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What drywall costs in 2026, how much of the bill is hanging versus finishing, and why small patches are priced by the job instead of the square foot.
Drywall installation costs $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft, or $1,000 to $3,000 for most projects. Small patches run $300 to $500 and large repairs $500 to $800.
Drywall installation costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot of wall or ceiling, including hanging, taping, mudding and sanding. Materials are only $0.50 to $0.80 per square foot, so labor is most of the bill. Most projects land between $1,000 and $3,000, and Angi puts the national average at $2,104.
The finish level changes the price as much as the square footage. Hanging alone runs $0.85 to $1.90 per square foot, taping and mudding add $0.35 to $1.10, and texture adds $0.80 to $2.00. Removing old drywall adds $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot, and small repairs are priced per job because setup takes longer than the patch.
Installed price at the national range of $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft of wall surface, the same rate as our live row. Bars assume standard half-inch drywall, a level 4 finish and ceilings up to 9 ft.
Calculated from the national per-square-foot range and checked against HomeGuide and Angi in Oct 2026. A 12 by 12 room has about 530 sq ft of wall and ceiling, which lands near $800 to $1,850, close to HomeGuide's $580 to $1,800 for that room.
National ranges, installed. Your city can run 10 to 20 percent either way, so check the local pages before you compare quotes.
Live prices for standard half-inch drywall, compared with HomeGuide and Angi in Oct 2026.
Six things move a drywall quote more than anything else. Ask for each one as a line item, because hanging and finishing are separate skills and separate prices.
Drywall is priced per square foot of wall and ceiling, and taller ceilings add surface. A 12 by 12 room has around 530 sq ft, while a 2,000 sq ft house runs $8,000 to $30,000, per HomeGuide.
Hanging runs $0.85 to $1.90 per sq ft, while taping, mudding and sanding add $0.35 to $1.10. The finish level decides how many coats and how much sanding, which is where the labor hours go.
Half-inch standard panels cost about $20 each, while moisture-resistant and fire-rated panels cost more and soundproof panels $1.85 to $3 per sq ft. Thicker panels weigh more and take two people to hang.
A level 4 finish is standard for paint, while level 5 costs more for glossy paint and strong side light. Texture adds $0.80 to $2.00 per square foot, and a skip trowel or knockdown takes a skilled hand.
Small hole patches run $300 to $500 and large repairs $500 to $800, because setup, taping and sanding cost more than the panel. Removing old drywall adds $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot before new board goes up.
Stairs, tight hallways and upper floors slow sheet goods down, and 12 ft sheets may not fit around a corner. Hauling and dump fees add to removal, and crews charge more for occupied rooms that need protection.
Materials are the cheap part of drywall. HomeGuide puts panels and mud at $0.50 to $0.80 per square foot against $1.00 to $2.70 for labor and finishing, which is why a small job costs so much per square foot once setup is counted.
HomeGuide drywall installation cost guide, material and finish tables, Oct 2026.
Hanging drywall is heavy work but learnable. A small patch, a closet or a garage wall is a reasonable DIY job with a helper, a screw gun and a drywall lift for ceilings. Taping to a level 4 finish is where most first attempts show.
Finishing is the skill. Thin coats, feathered edges and patient sanding decide whether the wall looks flat under paint. Ceilings, moisture-resistant bathrooms and fire-rated walls are worth hiring out, and a bad patch is visible every day.
Material prices by type from Angi and HomeGuide, before labor. The installed price adds finishing, which is the same for every panel type except for the extra weight and cutting time.
Angi drywall type and thickness tables and HomeGuide panel prices, compared Oct 2026.
The right scope depends on what is behind the wall. Bare studs need installation, a sound wall with a hole needs a patch, and a damaged or damp wall needs the panels replaced.
Repair small damage, replace panels that are soft or moldy, and install new drywall when the studs are bare. Price the job with our quote checker before you compare bids.
Hanging is fast and finishing is slow, which is why the finish level drives the invoice. Every step below should be in the scope and the schedule.
The crew measures wall and ceiling area, adds about 10 percent for cuts, and orders panels, screws, tape, corner bead and compound.
Floors and furniture are covered, panels are leaned safely, and a lift goes in for ceiling work.
Panels are cut to fit, hung across the studs, screwed on schedule and checked so the joints land tight and flat.
Tape is embedded in compound at seams and corners, and corner bead goes on every outside corner.
Two or three thin coats of compound are feathered wide and sanded smooth between coats.
The wall is sanded to the chosen finish level, then textured if specified and primed for paint.
Dust is cleaned, scraps are hauled out, and the crew walks the walls with a light to catch ridges.
Detailed cost guides for each job are being written; the tools above price every one of them today.
Checked against the official source on Oct 28, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Drywall work is regulated by permit, and by state license for some trades.
Drywall installation costs $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft, including hanging, taping and sanding. Most projects run $1,000 to $3,000, and Angi puts the national average at $2,104. A 12 by 12 room costs $580 to $1,800, per HomeGuide.
A 12 by 12 room has about 530 sq ft of wall and ceiling, and drywalling it costs $580 to $1,800, per HomeGuide. That includes hanging, finishing and a standard paint-ready surface. Texture, removal of old panels and ceiling height add to the price.
Drywall costs $30 to $70 per sheet installed, including labor, per HomeGuide. A half-inch 4 by 8 sheet costs about $20, and the rest is screws, mud, tape and finishing. Thicker, moisture-resistant and soundproof panels cost more.
A small hole patch costs $300 to $500, a large repair $500 to $800 and a ceiling repair $350 to $1,500. Repairs are priced per job because setup, taping and sanding take longer than the patch itself. Several patches in one visit save money.
Repair is cheaper for small holes, cracks and stains on sound panels. Replace when the drywall is soft, moldy or water damaged, because replacing runs $2.00 to $6.00 per sq ft against $300 to $800 for a patch. Fix the leak first either way.
A small room takes one to two days to hang and tape, and several more days of drying and sanding between coats. Whole-house jobs take a week or more. Compound has to dry between coats, so warm, dry weather helps.
Level 4 is the standard paint-ready finish with three coats and a sanded surface. Level 5 adds a skim coat over the whole wall for glossier paint and strong side light. Level 5 costs more but hides seams and ridges.
Sometimes, when the old wall is sound, flat and not water damaged, and the added thickness does not break door and window trim. Most pros prefer removal so wiring, insulation and moisture problems can be checked while the wall is open.
A simple repair usually does not need one, but new partitions, basement finishes and fire-rated walls often do. Ask the contractor who pulls the permit and who meets the inspector, because rules differ by city and by the scope of work.