$1.50 – $3.50That is the typical drywall installation cost in 2026 per square foot of wall, hung, taped and finished, materials included. HomeGuide and Fixr both give that range. For a whole 12 by 12 ft bedroom, HomeGuide puts the job at $580 to $1,800, and Fixr’s national average range for a typical project is $1,600 to $3,500, about $2,000 for 1,000 square feet. Hanging and finishing are priced separately, and finishing is the larger share of the labor, as the finish-level section below shows.
This guide covers new board: what a sheet costs, what hanging and finishing each add, and what a room, a basement or a whole house runs. If you only need to patch a hole or a crack, that is a different, smaller bill. For a project that also moves walls, see our guides to basement finishing cost and home addition cost, where drywall is one line among many, and to our basement remodel cost, kitchen remodel cost and bathroom remodel cost guides for whole-room budgets.
Drywall installation cost per square foot
| Item | HomeGuide | Fixr | Homewyse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed, hung and finished (walls) | $1.50 – $3.50 | $1.50 – $3.50 | $2.26 – $2.69 (hanging estimate, 500 sq. ft. example) |
| Ceiling | $1.50 – $3.80 | no separate rate; 10% – 30% more for cathedral or vaulted ceilings | — |
| Board only (materials) | $0.50 – $0.80 | $0.42 – $0.50 for standard board | — |
| Labor to hang and finish | $1.00 – $2.70 | $1.15 – $3.00 | — |
| Labor share of the total | 65% – 75% | — | — |
| Removing the old drywall (extra) | $0.50 – $2.50 | $0.50 – $1.00 | $182 – $221 for its 500 sq. ft. example |
| Replacing drywall (removal plus new board) | $2.00 – $6.00 | $2.00 – $4.50 | — |
HomeGuide and Fixr agree on the headline range. Homewyse’s May 2026 estimate for hanging a 500 sq. ft. job, $1,135 to $1,347 or $2.26 to $2.69 per square foot, sits inside it and is narrower (Homewyse). An older guide, Forbes Home (audited March 1, 2024), is wider at $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot, with a national average project of $1,500 and a spread from $500 to $5,600 (Forbes Home). Prices fall as the job grows: HomeGuide says most contractors charge more per square foot for small jobs, and Fixr says most installers charge less per square foot to do a whole house than for small jobs.
Estimate your drywall installation cost
Our estimate: the published ranges above multiplied out for your inputs. Not a quote. Ranges from HomeGuide (September 2025) for standard board on walls and ceilings, hang-only, texture, painting, removal, permits and asbestos testing, and from Fixr (January 2025) for the board types. Labor share set at 70%, the midpoint of the 65% to 75% HomeGuide gives. Framing, insulation and repairs behind the old walls are not included. State adjustment: BLS construction wages (May 2025), applied to an assumed 70% labor share. How we calculate
Cost by room and house size
| Space | Drywall area (HomeGuide) | HomeGuide | Fixr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 x 8 ft bathroom | 200 – 250 sq. ft. | $300 – $1,000 | $430 – $500 |
| 12 x 12 ft bedroom | 380 – 530 sq. ft. | $580 – $1,800 | $675 – $725 |
| Living room | 580 – 900 sq. ft. (16 x 20 ft room) | $850 – $3,100 | $960 – $2,800 (walls of a 300 sq. ft. room) |
| Garage | 730 – 1,130 sq. ft. (20 x 20 ft) | $1,000 – $3,900 | $700 – $750 (two-car) |
| 1,000 sq. ft. basement | 1,000 – 2,000 sq. ft. | $1,500 – $7,000 | $1,380 – $1,500 |
Fixr notes that a garage is often left mostly unfinished with just a skim coat of joint compound, which keeps the cost per square foot low, and that single rooms priced by the sheet run about $120 to $130 a sheet fully installed (Fixr). HomeGuide says contractors recommend moisture-resistant or mold-resistant board in a basement and thicker, fire-resistant board in a garage (HomeGuide). Ceilings alone, per HomeGuide: bathroom $60 to $150, bedroom $210 to $550, living room $360 to $1,200, garage $600 to $1,500 and basement $900 to $3,500.
| House size | Drywall area | Whole-house cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1,200 sq. ft. | 4,200 – 6,000 sq. ft. | $5,000 – $20,000 |
| 1,500 sq. ft. | 5,500 – 7,200 sq. ft. | $5,500 – $22,000 |
| 2,000 sq. ft. | 8,000 – 10,000 sq. ft. | $8,000 – $30,000 |
| 2,500 sq. ft. | 9,000 – 12,500 sq. ft. | $9,000 – $35,000 |
| 3,000 sq. ft. | 10,500 – 14,500 sq. ft. | $10,000 – $45,000 |
Our estimate: Fixr says a 2,000 sq. ft. house may need 6,000 to 9,000 sq. ft. of drywall, depending on layout and ceiling height (Fixr). Multiplying by the $1.50 to $3.50 installed rate gives $9,000 to $31,500 (6,000 × $1.50 and 9,000 × $3.50). We calculated this as a cross-check on HomeGuide’s $8,000 to $30,000; it is not a measured figure, and HomeGuide’s own board area for the same house is higher.
Cost by project size
| Area | Materials only | Installed |
|---|---|---|
| 50 sq. ft. | $25 – $37.50 | $75 – $175 |
| 100 sq. ft. | $50 – $75 | $150 – $350 |
| 200 sq. ft. | $100 – $150 | $300 – $700 |
| 500 sq. ft. | $250 – $375 | $750 – $1,750 |
| 1,000 sq. ft. | $500 – $750 | $1,500 – $3,500 |
| 2,000 sq. ft. | $1,000 – $1,500 | $3,000 – $7,000 |
Fixr’s low end is $800, for 500 sq. ft. of finished standard board in an addition, and its high end is $7,500, for 1,000 sq. ft. of finished soundproof board in a remodel (Fixr). Fixr also gives $9 to $16 per square foot for framing an interior stud wall, so framing plus drywall for a new room or an addition runs $10.50 to $19.50 per square foot (Fixr).
Hanging versus finishing: cost by finish level
Hanging means screwing the sheets to the studs. Finishing is the taping, mudding, sanding and priming that makes the seams disappear, and it is graded in levels from 0 to 5 by the Gypsum Association’s GA-214 standard. The two cost guides price the levels differently: HomeGuide includes materials, while Fixr lists labor only.
| Level | Typical use (GA-214) | HomeGuide, labor and materials | Fixr, labor only |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Temporary construction, or when the final decoration is not decided | $0.85 – $1.90 | $0.30 – $0.80 |
| 1 | Joint treatment in concealed areas such as above ceilings and in attics | $1.15 – $2.15 | $0.70 – $1.50 |
| 2 | Substrate for tile; garages and storage areas where appearance does not matter | $1.30 – $2.60 | $0.80 – $1.75 |
| 3 | Walls that get a heavy or medium texture before painting | $1.50 – $2.75 | $0.90 – $2.50 |
| 4 | Smooth walls with flat paint, light texture or wallcovering | $1.70 – $3.20 | $1.00 – $3.00 |
| 5 | Smooth walls with glossy or dark paint, or under critical lighting; a skim coat over the whole surface | $1.75 – $3.50 | $1.15 – $3.50 |
HomeGuide says most residential drywall gets a level 4 or 5 finish (HomeGuide). Fixr calls level 3 the bare minimum finish used in residential areas, and says most interior rooms in a home have a level 5 finish, which works even for very glossy paint (Fixr).
Fixr breaks its $1.15 to $3.00 labor total into stages per square foot: hanging $0.15 to $0.65, taping and mudding $0.40 to $0.70, sanding and priming $0.10 to $0.50, and finishing $0.50 to $1.15 (Fixr). HomeGuide gives $0.85 to $1.90 to hang, $0.35 to $1.10 to tape and mud, and $0.80 to $2.00 to texture (HomeGuide).
Our estimate: Using Fixr’s stage figures, hanging is $0.15 of the $1.15 low-end labor and $0.65 of the $3.00 high-end labor, or about 13% to 22%. The rest is taping, sanding and finishing. We calculated those shares; they are not a figure Fixr publishes.
Cost per sheet, panel size and thickness
HomeGuide prices a hung and finished sheet at $30 to $70, and the board alone at $10 to $20 per sheet (HomeGuide). Fixr gives installed prices per sheet by panel size and by thickness, in the tables below. To count sheets, HomeGuide says to multiply wall length by height without subtracting doors or windows, then divide by 32 for 4 x 8 ft panels or by 48 for 4 x 12 ft panels. Fixr says about 32 standard sheets cover 1,000 sq. ft., and to add one or two for mistakes.
| Panel size | Board only, per sheet | Installed, per sheet |
|---|---|---|
| 4 x 8 ft | $10 – $15 | $48 – $80 |
| 4 x 12 ft | $12 – $18 | $72 – $120 |
| 4 x 16 ft | $16 – $25 | $96 – $160 |
| Thickness | Board only, per sheet | Installed, per sheet |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ in. | $10 – $12 | $48 – $75 |
| ⅜ in. | $10 – $15 | $48 – $80 |
| ½ in. | $10 – $20 | $48 – $100 |
| ⅝ in. | $13 – $75 | $51 – $240 |
Types of drywall and what they add
| Type | Installed, per sq. ft. (Fixr) | Board only, per sq. ft. (Fixr) | Board only, per sq. ft. (Forbes Home, March 2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $1.50 – $2.50 | $0.42 – $0.50 | $0.40 – $0.50 |
| Moisture-resistant (green) | $1.65 – $2.75 | $0.54 – $0.63 | $0.55 – $0.70 |
| Moisture- and mold-resistant (purple) | $1.65 – $2.75 | $0.54 – $0.63 | $0.65 – $0.75 |
| Fire-rated (Type X) | $1.60 – $3.50 | $0.50 – $0.88 | $0.55 – $0.90 |
| Plaster base (blue board) | $1.55 – $2.55 | $0.46 – $0.58 | $0.65 – $0.80 |
| Eco-friendly | $1.70 – $3.50 | $0.58 – $0.83 | $0.70 – $0.90 |
| Paperless | $1.75 – $4.00 | $0.63 – $0.92 | $0.65 – $1.05 |
| Soundproof | $3.55 – $7.50 | $2.08 – $3.15 | $1.85 – $3.00 |
Standard board is the least expensive and is what most rooms get (Fixr). Fixr says paperless board is harder to finish and can cost more to install than other types, and that soundproof board is very difficult to cut and install. Forbes Home (March 2024) says green board is not waterproof and will not work behind showers, and that some building codes require Type X board in attached garages or utility rooms. Because of that code point, ask the installer which board your local rules call for before comparing quotes.
Extras that change the bill
- Removing old drywall. $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot at HomeGuide, $0.50 to $1.00 at Fixr and $0.70 to $1.60 at the older Forbes Home guide. Fixr puts demolishing an average wall at $1,200 to $5,000, and HomeGuide puts demolishing a whole drywall interior at $1,000 to $5,000.
- Replacing plaster or paneling. HomeGuide gives $2.75 to $6.00 per square foot to replace plaster with drywall and $1.90 to $4.80 to replace wood paneling, both including removal. Fixr says removing wood paneling and replacing the framing behind it can run as high as $30 per square foot.
- Texture. $0.80 to $2.00 per square foot at HomeGuide; Fixr gives $0.50 to $1.00 for light spray texture and an extra $1.50 to $2.00 for heavier texture.
- Painting. HomeGuide puts interior painting of newly installed drywall at $1 to $3 per square foot, and Fixr puts painting a room at $990 to $1,320. Our interior painting cost guide covers that bill.
- Insulation. Fixr says insulating open walls costs $0.65 to $6.50 per square foot depending on type, and that doing it while the walls are open is cheaper than adding it after the board is up. See blown-in vs batt insulation.
- Height and shape. Fixr adds 10% to 30% for cathedral or vaulted ceilings. The older Forbes Home guide lists $0.40 to $0.75 per square foot extra when scaffolding is needed.
- Permits. HomeGuide says no permit is needed to remove, replace or repair existing drywall, but adding drywall to a new wall or finishing a basement or attic needs one, at $50 to $400 depending on size and location.
Older homes: test before you tear out
HomeGuide says homes built before 1986 may contain asbestos and homes built before 1978 may have lead paint, and that you should test the walls and ceiling before removing old drywall. It lists asbestos testing at $250 to $850 and a lead paint inspection at $300 to $600 (HomeGuide). Fixr likewise says to test for lead paint and asbestos before demolishing walls in an older home (Fixr).
The EPA says its Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requires anyone paid to perform work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 to be certified in lead-safe work practices, and that the rule generally does not apply to homeowners working on their own pre-1978 homes (EPA, last updated June 17, 2026). If testing finds asbestos, our guide to asbestos removal cost covers what removal runs.
Labor rates and how long the job takes
HomeGuide says drywall contractors charge $40 to $100 per hour, and the older Forbes Home guide says $50 to $100 (HomeGuide; Forbes Home). That is a billing rate, not a wage. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median wage of $28.33 an hour ($58,930 a year) for drywall and ceiling tile installers in May 2025, and $32.82 an hour ($68,270 a year) for tapers, the workers who finish the seams.
On timing, HomeGuide says a 12 by 12 ft room takes 2 to 3 days because each coat of mud needs time to dry, and a 2,000 sq. ft. house takes 3 days to a week depending on layout and crew size (HomeGuide). It says a four-person crew can hang 45 to 80 sheets a day.
Hire a pro or do it yourself?
HomeGuide puts do-it-yourself materials at $200 to $400 for the walls and ceiling of a 12 by 12 ft bedroom (500 sq. ft.): board $160 to $320, joint compound $14 to $16, tape $3 to $12, screws $20 to $40 and corner bead $3 to $12 (HomeGuide). It also says the job takes at least two people because each panel weighs 50 to 60 pounds, and that a drywall lift rents for $40 a day. Hanging is the easy half; a smooth finish at level 4 or 5 is the skill you pay for, so many owners hang the board and hire out the finishing.
How to keep the bill down
- Do the whole house or the whole floor at once. Fixr and Forbes Home both say large areas cost less per square foot than small ones.
- Match the finish level to the room. Fixr says a garage often gets just a skim coat, and level 2 is enough for areas where appearance does not matter (Fixr).
- Count sheets before you order, and add only one or two for waste, as Fixr advises.
- Use long 4 x 12 ft sheets in rooms with tall ceilings. Fixr says the longer pieces mean fewer cuts.
- Insulate and fix wiring or leaks while the walls are open. Fixr says insulating then is cheaper than adding it later, and HomeGuide says open walls are the time to address wiring, leaks, mold or pests.
- Get at least three in-person estimates. HomeGuide says to compare them and to avoid choosing the lowest quote, because quality may suffer.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is the price per square foot, per sheet or a flat fee, and does it include delivery of the board?
- Does the estimate include hanging, taping and mudding, finishing, texturing and cleanup?
- Which finish level will the walls get, and is that right for the paint or wallcovering I plan to use?
- Which board type is quoted, and does my local code require moisture-resistant or fire-rated board in this room?
- Who pulls the permit, and what other costs should I expect?
- How many people are on the crew, how long will the job take, and how are damages on the job handled?
- Are you licensed, bonded and insured, and will your own crew do the work? Our guide on how to find a contractor explains how to check.
Sources
- HomeGuide, How Much Does Drywall Installation Cost?, September 8, 2025.
- Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost, updated January 31, 2025.
- Homewyse, Cost to Hang Drywall, May 2026.
- Forbes Home, How Much Does Drywall Installation Cost?, audited March 1, 2024 (older guide, used as a cross-check only).
- Gypsum Association, GA-214-2021, Recommended Levels of Finish (copy hosted by a manufacturer).
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, last updated June 17, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national: drywall and ceiling tile installers, median hourly wage; median annual wage; tapers, median hourly wage; tapers, median annual wage (BLS public data API).
