Insulation recruiters serving Grand Rapids.
BLS counts 25 business locations of nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Grand Rapids.
BLS counts about 500 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Grand Rapids metro, the largest group being construction and building inspectors (about 250). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Insulation hub.
Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)
Grand Rapids: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Building Envelope Insulation Installer
Grand Rapids: 130 employed · $47,220 median, 45th-highest of 69 metros
Spray Foam Technician
Fireproofing / Firestop Technician
Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead
Grand Rapids: 2,490 employed · $75,350 median, 85th-highest of 112 metros
Insulation Estimator
Grand Rapids: 1,100 employed · $76,030 median, 74th-highest of 111 metros
Insulation Project Manager
Grand Rapids: 1,290 employed · $102,370 median, 88th-highest of 111 metros
Abatement-Certified Insulator
Grand Rapids: 120 employed · $45,380 median, 69th-highest of 90 metros
Blower / Loose-Fill Insulation Technician
Insulation Inspector / QC Technician
Grand Rapids: 250 employed · $71,490 median, 54th-highest of 112 metros
What Insulation roles earn in Grand Rapids.
BLS publishes no Grand Rapids pay for insulation workers, mechanical; nationally the median is $58,340. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall in Grand Rapids earn a median $47,220, 4% under the $49,120 national figure, and 45th of 69 metros. Pay runs $38,420 at the tenth percentile to $78,860 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is construction and building inspectors, at $71,490 against $74,690 nationally. BLS withholds Grand Rapids pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Grand Rapids median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)Insulation Workers, Mechanical (47-2132) | – | – | $58,340 | – | – |
| Building Envelope Insulation Installer · Spray Foam Technician · Fireproofing / Firestop TechnicianInsulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (47-2131) | $47,220 | $38,420–$78,860 | $49,120 | −4% | 130 |
| Insulation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $75,350 | $52,470–$113,990 | $79,920 | −6% | 2,490 |
| Insulation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $76,030 | $49,790–$117,320 | $78,740 | −3% | 1,100 |
| Insulation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $102,370 | $61,910–$167,650 | $114,990 | −11% | 1,290 |
| Abatement-Certified InsulatorHazardous Materials Removal Workers (47-4041) | $45,380 | $37,990–$71,750 | $49,450 | −8% | 120 |
| Insulation Inspector / QC TechnicianConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $71,490 | $45,170–$94,870 | $74,690 | −4% | 250 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Grand Rapids metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Grand Rapids's insulation market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Grand Rapids rose from 23 in 2018 to 25 in 2023, up 9%, ahead of the 3% national decline.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: business locations | 23 | 25 | +9% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: employment | – | 711 | – |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: average annual pay | – | $66,081 | – |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Insulation hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Insulation · 2026 Insulation Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Insulation
Grand Rapids runs 26% fewer insulation workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (nearest published occupation for this trade). Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Grand Rapids's insulation market compares
Among the 63 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Grand Rapids ranks 47th for headcount, 43rd for median pay and 45th for concentration for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 330 | $46,390 | 0.61 | 39 |
| Grand Rapids | 130 | $47,220 | 0.74 | 25 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For insulation employers in Grand Rapids, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Grand Rapids metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Insulation licensing in Michigan.
Michigan's only state construction contractor licenses are the Residential Builder and the Maintenance and Alteration Contractor licenses issued by LARA under 1980 PA 299, and insulation work is one of the maintenance and alteration trade classifications. Those licenses apply to residential structures, so they do not qualify anyone for commercial insulation work, and Michigan has no commercial insulation license. The credential that does apply commercially is asbestos: MIOSHA issues the Asbestos Abatement Contractor license required of anyone removing or encapsulating friable asbestos under 1986 PA 135, and separately accredits asbestos workers, supervisors, inspectors, management planners and project designers. Verify the MIOSHA contractor license is current and that every worker and supervisor named on the job appears in the MIOSHA accreditation search. The same state rules apply in Detroit, so candidates licensed there can work in Grand Rapids without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Michigan LARA licenses Residential Builders and Maintenance and Alteration Contractors, residential only, with insulation a listed classification. MIOSHA licenses asbestos abatement contractors and accredits asbestos personnel. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Grand Rapids talent.
The closest metro we cover is Milwaukee, about 115 miles away, with roughly 200 insulation workers, mechanical. BLS does not publish Grand Rapids figures for this occupation, so the nearby markets are the best guide: Chicago has the largest pool within reach, about 930, at a $103,690 median.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | – | – | – |
| Milwaukee | 113 mi | 200 | $86,310 |
| Chicago | 127 mi | 930 | $103,690 |
| Detroit | 140 mi | – | – |
| Madison | 189 mi | 50 | $91,470 |
| Indianapolis | 222 mi | 520 | $74,840 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Grand Rapids crews.
Not insulation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Grand Rapids in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Van Andel Institute Phase II research expansion$178M (completed 2009)Completed 2009 -- not a current project
Wet-lab research space with capacity for 12-15 additional principal investigators. Lab-grade mechanical, electrical, and process-utility construction distinct from hospital work.
- JR Automation headquarters (Zeeland)UndisclosedBroke ground September 2025
A single-campus manufacturing and production headquarters for the lakeshore automation manufacturer, with plans to more than double manufacturing space if market conditions allow - industrial construction outside the Medical Mile corridor.
- Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital addition$1.34BConstruction starting summer 2027, complete 2030
780,000 sq ft and 180 rooms added to Butterworth Hospital. Hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas plumbing, and ICRA-compliant construction at the anchor of Grand Rapids' "Medical Mile."
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Grand Rapids market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for insulation, and what kills offers in Grand Rapids.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 3 things that most often end an insulation offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Insulation credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Insulation hiring in Grand Rapids.
Which insulation roles pay the most in Grand Rapids?
Of the roles we recruit for, Insulation Project Manager pays the most in Grand Rapids, a $102,370 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Insulation Inspector / QC Technician at $71,490, 30% below it. Abatement-Certified Insulator is the lowest-paid field role at $45,380. Insulation Project Manager trails national pay the most (11% below).
How many nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors operate in Grand Rapids?
BLS counted 25 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Grand Rapids in 2023, employing about 711 people between them. Up from 23 in 2018, a 9% increase against 3% decline nationally. That averages 28 people per location. They pay an average of $66,081, 14% below the $77,107 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Grand Rapids for insulation workers, mechanical?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Milwaukee (113 miles, about 200, $86,310 median), Chicago (127 miles, about 930, $103,690 median) and Madison (189 miles, about 50, $91,470 median).
Every hire from zero is a tax on your team.
25 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Grand Rapids are hiring from the same local pool. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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