Drywall Installation

What a Professional Drywall Installation Includes

Every installation starts with the right board for the room. We hang 1/2" lightweight panels for standard walls, 5/8" Type X where fire-rated assemblies are required (garages, furnace rooms, multi-family separation walls), and moisture- and mold-resistant board in bathrooms, kitchens, and basement renovations. Panels are hung horizontally with staggered seams, screwed on code spacing, and gaps kept tight so the finishing coats stay thin and flat.

Hanging is only half the job. Our crews tape every joint with fiberglass or paper tape, then build out two to three coats of compound, sanding between coats. If the wall will take gloss paint or strong window light, ask about a Level 5 skim coat — it’s the difference between a wall that looks good on day one and a wall that still looks good at 4pm in winter sun.

Typical Timelines and Budgets

• Single room (up to 12×12): 2–3 days including finishing coats — roughly $1,500–$2,800
• Basement or addition (500–800 sq ft): 4–7 days — roughly $3,500–$8,000
• Whole-home or new construction: quoted per square foot after a walkthrough

Drying time between compound coats is what sets the schedule, not labor. We’ll give you the real calendar up front, and we coordinate directly with your framer, electrician, and painter — or handle framing, insulation, and paint ourselves so there’s one crew and one invoice.

Common Installation Questions

Can you install drywall over old plaster?

Often yes — in DC rowhouses we frequently laminate 3/8" board over sound plaster rather than demo it. Where plaster is failing, we strip to the studs and start clean. See our plaster repair page for how we decide.

Do I need a permit?

Straight replacement generally doesn’t require one in DC, Maryland, or Virginia; new walls and basement build-outs usually do. We’ll flag it during the estimate so nothing stalls mid-project.