Drywall Installation Prices – Buzzle

Talk about construction of walls and ceilings, and the first thing which comes to building contractors and architects and interior designers is drywall. Without it, it is impossible to imagine ceilings or walls getting constructed. There is no exception to this material, the world over. Those who are in the concerned industry and in home improvement know it inside out. For those who are not aware of drywall, this may seem like rocket science, though it isn't so. If you are thinking about what is it and what is the cost incured, because you probably are getting construction done, then this text, you would read on, might help you.

Drywall Overview

Also called sheetrock, drywall is primarily a panel made from gypsum plaster. It is pressed between a couple of thick sheets of paper and is used for construction of walls and ceilings. Plaster based interior finish techniques were replaced by drywall, because the installation was easier and faster. Now sheets of it can be manufactured from fiberglass too. It prevents mold from spoiling the parts constructed with it.

Drywall Installation Cost

Several factors go into determining how much money you will have to shell out for getting drywall installed. From the expanse of the area to be covered, you have it all. The professionals charge in a couple of ways. They either charge per square foot or charge by cost per sheet basis.

Labor Charges As mentioned earlier, the cost of installation is determined on per sheet basis as well as cost per square foot. The costs per sheet including the hanging and drywall finishing of the sheet is around $25 to $30. This can go up to $60 or perhaps even more, for high-end and pricey projects. For instance high and wide arches, vaulted ceilings and the like. If the construction requires to be done at height, there will be extra charges for lifting the material up there. The cost per sheet is primarily calculated by the amount of labor required for hanging and finishing the total area. The contractors then make an addition of profit, they think is good enough. That amount is then divided by the number of sheets they have actually installed and finished. The cost for a square foot is the easiest and common method for estimating cost. Drywall prices will range somewhere between 85 cents and $1.15 to $2 for a square foot. The average can be around $1.

Material Costs As mentioned before, material cost constitutes a major chunk of the entire cost. The cost of drywall is influenced by the overall scenario of the housing industry. 4' x 8' x 1/2" drywall sheets, some time ago were priced at less than $6 for a sheet sometime back. Now these can be priced around $9 or $10 or perhaps even more. It will depend eventually on the market scenario as to how much you have to pay. Apart from this in the total cost, the fasteners or drywall screws joint tape and compound and the corner bead also have to be included. Considering all this then, expect the cost to be anything around 30 cents to 55 cents for a square foot.

Additional Costs and Considerations

In cases where the installation job is not huge and is relatively small, the charges go up. To give you an example, if just one wall or a portion of it has to be dealt with, drywall can cost around $60 to 70 per sheet, almost double the cost. It is especially when you compare it with the charges for total renovation of the house. Cheaper price can be accomplished beyond maximum 35 drywall sheets which are installed and finished. Another very important issue is that the contractors will demand more money if you ask them to finish an already hung drywall. Expect to pay more in this scenario.

Finally, if you want to do the installation yourself, the cost will be just between $0.75 and $1. Considering this as a gospel, may land you in a soup. The experts say that this figure can be used as a foundation for determining drywall installation cost and is not the last word on the costs.

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Drywall Installation Prices - Buzzle