An insulation helper feeds the blowing machine, carries bags and batts, lays floor protection and hose, and cleans up so installers can keep working in the attic or walls. It's an entry job where a new hire learns the products, the machines and the safety habits that lead to installing.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, drywall and insulation contractors · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $33,440, middle half $37,200 to $48,270, 90th percentile $57,260. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Lead Installer
Department
Operations
Schedule
7 a.m. to 3 p.m., some overtime · A typical day runs 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with overtime in busy periods and on-call work when the project schedule needs it
Provide essential support to insulation installers by preparing materials, assisting during installations, and ensuring clean and safe job sites to help drive operational excellence.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Assist insulation installers with material setup and installation tasks.
Prepare and organize insulation materials and tools efficiently.
Maintain safe and clean job sites before, during, and after installations.
Support senior team members in various on-site tasks to ensure a streamlined workflow.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Transport and deliver insulation materials to job sites on a daily basis.
Mix, cut, or handle insulation products under the guidance of experienced installers.
Communicate with supervisors about job site conditions and material requirements.
Follow safety protocols and report any hazards immediately.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Material Preparation Efficiency: 100% of materials prepped ahead of installation.
Job Site Cleanliness: Achieve a post-job site inspection score of 95% or higher.
Safety Compliance: Zero safety violations on job sites per month.
On-time Support: Achieve a response time of less than 5 minutes for support requests.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent.
Basic knowledge of home construction principles and insulation materials.
Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively.
Attention to detail and commitment to maintaining high safety standards.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in construction, insulation, or related home services industries.
Previous experience as an apprentice, helper, or entry-level role in physical work environments.
Exposure to job site safety protocols and equipment usage.
Familiarity with basic tools and material handling procedures.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs consistently.
Capacity to work in variable weather conditions including outdoor, cold, or hot environments.
Frequent bending, stooping, and prolonged standing during installations.
Maneuverability in confined spaces and uneven terrain.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM with occasional overtime during peak periods.
On-call duties as required by the project schedule.
Frequent travel between job sites within the designated service area.
Collaborative environment with safety as a top priority.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate ranging from $15 - $20 per hour based on experience.
Performance-based bonuses available quarterly.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage.
401(k) plan with company match and other fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We foster a team-based environment that values growth, learning, and mutual respect.
Our culture is built on integrity, transparency, and a commitment to quality workmanship.
We empower our employees with the tools and training needed to succeed and advance in their careers.
Join a company that celebrates achievements, encourages innovation, and invests in a sustainable future.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What an insulation helper does that other helpers don't
Much of an insulation helper's day is spent at the truck, on a ladder and in the house, feeding material to an installer who may be out of sight in the attic.
The truck end of the hose
On blown jobs the helper often feeds the machine. CertainTeed's instructions for InsulSafe SP blowing insulation say to load one bag at a time, cut bags open away from yourself, never overfill the hopper, and never put hands, broom handles or other objects into the hopper while the machine runs. If something drops in, turn the machine completely off first. Source: CertainTeed: InsulSafe SP installation instruction manual (30-24-302, 2016), dealer-hosted copy.
Exhaust, dust and noise at the machine
The same manual says a truck-mounted machine's engine exhaust must vent outside the truck and away from the blower's air intake. It calls for eye protection, a disposable dust respirator and ear protection while loading the machine or even standing near it. On a new helper's first day, show them where the emergency shutoff is. Source: CertainTeed: InsulSafe SP installation instruction manual (30-24-302, 2016), dealer-hosted copy.
An attic floor is a ceiling of drywall or plaster between the joists, and a foot placed between them can go straight through into the room below. Teach helpers carrying batts or baffles to step only on joists or on boards laid across them, and to keep the hatch opening in sight.
Protect the house before the hose comes in
In a lived-in home, the helper lays runners over the floors, covers anything under the hatch and keeps the hose off painted corners and door frames. At the end, they vacuum the path and look for fiber tracked into other rooms. Homeowners notice a mess long before they notice an attic.
How much insulation helpers make
The closest BLS group for insulation helpers is helpers, construction trades. Helpers, construction trades who work for drywall and insulation contractors earned a median of $20.00 an hour ($41,600 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $42,670 median for helpers, construction trades in all industries. About 2,960 of the 24,770 helpers, construction trades in that survey work for drywall and insulation contractors.
Hourly, with the quarterly bonus the template offers. BLS has no separate code for insulation helpers, so the figures shown are for other construction trade helpers in drywall and insulation contracting. The template's top rate matches that median, and its starting rate sits a little below the low end of the BLS range.
Drywall and insulation contractors
$41,600$41,600 median Middle half $37,200–$48,270 10th–90th $33,440–$57,260
All industries
$42,670$42,670 median Middle half $37,030–$48,880 10th–90th $32,900–$60,080
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Drywall and insulation contractors
$33,440
$37,200
$41,600
$48,270
$57,260
All industries
$32,900
$37,030
$42,670
$48,880
$60,080
BLS reports insulation and drywall contractors together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Reliable about early start times
Follows directions and asks when unsure
Careful with tools, ladders and the customer's home
Can read a bag label and keep an accurate bag count
Willing to wear the protective gear each job calls for
Teach these on the job
Feeding and clearing the blowing machine
Cutting and fitting batts
Air sealing with foam and caulk
Ladder setup and safe footing in attics
Product names and what each one is for
Helpers work with the truck-mounted blowing machine and its hose, foam guns, a staple gun, knives, floor runners, shop vacuums and ladders. Say in the ad that the company supplies protective gear: suits or long sleeves, gloves, eye and ear protection and dust respirators.
Insulation helper interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Attic safety
You're sent into a hot, dim attic to drag the blower hose to the far end. How do you get there safely?
A strong answer: Uses a good light, steps only on joists or walk boards, watches for roofing nails and wires, wears the PPE the lead requires, and keeps in touch with the partner below.
Behavioral · Reliability
Tell me about a time at work, school or volunteering when people counted on you for an early start, like getting outdoor work done before the afternoon heat. How did you handle it?
A strong answer: Showed up as promised, planned around it, and communicated early if something got in the way.
These targets are examples. Your lead installer can judge most of them on site each day, so agree on what counts before you score anyone.
Material Preparation Efficiency
After each job, ask the lead whether bags, batts, hose and air sealing supplies were in place before installers needed them. Record yes or no with a note on anything missing.
Job Site Cleanliness
Use a short end-of-job checklist covering the path through the house, the driveway, the truck and the area under the hatch. The lead or field supervisor scores it before the crew leaves.
Safety Compliance
Count safety rule misses noted by the lead or supervisor, such as missing eye protection or an unsecured ladder, and review each with the helper that week.
On-time Support
Have the lead note any time the helper wasn't there when called for, and why. Spot checks during supervisor visits show how quickly helpers respond.
Career path
Apprentice / helperFeeds the machine, preps materials and learns each product.
Insulation installerInstalls blown and batt insulation and air seals without someone watching.
Yes, often. Helpers carry baffles, batts and air sealing supplies up, hold lights and learn by working beside the installer. On many blown jobs the helper stays at the truck feeding the machine while the installer is in the attic, so the two need a way to talk, such as radios or the machine's remote.
How much does an insulation helper make?
Helpers, construction trades who work for drywall and insulation contractors earned a median of $20.00 an hour ($41,600 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $37,200 and $48,270 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Can an insulation helper work on spray foam jobs?
Helpers can mask windows, cover floors, move hoses and trim cured foam. Anyone inside the work area during spraying needs the protection the company's respirator program sets for that job. Keep new helpers on fiber work at first, and move them to foam after training and the program's clearance.
How long before an insulation helper installs alone?
That varies by person and by the kind of work. A common order is blown attics and batts first, then air sealing, with dense-pack walls and spray foam later. Write a list of skills the lead signs off on, and raise pay as each one is checked off, so helpers can see the path.
What does the insulation helper template mean by 50 pounds, weather and tight spaces?
The 50-pound line means hauling bags of fill, batt rolls and ladders. The weather line covers loading the machine outdoors in summer and winter and working in attics that follow the season. Bending and long standing come with feeding the hopper and cutting batts. Confined spaces and uneven terrain mean crawling through low attics and crawl spaces and crossing muddy new-home lots.
