New construction....always pay a contractor to hang/finish drywall

[Scarpozzi]

I had a huge project...like 1900 square feet. I hung the first room around Christmas....ceiling and walls...maybe 25 boards (4x12) by myself. I realized quickly that I should have had someone help me because the joints just weren't as close as they needed to be. I nailed the can lights with a rotozip and did a great job with all the cutouts, but it still took me a day and a half to get it done.

I had less and less time in January...by mid February, I found a contractor. I ordered 39 boards for the garage and another 70 for the upstairs and had it delivered via lift. These guys started work on February 15. They've finally got the job down to the last sanding. They've worked Mon-Fri since Feb 15, minus 3 days due to weather/materials. There's no way I could have done the quality of work they've done....nor could I have had time to complete it. They're a 2 man crew, putting in 6-7 hour days. Lesson learned...Money well spent.

 

[lxskllr]

I helped a friend do a little drywall years ago. That was when I discovered I don't like hanging drywall. I'd rather staple sheets to the studs than drywall my own stuff :^D

 

[Scarpozzi]

I was planning on getting my cousin to do the finishing, but it's hard to find guys that will just hang it... They want the whole project. I thought the quote they gave me was high, but now I realize how many hours this job is. I'm glad to pay it to have the job done as good as it is. I'm hoping I can start priming the walls and ceiling this weekend. I'm going to be hitting it with 5 gallon buckets and an airless sprayer. I'm not playing around....

 

[drnickriviera]

Im curious what their sheet price was? I've had quotes as high as $25 a sheet and as low as $12. I went with the $12 crew. They worked for that $12. Guys on stilts hanging 4X12 sheets on the ceiling by themselves. I've been doing small jobs by myself, so I got a lift and a chinese clone of a porter cable drywall sander. The sander makes a huge difference in quality with no dust.

 

[Exterous]

I don't mind hanging drywall. I hate mudding drywall. I was going to see about hiring that out this time but I just got back my first quote at $1500 for a 22x14 room with a bulkhead running the perimeter. The others are going to have to be waaaay less or else I'm stuck doing it myself

 

[Greenman]

I don't mind hanging drywall. I hate mudding drywall. I was going to see about hiring that out this time but I just got back my first quote at $1500 for a 22x14 room with a bulkhead running the perimeter. The others are going to have to be waaaay less or else I'm stuck doing it myself

Is that $1500 to supply the board, hang it and finish? If so that's a very fair price.

 

[homebrew2ny]

Not including materials, you should expect to pay 45 to 65 cents per square foot for drywall installation. That includes hanging, tapeing, sanding, and clean up. I agree 1500 for the job mentioned above is not outlandish.

 

[Exterous]

Is that $1500 to supply the board, hang it and finish? If so that's a very fair price.

No - taping sanding and cleanup. I already bought and hung the drywall

 

[homebrew2ny]

No - taping sanding and cleanup. I already bought and hung the drywall

In that case you should be looking at about 600 to 800. Although it will not take many hours, it will take a few days for drying time in between coats of mud. Where are you located?

 

[Exterous]

In that case you should be looking at about 600 to 800. Although it will not take many hours, it will take a few days for drying time in between coats of mud. Where are you located?

SE Michigan. My suspicion is that jobs are plentiful given the housing boom currently going on in the area. Plus we live in a higher COL area so people see the address and charge more. Plus maybe some additional for the number of interior corners and butt joints on the ceiling (13' wide)? Or maybe just a bad quote...

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yep some jobs are just worth paying a pro to do sometimes. I need to drywall my basement some time and kind of debating the same, if I want to hire it out.

When I had to redo my weeping tiles I considered doing it myself but I hired it out. By the time I rent all the equipment, pay tipping fees to dispose of old soil, fuel up the dump truck and excavator etc and my time, I would not really have saved all that much anyway. Some jobs are just better with an experience crew that can work together to speed up the job.