How Much Do Drywall Contractors Charge in 2025?

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Drywall companies charge an average of $35 – $80 per hour. Some charge by the square foot ($1.35 – $1.80/sq ft) The rate is determined by skill level and type of drywall repairs needed.

Does your home need drywall? If so, here’s what you need to know about drywall contractor cost and how to find drywall companies near you.

Drywall is an amazing invention. It may seem basic, but this brilliant innovation will save you lots of money and time.

In fact, the invention of drywall dates back to the early 19th century. Ironically, the material was slow to take off at first. People thought it was not as sturdy as traditional construction methods.

However, by the time the second world war passed, the U.S public appreciated the speed and drywall contractor cost effectiveness. What would have taken weeks now takes days, and what would have cost thousands of dollars now costs hundreds of dollars. The appeal is clear.

So what is the cost of drywalling? The lower end costs start at around $400 and go up to $4500. That is a big variation.

Here, you will learn the fundamentals of how to cost a drywall job so that you can work out the basic costs and then select the best company for you.

Drywall Contractor Cost – Fair Game?

Obtaining a quote for a construction project can be straightforward, but evaluating its value is more complex.

Choosing a contractor involves considering various factors, not just price. Price is important, but reputation and reliability are equally critical.

Selecting a contractor based on their reputation or a referral doesn’t necessarily mean their pricing is the most competitive.

The best strategy to ensure fair pricing is through self-education about job costing. Armed with knowledge, you can potentially influence the price to a certain extent.

Always Do Your Math

The fundamentals of drywall contractor cost are based on three important variables. These are:

• Number of drywall sheets
• Cost of Labor
• Time to complete the job

Gaining an understanding of these areas will give you what you need to calculate an approximate price for the job you are planning. The truth is there are no shortcuts or quick fix tools. You need to do the math and a well-estimated price will follow.

Calculate Your Surface Area to be Drywalled

• Measure Wall Dimensions: Use a tape measure to ascertain the size of the walls.
• Calculate Floor and Ceiling Area: Measure the room’s floor area and ceiling height for a basic estimate.
• Consider Windows and Doors: Generally, they don’t significantly reduce the number of drywall sheets needed, except for large ones covering over 50% of the wall.
• Standard Drywall Sheet Size: These are typically 4 x 8 feet.
• Calculate Sheet Quantity: Divide your wall’s total square footage by 32 to estimate the number of drywall sheets required.
• Check Prices with Suppliers: Contact local suppliers for the cost per drywall sheet.
• Calculate Total Cost: Multiply the number of sheets needed by the price per sheet.
• Competitive Pricing: Expect competitive prices at major stores or depots.
• Additional Material Costs: Factor in the cost for fasteners and adhesive, which can bring the overall cost to between 30 and 40 cents per square foot.

Cost of Drywall Labor

Each contractor will have their own way of calculating the labor cost. However, here are some principles to keep in mind so that you can discern whether the quote you are being given is reasonable or not.

A contractor will expect to make about $300 per day. Other support workers will make less but they too would expect around $20 per hour.

The smaller the job the more expensive it will be on a per square footage basis. The larger the job the cheaper it will be. Once the job exceeds about 75 sheets then you will get the standard footage rate within the quote.

Time is Money

This is well known. Your contractor will use his previous experience to estimate the man-hours required to complete the job. This will then be multiplied by their own labor cost.

The basic principle here is that the more complex the job, the longer it will take. That means, if you have high ceilings then it will likely take longer as access is more complicated.

Also, keep in mind any complex fixtures or features that may be present in the ceiling or wall. Working around these will add extra time.

Always Compare Drywall Contractor Quotes

If you want to assess a quote you will need to request multiple quotes so that you can make a comparison. If you are too effectively compare prices then you need the quote to be as detailed as possible. Then you can actually compare aspects of the quote other than the final price.

Drywall Pricing – Final Thought

In this article, you have read about the basic principles behind drywall contractor cost. Once you understand these you can make meaningful comparisons between the quotes that you will receive.

You can request references so that you can get a good idea of the work they have already done and how satisfied their customers were. In fact, this is one of the best things you can do.

Sometimes, experience is worth paying more for as it can save you money in the long run.