How Much Does Drywall Installation Cost

May it be for residential homes or commercial buildings—drywall is often used in creating the interior wall and ceiling of a structure. It has long known to be a great choice because of its quality and price. Drywall prices typically start from $1.30 to $4 per square foot.  For a 12’x12 bedroom, with 8’ as its ceiling height, the cost to install a drywall may fall around $200. As a whole, drywall installation costs may range from $200 to $4,000.

Also known as plasterboard, wallboard, sheet rock, gypsum board, drywall is a material that is made of gypsum. It is usually pressed and used to serve as sturdy interior walls and ceilings for modern homes and commercial buildings. As an alternative to lath and plaster, drywall installation became popular as it was more time efficient and less expensive.

For some drywall, gypsum is mixed with elements that are flame-resistant and mildew-retarding; this may affect drywall prices. Moisture-resistant and sound-resistant drywall also exist. Most often, drywall is fastened with screws to the wood studs that make up a wall structure.

Usually, drywall installation will take around 3 days to complete.

Costs for drywall installation

Drywall installation costs will heavily depend on the materials, besides the drywall, needed for the installation. Materials commonly used for this project are the following:

• Screws – costs around $6 for a 1 pound of screws
• Tape – costs around $4.50 per 150 feet.
• Joint compound or mud – costs around $14 for each pail weighing 45 pounds
• Labor costs – It costs roughly around $25 per sheet
• Drywall costs – For a 4’x 8’ drywall sheet, it may cost around $9

Different types of drywall

When concerned about the cost to install a drywall, it is important to know that there are different types of drywall. Each type serves its own unique purpose.

• Fire-resistant drywall – For this type of drywall, flames and heat cannot easily penetrate. This is mostly used in garage walls and utility rooms for buildings wherein fireproofing is required by the code.
• Paperless drywall – Instead of having the core sheathed with paper, the gypsum core of this type of drywall is sheathed with fiberglass which does not absorb moisture. It is not waterproof but this resists moisture and molds more.
• Standard drywall – This is the type which not mixed with elements for moisture, fire or sound resistance. It serves as a great choice for most rooms except those that are prone to high levels of humidity or where the building code requires fire-resistant drywall.
• Moisture-resistant drywall – This is usually the best choice for kitchens, bathrooms, basements and other rooms that are quite prone to humidity. This type of drywall is mixed with water-resistant additives.
• Sound-control drywall – As implied by the name, this type of drywall reduces transmission of sound. Additives are mixed with the drywall material in order to achieve its noise reduction ability. This drywall is used for rooms wherein noise control is essential.

In the United States, drywall is also categorized into 4 different thicknesses. Each thickness type serves its own purpose. These are the following:

• ¼ inch – This drywall is often used to cover existing surfaces in an attempt to create a smoother finish.

• 3/8 inch – This is mostly used to repair or replace existing panels of the same thickness in order to come up with a cleaner and smoother surface.

• ½ inch – This is the most common drywall size used and so, some manufacturers have created another version of this type which is much lighter in weight.

• 5/8 inch – Drywalls that are fire-resistant or has sound control often use this size.

Factors that increase drywall installation costs

Of course, it is understandable that like all other costs, there are several factors that influence the increase and decrease of drywall installation costs. These factors may be important to look into especially for those homeowners who want to minimize their expenses in their drywall installation project. Listed below are some of these factors:

• Having to remove old materials will add to the costs of drywall installation. This job needs a lot of labor as it is can also get messy. Moreover, there are disposal fees that you will have to take of too. One way to lessen this aspect of the cost is by doing the disposal by yourself. Usually, hiring a handyman or contractor to do the job may cost you $0.40 to $3.25 per square foot whereas doing it by yourself will only cost $0.40 to $1.00 per square foot.

• Another factor that may increase drywall installation costs is the number of corners. If your home has more than eight corners, it is expected that you will pay more per square foot when it comes to the installation.

• An additional to the expenses is texturing the ceiling—because it takes so much labor processes since applying mud coating as well as sanding is necessary.

Now that we know about drywall prices, it’s easy to say that the cost to install a drywall is truly worth it as its quality has been proven by its far-fetched popularity through the years. In most cases, drywall installation costs are not that high up the ladder even when it is done professionally—furthermore, what is great is that drywall installation can be done by yourself too.