How to estimate drywall jobs?

Author: Ms. Rosalia Blanda  |  Last update: Saturday, February 28, 2026

Calculate how many drywall sheets you will need by dividing the total square footage of area by 32 (if you're using 4-by-8 sheets) or by 48 (if you're using 4-by-12 sheets). If you want to get the cost, just multiply the total number of sheets by the price per sheet.

How do you calculate drywall labor?

To estimate labor costs, you can:
  1. Charge based on the square footage of the area where you will install the drywall.
  2. Use your workers' hourly labor rates to establish a base rate.

How to bid a drywall job for beginners?

How to Bid on a Drywall Job
  1. Choose the right project. Before quoting a drywall project, you must know the best projects to bid for your company. ...
  2. Review bid documents or make a site visit. ...
  3. Perform a quantity takeoff. ...
  4. Price your materials and supplies. ...
  5. Estimate labor. ...
  6. Add overhead and profit. ...
  7. Write your proposal.

How do I charge for a drywall job?

About $30 per board. A drywall guy once told me that a quick way to calculate a whole house worth of work is to multiply the living sq footage by 3.5 then divide that by 48 sq ft ( 12 ft drywall ) and then multiply times per sheet cost.

How to write an estimate for a drywall job?

Calculating drywall costs include two factors: material costs (such as drywall, tape, screws & mud) and labor costs. So, identify such material costs as per project requirements and add them to the overall project cost. You can also include an additional service charge if needed to carry out a drywall job.

3 MUST HAVES TO BID DRYWALL, FAST EASY ESTIMATES

How do drywallers quote?

The average cost to install drywall includes materials and labor and runs between $1.50 and $3 per square foot. That equates to about $60 to $90 per drywall panel.

What is the formula for calculating drywall?

Estimate Drywall Sheets

Calculate how many drywall sheets you will need by dividing the total square footage of area by 32 (if you're using 4-by-8 sheets) or by 48 (if you're using 4-by-12 sheets). If you want to get the cost, just multiply the total number of sheets by the price per sheet.

How do I quote a drywall repair job?

Hourly Pricing (Time + Materials)

The total cost of the drywall job is determined mainly by how long it takes to complete. Hourly pricing appeals to some customers because of the perceived transparency in the charges. The itemized estimate shows the customer the hourly pricing and material costs.

What is the profit margin on drywall?

Drywall companies should aim for a 15-20% profit margin. This means when calculating how much to charge, include costs like sheets of drywall, mud, tape, and labor.

How much do drywallers make per sheet?

About $50 per 8' sheet or $65 for a 12'. Maybe less if it was actually hung clean and not too many complications.

How much is labor to hang drywall per sheet?

Drywall installation costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot, depending on the ceiling height, drywall type, and finish level. Drywall costs $0.50 to $0.80 per square foot for materials. The labor cost to hang and finish drywall is $1.00 to $2.70 per square foot. The cost to drywall a 12' x 12' room is $580 to $1,800.

Do drywall contractors make good money?

$41,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $55,500 is the 75th percentile.

How long should a drywall job take?

If the framing isn't too complicated, an experienced drywall crew can finish a 2,000-square-foot house within a week. A single room or basement could take a few days, while larger homes may take three or four weeks.

How much per hour to do drywall?

$19.23 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers. $25.24 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.

How do you calculate wall estimate?

To calculate the square footage of a wall, measure its length and height and then multiply together to find the total area. For example, if a wall is 12 feet long and 10 feet high, the calculation would be: Square footage = length (12 feet) × height (10 feet) = 120 square feet.

Is Drywalling profitable?

Drywall business is considered one of the most effective and profitable businesses in the construction industry. You can give it proper time, always going to have work, and the most significant part is that there is no heavy-duty equipment required to get the job done, unlike other areas in construction.

How do you estimate drywall work?

Measure By Square Footage:

The standard drywall service charges range from about $0.24 – $0.70 per sq. ft. discluding the labor markup. The price that contractors charge for drywall installation ranges from $1.50-$3.00 per square foot.

How to charge drywall repair?

Some contractors charge between $50 and $75 per square foot. Similar work will cost between $60 and $90 per hour if the contractor charges hourly. Basic repairs like small holes are on the lower side of the cost range, while fixing extensive damage and drywall replacement are on the higher end.

How much does a drywall person charge?

Drywall repair cost per square foot

Drywall repair costs $50 to $100 per square foot for small fixes or $2 to $6 per square foot when replacing entire walls or ceilings. Most drywall contractors charge $50 to $400 per hole or crack instead, depending on the size, location, and damage.

What do you call someone who repairs drywall?

Drywall installers are also called drywallers or hangers. They cut and hang the panels of wallboard. The tools they use include tape measures, straightedges, utility knives, and power saws.

How many sheets of drywall is 1000 sq ft?

Standard Drywall sheets are 4 ft X 8 ft = 32 square feet. So, excluding waste in fitting, 1,000 square feet divided by 32 sq. ft./sheet = about 32 sheets.

What is drywall estimator?

Drywall estimation is the process of calculating the amount of materials required to construct or repair a drywall structure. It involves assessing the space that requires drywall installation, calculating the quantity of materials required, and estimating the total cost for acquiring them.

How much drywall mud for 1000 square feet?

The coverage rate is comparable to other USG ready-mix joint compounds. You can anticipate approximately two 4.5 gallon pails of Sheetrock® Brand UltraLightweight All Purpose Joint Compound to finish 1000 sq. ft. of gypsum wallboard.

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