Drywall Cost Calculator 2026: Per Sq Ft, Sheet, Room, House
Drywall costs $1.50–$3.50 per sq ft hung and finished, or $48–$80 per 4×8 sheet (Fixr). Price a room, a whole house, a replacement or a patch.
Drywall Cost Calculator
Pick repair for holes, cracks or a water-damaged section.
For a whole house, add up the area of every room.
Perimeter × wall height, plus the ceiling. 32–20,000 sq ft.
Level 4 for smooth walls in flat paint; level 5 under glossy paint.
Adjusts the labor share by local construction wages (BLS, May 2025).
homeprojectestimator.com · · https://homeprojectestimator.com/calculators/drywall-cost/
Estimated drywall cost
$2,450
Typical range $1,400 – $3,500
Cost per sq ft
$2.45
Where the money goes
- 1/2" drywall panels (material) $0.42–$0.50 per sq ft × 1,000 sq ft$400 – $500
- Hang, tape and finish — Level 4 (smooth walls, flat paint) $1–$3 per sq ft × 1,000 sq ft$1,000 – $3,000
National average. Pick your state and metro area to adjust the labor share (about 81% of this job) to local wages. Get three written quotes before you commit to a budget.
Material and labor per square foot from Fixr's drywall installation and repair cost pages (January 2025). Painting is not included.
Drywall costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot hung and finished, according to Fixr, or $48 to $80 for each 4 × 8 ft sheet installed. Most of that is labor: the board itself is $0.42 to $0.50 per sq ft. A 12 × 12 ft room with its ceiling comes to $750 to $1,850 at a level 4 finish, and replacing old drywall adds $0.50 to $1 per sq ft for tear-out. The calculator prices new work, replacement and patch repairs by finish level and state; the tables below show where each number comes from.
How to use this calculator
Choose the type of job first; the inputs change to match.
- New drywall prices board, hanging and finishing on open studs — a basement, an addition, a gutted room.
- Replace adds tearing out and hauling away the old board before the new goes up.
- Repair or patch prices damaged areas only. Enter the square footage of the damage (a 12 × 18 inch hole is 1.5 sq ft); up to 20 sq ft. Beyond that a replacement is usually the better quote.
For new work and replacement, give the board area one of two ways:
- Wall + ceiling area. For each room: perimeter × wall height, plus length × width for the ceiling. Homewyse's instructions are to include the area of doors and windows inside the finished surface, because the board is hung across them and cut out afterward — so do not subtract openings. For a whole house, add every room together.
- Room dimensions. Enter length, width and ceiling height; the calculator does the arithmetic and shows the board area under the height field. Untick Include the ceiling if the ceiling stays.
Then pick the finish level (3, 4 or 5), tick vaulted or cathedral ceiling if it applies, and choose your state to adjust labor to local wages.
The default — 1,000 sq ft of new drywall finished to level 4 — comes to about $2,450, with a range of $1,400 to $3,500, or $2.45 per sq ft.
Drywall cost in 2026
Material and labor per square foot
| Part of the job | Per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Standard 1/2-inch drywall (material) | $0.42 – $0.50 |
| Hanging | $0.15 – $0.65 |
| Taping and mudding | $0.40 – $0.70 |
| Sanding and priming | $0.10 – $0.50 |
| Finishing | $0.50 – $1.15 |
| All labor, typical | $1.15 – $3.00 |
| Installed, standard board | $1.50 – $2.50 |
| Installed, all types | $1.50 – $3.50 |
| Removal and disposal of old drywall | $0.50 – $1.00 |
Source: Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost | Hang and Finish Drywall Prices, January 31, 2025.
Cost per sheet
Contractors often quote by the 4 × 8 ft sheet, which covers 32 sq ft. Fixr's headline figure is $48 to $80 per sheet installed, with the board $10 to $15. Divide by 32 and that is $1.50 to $2.50 per sq ft, the same as Fixr's installed range for standard board. Thicker board costs more to buy and to hang:
| Thickness | Board only, per sheet | Installed, per sheet |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 inch | $10 – $12 | $48 – $75 |
| 3/8 inch | $10 – $15 | $48 – $80 |
| 1/2 inch | $10 – $20 | $48 – $100 |
| 5/8 inch | $13 – $75 | $51 – $240 |
Source: Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost, January 31, 2025.
Fixr's standard prices are for 1/2-inch board. Its ceiling page notes that ceilings over 8 ft may need 5/8-inch board instead, which is one reason ceilings price higher than walls.
Cost by board type
| Board | Board only, per sq ft | Installed, per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 1/2 inch | $0.42 – $0.50 | $1.50 – $2.50 |
| Fire-rated (Type X) | $0.50 – $0.88 | $1.60 – $3.50 |
| Moisture-resistant (green board) | $0.54 – $0.63 | $1.65 – $2.75 |
| Mold- and moisture-resistant (purple board) | $0.54 – $0.63 | $1.65 – $2.75 |
| Soundproof | $2.08 – $3.15 | $3.55 – $7.50 |
Source: Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost, January 31, 2025.
The calculator prices standard board. For a bathroom in green board or a garage wall in Type X, add the difference per square foot from this table.
Labor by finish level
| Finish level | What it is for | Labor per sq ft | 1,000 sq ft with material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | Under medium or heavy texture | $0.90 – $2.50 | $1,300 – $3,000 |
| Level 4 | Smooth walls in flat paint | $1.00 – $3.00 | $1,400 – $3,500 |
| Level 5 | Skim coat for glossy paint or critical light | $1.15 – $3.50 | $1,550 – $4,000 |
Source: Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost, January 31, 2025 (labor); National Gypsum, Discover five levels of gypsum board finish, August 22, 2022 (uses, after GA-214).
The calculator offers levels 3 to 5, the ones used on painted walls. Fixr also prices the lower levels: level 0 (hung, not taped) at $0.30 to $0.80 per sq ft, level 1 at $0.70 to $1.50 and level 2 at $0.80 to $1.75. National Gypsum lists level 0 for temporary construction, level 1 for areas not open to view, and level 2 for board that will be tiled over and for garages and storage areas where appearance does not matter.
Cost by room size
Board area is walls plus ceiling, not floor area. These are the calculator's results for new drywall with 8 ft walls, the ceiling included, standard board and a level 4 finish:
| Room | Board area | Range | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small bathroom, 5 × 8 ft | 248 sq ft | $350 – $850 | $600 |
| Bedroom, 10 × 10 ft | 420 sq ft | $600 – $1,450 | $1,050 |
| Bedroom, 12 × 12 ft | 528 sq ft | $750 – $1,850 | $1,300 |
| Primary bedroom, 14 × 16 ft | 704 sq ft | $1,000 – $2,450 | $1,750 |
| Living room, 16 × 20 ft | 896 sq ft | $1,250 – $3,150 | $2,200 |
Fixr's own project prices mostly sit in the lower half of those ranges; corners, openings, ceiling height and finish level push a room up:
| Project | Fixr's installed price |
|---|---|
| Bathroom | $430 – $500 |
| Living room ceiling | $600 – $700 |
| Bedroom | $675 – $725 |
| Two-car garage | $700 – $750 |
| Living room walls | $960 – $2,800 |
| Basement | $1,380 – $1,500 |
| 1,000 sq ft, standard board, remodel | $1,600 – $3,500 (average $2,000) |
| 2,000 sq ft of board | $3,000 – $7,000 |
Source: Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost, January 31, 2025.
Cost to drywall a house
A house has far more board than floor. Fixr says a 2,000 sq ft home may need 6,000 to 9,000 sq ft of drywall to finish the interior — three to four and a half times the floor area. Run through the calculator at level 4:
| Job | 6,000 sq ft of board | 9,000 sq ft of board |
|---|---|---|
| New drywall | $8,500 – $21,000 (typical $14,750) | $12,800 – $31,500 (typical $22,150) |
| Replace, tear-out included | $11,500 – $27,000 (typical $19,250) | $17,300 – $40,500 (typical $28,900) |
Calculator results at national prices, built from the Fixr rates above.
So Fixr's $3,000 to $7,000 row is for 2,000 sq ft of board, not for a 2,000 sq ft house. For your own house, add up walls and ceilings room by room, or measure a few typical rooms and scale up. On timing, Fixr says a small room can be drywalled in a day, while an entire home may take a few weeks.
What drives the price
- Finish level. Going from level 3 to level 5 raises labor from $0.90–$2.50 to $1.15–$3.50 per sq ft. On 1,000 sq ft the typical estimate moves from $2,150 to $2,800.
- Labor, not board. Standard board is $0.42 to $0.50 per sq ft; labor is $1.15 to $3. On the default job labor is about 81% of the cost, which is why drywall prices swing so much between states.
- Ceilings. Fixr's ceiling page notes ceilings cost more to hang and finish than walls because the panels go overhead, and that ceilings over 8 ft may need 5/8-inch board instead of 1/2-inch. Cathedral and vaulted ceilings carry a 10% to 30% upcharge.
- Board type. Soundproof board costs $2.08 to $3.15 per sq ft in material, four to seven times standard board.
- Texture. Fixr puts light and sprayed textures at $0.50 to $1 per sq ft; a heavier texture costs an additional $1.50 to $2.
- Tear-out. Removal and disposal adds $0.50 to $1 per sq ft. On 1,000 sq ft that is $500 to $1,000.
- Site conditions. Homewyse's $2.26–$2.69 per sq ft assumes basic mid-range work in readily serviceable conditions; tight stairwells, furnished rooms and tall walls take longer and price higher.
Cost breakdown
- 1/2" drywall panels (material): $0.42 to $0.50 per sq ft of board.
- Hang, tape and finish: labor at the finish level you chose. Includes taping, mudding, sanding and priming per Fixr's labor breakdown.
- Tear out and dispose of old drywall (replace only): $0.50 to $1 per sq ft.
- Vaulted or cathedral ceiling upcharge: 10% to 30% of board and labor.
- Patch, tape, texture and prime (repair only): $60 to $80 per sq ft of damage, labor and materials together. Fixr gives no labor split for repairs, so the calculator assumes 50% labor for the state adjustment.
Not included: painting, insulation, framing repairs, moving electrical boxes, moisture- or mold-resistant board, soundproof board, texture and general-contractor markup (Homewyse suggests adding 13% to 22% if a GC supervises).
Prices by state and metro area
The state menu scales only the labor part:
factor = (1 − labor share) + labor share × state wage index
The index is the state's mean hourly wage for construction and extraction occupations divided by the national mean of $31.42 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Drywall is about 81% labor on the default job, so the state matters more here than on most projects:
| State | Wage index | 1,000 sq ft, level 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1.26 | $2,950 |
| California | 1.20 | $2,850 |
| National average | 1.00 | $2,450 |
| Texas | 0.84 | $2,150 |
| Arkansas | 0.74 | $1,950 |
See how regional cost adjustments work for the method.
For a closer number, choose your metro area as well as your state. At the default inputs the national estimate of $2,450 becomes $3,000 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where construction wages are 27% above the national mean, and $2,100 in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX, 17% below it.
Repair or replace?
Fixr's repair figures give a rough line. Patches cost $75 to $115 and are not recommended for holes over six inches. Repairs generally run $200 to $550, while replacing a damaged section costs $400 to $800 — the right call when most of a panel is affected or the damage runs behind the board, as with water. By type of damage:
| Damage | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Nail pops | $75 – $140 |
| Anchor holes | $75 – $105 |
| Holes | $60 – $200 |
| Cracks | $60 – $330 |
| Corner cracks | $220 – $315 |
| Water damage or flood cut | $400 – $800 |
| Vaulted ceiling repair | $400 – $1,000 |
Source: Fixr, Cost to Repair Drywall, January 31, 2025.
Priced by area, Fixr's $60 to $80 per sq ft means a 2 sq ft patch costs $120 to $160 and 20 sq ft — the calculator's repair limit — costs $1,200 to $1,600. If several rooms need patching, ask whether the contractor bills hourly: Fixr puts typical rates at $70 to $80 an hour, up to $100 for water damage, usually with a one-hour minimum, so several small repairs in one visit cost less per hole than separate visits. With water damage, fix the leak and deal with any mold before the new board goes up.
DIY or hire a pro?
Hanging board is the easy part; Fixr prices it at $0.15 to $0.65 per sq ft of labor. Finishing is where the money goes — taping, mudding and finishing together run $0.90 to $1.85 per sq ft — and where amateur work shows under paint.
- Reasonable to do yourself: nail holes, nail pops and small dents, a single panel in a spot nobody looks at, and hanging the board for a pro to finish.
- Worth hiring out: whole rooms and houses, ceilings, any level 4 or 5 finish under strong side light, water-damaged sections, fire-rated Type X walls, and matching an existing texture.
Ceilings are the hardest part to do alone; Homewyse's estimate includes a drywall hoist in its equipment allowance.
How to compare drywall quotes
- Same area and finish level. Make every bid state the square footage and the GA-214 finish level in writing; a cheaper bid at level 3 is not comparable with level 4.
- Board type. Moisture-resistant, soundproof and 5/8-inch board (which Fixr says ceilings over 8 ft may need) all cost more than standard 1/2-inch; check each quote names the board.
- Prime included? Fixr counts sanding and priming as part of finishing labor; some contractors leave priming to the painter.
- Tear-out and haul-away. For replacement jobs, confirm disposal is in the price.
- Texture. If the new board has to match an old texture, ask to see a finished example.
- Bundling. Adding drywall to a larger renovation avoids a separate crew visit for a small job. Supplying the board yourself only works if the contractor agrees, and you carry the risk of ordering too little or the wrong type.
More in how to hire a renovation contractor.
Sources
- Fixr, Drywall Installation Cost | Hang and Finish Drywall Prices — $1.50–$3.50 installed; $0.42–$0.50 material; labor by task and by finish level 0–5; per-sheet prices and prices by thickness; prices by board type; texture $0.50–$1 and $1.50–$2; removal $0.50–$1; vaulted upcharge 10%–30%; room and project prices; $1,600–$3,500 for 1,000 sq ft; 6,000–9,000 sq ft of board for a 2,000 sq ft home; installation time (updated January 31, 2025). link
- Fixr, Cost to Repair Drywall — $350 average, $200–$550 range, prices by damage, $60–$80 per sq ft, hourly rates (updated January 31, 2025). link
- Fixr, Drywall Ceiling Installation Cost — ceilings cost more than walls, board thickness over 8 ft, $2–$5 per sq ft to replace a ceiling (updated January 31, 2025). link
- Homewyse, Cost to Install Drywall — $2.26–$2.69 per sq ft, measuring rule, 13%–22% GC markup (May 2026). link
- National Gypsum, Discover five levels of gypsum board finish — what levels 0 to 5 are used for, after GA-214 (August 22, 2022). link
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — state wage index for construction and extraction occupations. link
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does drywall installation cost per square foot?
Fixr puts drywall at $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft hung and finished, and $1.50 to $2.50 for standard 1/2-inch board. Material is only $0.42 to $0.50 of that; labor is $1.15 to $3. Homewyse's May 2026 figure for basic mid-range work is $2.26 to $2.69 per sq ft, which sits inside Fixr's range.
How much does a sheet of drywall cost installed?
Fixr prices a 4 × 8 ft sheet at $48 to $80 installed, with the board itself $10 to $15. By thickness, a 1/2-inch sheet runs $48 to $100 installed and a 5/8-inch sheet $51 to $240. A sheet covers 32 sq ft, so the calculator's default rate of $2.45 per sq ft works out to about $78 a sheet.
How much does it cost to drywall a room?
A 12 x 12 ft room with 8 ft walls has 384 sq ft of wall and 144 sq ft of ceiling, 528 sq ft in all. At level 4 the calculator puts it at $750 to $1,850, typical $1,300. Fixr lists a bedroom at $675 to $725 and living room walls at $960 to $2,800, so simple rooms land near the low end.
How much does it cost to drywall a house?
Count board, not floor area: Fixr says a 2,000 sq ft home may need 6,000 to 9,000 sq ft of drywall to finish the interior. At level 4 the calculator puts 6,000 sq ft at $8,500 to $21,000, typical $14,750, and 9,000 sq ft at $12,800 to $31,500. Fixr's own $3,000 to $7,000 is for 2,000 sq ft of board.
What drywall finish level do I need?
Level 4 is the usual choice for smooth walls in flat paint, and Fixr prices its labor at $1 to $3 per sq ft. Level 5 adds a skim coat over the whole surface for glossy paint or strong side light, at $1.15 to $3.50. Level 3, at $0.90 to $2.50, is meant to go under a medium or heavy texture.
How much do moisture-resistant, fire-rated and soundproof drywall cost?
Fixr's installed prices per sq ft are $1.65 to $2.75 for moisture-resistant green board and for mold-resistant purple board, $1.60 to $3.50 for fire-rated Type X and $3.55 to $7.50 for soundproof board, against $1.50 to $2.50 for standard board. The calculator prices standard 1/2-inch board, so add the difference for specialty board.
How much does drywall repair cost?
Fixr's national average is $350, with most repairs between $200 and $550. Small nail holes can cost $75, nail pops $75 to $140, cracks $60 to $330 and a water-damaged section $400 to $800. By area, repairs commonly run $60 to $80 per sq ft, and many pros charge $70 to $80 an hour with a one-hour minimum.
How much does it cost to replace old drywall?
Fixr prices removal and disposal at $0.50 to $1 per sq ft on top of new board and finishing. For 1,000 sq ft at level 4 that makes about $1,900 to $4,500, typical $3,200. Fixr's ceiling page gives $2 to $5 per sq ft to replace ceiling drywall, removal included.