Contractor costs in New York, NY

Services indexed

12

Hourly range, avg

$104–$174/hr

New York median

$139/hr

Most affordable: Painter · Premium: Attorney

The New York contractor market

New York indexes 12 services across 3 categories, with hourly rates spanning $45/hr (Painter) to $730/hr (Attorney). The city median of $139/hr runs 62% above the national average across all indexed cities. Construction is the largest service block here (6 of 12 services).

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data adjusted for New York cost of living. Read the methodology.

Home Repair & Maintenance

4 services

Construction

6 services
Basement Waterproofing New York, NY

Basement Waterproofing Cost in New York City 2026: Real Rates by Borough

NYC basement waterproofing $77-$128/hr (avg $102). Borough breakdown, DOB permits, brownstone hydrostatic fixes, FEMA flood-zone impact.

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Carpenter New York, NY

Carpenter Cost in New York City 2026: Real Rates by Borough

NYC carpenter rates run $61-$102/hr (avg $82). Borough breakdown, DCWP HIC license, DOB ALT permits, and how pre-war trim and built-ins change pricing.

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Flooring New York, NY

Flooring Cost in New York City 2026: Real Rates by Borough

NYC flooring rates run $61-$102/hr (avg $82). Borough breakdown, DCWP HIC license, co-op IIC 55 rules, and how pre-war oak refinishing changes pricing.

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General Contractor New York, NY

General Contractor Cost in New York City 2026: Real Rates by Borough

NYC GC rates $99-$164/hr (avg $131). Borough breakdown, DOB ALT-2 permits, co-op alteration rules, pre-war building premium.

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Painter New York, NY

Painter Cost in New York City 2026: Real Rates by Borough

NYC painter rates run $45-$75/hr (avg $60). Borough breakdown, pre-war plaster prep, lead-paint rules, and how co-op buildings change pricing.

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Roofer New York, NY

Roofer Cost in New York City 2026: Real Rates by Borough

NYC roofer rates run $56-$93/hr (avg $74). Borough breakdown, DOB permit costs, LPC landmark rules, and how slate vs. flat-roof work changes pricing.

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Professional Services

2 services

Frequently asked

7 answers

What's the average hourly rate for home services in New York?

Across the 12 home and professional services we index in New York, the median consumer rate is $139/hr. Hourly rates span $104/hr at the affordable end to $174/hr at the premium end, depending on service type and contractor.

Which service is most expensive in New York?

Attorney carries the highest typical rate in New York at $438–$730/hr. Premium professional and licensed services consistently command the highest rates across our index.

Which service is most affordable in New York?

Painter sits at the lower end of the New York index at $45.12–$75.2/hr. Routine maintenance and cleaning categories typically cluster at the bottom of any city's price spread.

How do New York rates compare to the national average?

New York is 62% above the national average of $86/hr across our 49-city corpus. Local wage data and cost of living drive most of this difference — see the geographic precision note for the underlying data.

Which service category has the broadest coverage in New York?

Construction has the most indexed services in New York (6 guides), reflecting both local demand and the breadth of BLS wage data available for that segment.

Are these prices what consumers pay, or what workers earn?

Consumer-facing rates. We apply industry-standard 1.5–2.5× multipliers to BLS hourly wages to account for business overhead, insurance, licensing, employer costs, and profit margin. The full calculation is documented in the methodology.

How often is New York pricing data updated?

Pricing reflects the BLS OEWS May 2024 release. The next refresh lands when May 2025 data is published in April 2026. Cadence is documented in the update schedule.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 · Methodology · Last refreshed January 2026