Talk about construction of walls and ceilings, and the first thing which comes to building contractors, architects, and interior designers is drywall. It is affordable, depending on the area to be covered. Scroll down to find out more.
Without drywall, it is impossible to imagine ceilings or walls getting constructed. There is no exception to this material. Those who are in the concerned industry know it well. For those who are not aware of drywall, this may seem like rocket science, though it isn’t so. If you are getting construction done, and thinking about the drywall installation prices, the article to follow will help you.
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 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.
Installation Cost
Several factors go into determining how much money you will have to shell out for getting a drywall installed. The professionals either charge per square foot, or on 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 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. If the construction requires to be done at a 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 a good enough profit for themselves. That amount is then divided by the number of sheets they have actually installed and finished. The cost per square foot is the easiest and common method for estimating cost. Drywall prices will range somewhere between 85 cents and $1.15 to $2 per 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 per sheet. 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, compound, and the corner bead also have to be included. Considering all this, expect the cost to be anything around 30 cents to 55 cents per square foot.
Additional Costs and Considerations
In cases where the installation job 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, it can cost around $60 to $70 per sheet, that is, almost double the cost. Cheaper prices can be accomplished beyond maximum 35 drywall sheets, 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 such a scenario.
Finally, if you want to do the installation yourself, the cost will be just between $0.75 and $1. The experts say that this figure can be used as a foundation for determining drywall installation cost, and not as the last word on the issue.
