square Feet

Our chart shows that the insulation depth necessary for basement ceilings is 3 inches. The board feet for applying closed cell foam is 2,100 board feet.

[700 sq ft x 3 in = 2,100 bf]

3. Find Price Using Board Feet Rate

After calculating the board feet, we can calculate the price. Let’s calculate the average cost to insulate this basement, as well as the highest cost to insulate this basement.

The average closed cell spray foam cost is $1.45 per board foot. For 2,100 board feet, it will cost $3,045 to insulate this basement ceiling with the average rate of closed cell spray foam.

[2,100 bf x $1.45 per bf = $3,045]

The highest closed cell spray foam cost is $1.75 per board foot. For 2,100 board feet, it will cost $3,675 to insulate this basement ceiling with the highest rate of closed cell spray foam.

[2,100 bf x $1.75 per bf = $3,675]

Sample Basement Walls Estimate

If you are insulating your basement walls, it is because you’d like to finish your basement. By insulating your basement walls, you prevent ground temperatures from influencing the basement air. Creating this conditioned space is the first step to finishing your basement, which can increase the resale value of your home.

Check out these recommendations on increasing your home's resale value from our friends at Custom Built Design & Remodeling.

1. Find Square Footage

This large basement is 35 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 8 feet tall. When we calculate the square footage of the walls, we find the area of the two walls that are 35 feet long and the two walls that are 30 feet long. Our total square footage is 1,040.

[35 ft x 8 ft x 2 = 560 sq ft]

[30 ft x 8 ft x 2 = 480 sq ft]

[560 sq ft + 480 sq ft = 1,040 sq ft]

2. Find Board Feet From Square Feet

Our chart shows that the insulation depth necessary for basement walls is 2 inches. The board feet for applying closed cell foam is 2,080 board feet.

[1,040 sq ft x 2 in = 2,080 bf]

3. Find Price Using Board Feet Rate

After calculating the board feet, we can calculate the price. Let’s calculate the average cost to insulate these basement walls and the highest cost.

The average closed cell spray foam cost is $1.45 per board foot. For 2,080 board feet, it will cost $3,016 to insulate these basement walls with the average rate of closed cell spray foam.

[2,080 bf x $1.45 per bf = $3,016]

The highest closed cell spray foam cost is $1.75 per board foot. For 2,080 board feet, it will cost $3,640 to insulate these basement walls with the highest rate of closed cell spray foam.

[2,080 bf x $1.75 per bf = $3,640]

How To Save Money When You Insulate Your Basement

Did you know you could save up to $1,200 of your project cost when insulating your basement? The U.S. federal government has created a tax credit program for home improvements that will run until the end of 2032. For insulation upgrades, you can receive a tax credit of 30% of your project, up to $1,200.

This means the maximum amount you can spend on an insulation upgrade while receiving a 30% tax rebate is $4,000. If your project costs approximately $4,000, you can maximize your savings. As demonstrated with these sample estimates, the cost of closed cell spray foam in a basement will likely fall into this range and maximize savings.

When you have your basement insulated, you will not save 30% upfront. Instead, when you file your tax return, you can fill out a form to claim these savings and receive up to $1,200 back from the government.

Not only can you save money through the government tax credit and on your energy bills: spray foam insulation can be the first step to finishing your basement, which will increase the resale value of your home.

The Bottom Line About The Cost Of Spray Foam In Basements

Where you insulate in your basement will depend on the goal you are trying to achieve. How much the project will cost you will depend on the size of your basement. Generally, basement insulation is the size of a project that can maximize your savings through the federal tax rebate for insulation upgrades. This upgrade is a no-brainer if you need to insulate your basement and can afford a $3,000 to $6,000 investment.

Now that you know how much spray foam will cost in your basement, your next step is to:

• Compare other insulation options for your basement ceiling
• Learn when and how concrete basement walls should be insulated
• Discover if spray foam alone can increase the resale value of your home