Remodel cost · Paint, Basements & Additions
Drywall Installation Cost
Drywall, hung and finished
What to expect: Installing drywall costs $2,104 on average, and most homeowners pay $1,000 to $3,253, according to Angi. Hung, taped and finished drywall runs $1.50 to $3 per square foot, or about $60 to $90 per 4x8 panel installed. Labor is roughly 70% of the bill. A small bedroom of 200 sq ft costs $550 to $1,000; a large living room of 500 sq ft costs $1,400 to $2,800.
Drywall (also called sheetrock or gypsum board) is priced by the square foot of wall and ceiling surface, not by the floor area of the room. Angi puts the average installation at $2,104, with most projects between $1,000 and $3,253. Per square foot, hanging and finishing drywall costs $1.50 to $3, materials and labor included. Inch Calculator, using older data, gives $1 to $3 per square foot and an average job of about $1,500.
Cost by room size
These ranges are for hanging and finishing new drywall on the walls of a room, materials and labor included.
| Room | Approx. floor area | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|
| Small bathroom | 100 sq ft | $400 – $650 |
| Small bedroom | 200 sq ft | $550 – $1,000 |
| Large bedroom | 300 sq ft | $900 – $1,500 |
| Small living room | 400 sq ft | $1,100 – $2,200 |
| Large living room | 500 sq ft | $1,400 – $2,800 |
| Large open space | 600 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,100 |
Source: Angi.
Inch Calculator works through a 10' x 12' room with an 8-foot ceiling, walls and ceiling together: about 472 square feet of board, or 15 sheets of 4'x8' drywall. It estimates $710 to $1,650 for the job, of which only $235 to $375 is materials. For an average 12' x 12' room it gives $580 to $1,800.
How to estimate your square footage
Measure the length of each wall and multiply by the ceiling height, then add the ceiling area if it is being drywalled too. Do not subtract small openings; installers waste some board on cuts around doors, windows and outlets anyway. A standard 4'x8' sheet covers 32 square feet, so dividing the total by 32 gives a rough sheet count. Angi puts the installed cost at about $60 to $90 per panel; Inch Calculator's all-in figure is $40 to $50 per sheet including compound, screws, tape and labor.
Labor vs. materials
Labor is about 70% of a drywall bill, according to Angi. Installer labor alone runs $1 to $2.10 per square foot. The work happens in stages: hanging the board, taping the seams, applying several coats of joint compound, sanding and, for a smooth finish, a final skim coat. Each coat has to dry, which is why even a single room often takes several days.
Cost by drywall type
Standard 1/2-inch board is the default for walls. Special boards cost more per square foot of material (Angi):
| Board type | Material cost per sq ft | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture-resistant | $0.55 – $0.70 | Bathrooms, laundry rooms |
| Mold-resistant | $0.65 – $0.75 | Basements, humid areas |
| Fire-resistant (Type X) | $0.55 – $0.90 | Garages, furnace rooms, shared walls |
| Soundproof | $1.85 – $3.00 | Home theaters, bedrooms next to living areas |
| Eco-friendly | $0.70 – $0.90 | Low-VOC and recycled-content projects |
By thickness, Angi lists average panel prices of $15 for 1/4-inch, $16 for 3/8-inch, $20 for 1/2-inch, $21 for 5/8-inch and $23 for 3/4-inch board. Building codes often require 5/8-inch fire-rated board on the wall between a garage and the house; your local inspector will confirm what applies.
Cost by finish level
The drywall industry describes six finish levels, from bare hung board (Level 0) to a full skim coat (Level 5). Higher levels mean more compound, more sanding and more time.
| Finish level | What it includes | Cost per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Level 0 | Board hung, no tape or compound | $0.80 – $1.00 |
| Level 1 | Tape set in compound (attics, hidden areas) | $1.00 – $2.00 |
| Level 2 | One thin coat over tape (garages, tile backing) | $1.25 – $2.50 |
| Level 3 | Two coats; good under heavy texture | $1.50 – $3.00 |
| Level 4 | Three coats; standard for painted living spaces | $1.65 – $3.15 |
| Level 5 | Full skim coat; smooth under glossy paint or strong light | $2.00 – $3.50 |
Source: Angi.
Most homes are finished to Level 4. Choose Level 5 for walls with raking light from large windows or where you plan a flat-sheen or glossy paint, since every imperfection shows. Adding a texture such as knockdown or orange peel costs $1 to $1.95 per square foot (Angi).
Removing old walls first
If you are replacing walls rather than covering open studs, budget for demolition and disposal. Angi puts replacing old plaster walls with drywall at $1.50 to $3 per square foot. In older homes, plaster and some joint compounds can contain asbestos, and old paint can contain lead, so have the material tested before you tear anything out.
Other costs
- Permit: about $50 to $150 where required (Angi). Many towns require one for new walls, basement finishing or work behind which wiring and plumbing will be closed up.
- Painting: new drywall needs a coat of primer before paint. Interior painting is a separate trade and a separate line on most quotes.
- Insulation, electrical and plumbing: all of these must be done and inspected before the walls are closed.
- Trim: baseboards, door casing and window trim go back on after the drywall is finished.
Drywall cost by location
Angi publishes typical project totals by state and metro. Examples: Ohio $1,400, Alabama, North Carolina and Texas $1,600, Florida $1,700, California $1,800, Atlanta $2,000, New York and Pennsylvania $2,300 and Mississippi $2,700. These reflect the mix of projects in each area as well as labor rates, so use them as a rough guide rather than a quote.
Drywall vs. plaster
Drywall is the standard for new walls because it goes up quickly in large sheets and needs only a few days of finishing. Traditional plaster is applied wet in several coats by a specialist, which takes longer and usually costs more. Plaster is harder and more sound-dampening and is still used in restoration work on older houses.
DIY or hire a pro?
Hanging drywall is within reach for a handy homeowner on a small project, and Inch Calculator's example shows materials for a whole room at a few hundred dollars. Finishing is the hard part: getting flat, invisible seams takes practice, and poor taping shows through paint. Ceilings are especially difficult without a drywall lift. A common compromise is to hang the board yourself and hire a finisher for the tape and mud, which keeps most of the labor savings while getting a professional surface.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Is the quote for walls only or walls and ceilings, and what square footage is it based on?
- What finish level is included, and is texture extra?
- Which board types will be used in wet areas and on fire-rated walls?
- Are demolition, debris removal and primer included?
- Who pulls the permit and schedules inspections?
Sources
General contractors in Texas
Our Texas business directory lists 3,666 general contractors across 6 major cities. The ratings below are the average Google rating of the listed businesses in each city, and the review counts are the total number of Google reviews they have received.
| City | Businesses listed | Avg. Google rating | Total reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 1,568 | 4.4 | 21,319 |
| Dallas | 494 | 4.3 | 6,725 |
| San Antonio | 509 | 4.2 | 9,067 |
| Austin | 556 | 4.3 | 9,044 |
| Fort Worth | 332 | 4.3 | 3,892 |
| El Paso | 207 | 4.1 | 2,486 |
Source: twupro Texas business directory, built from public Google Maps listings.
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