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Drywall Installation Cost Calculator

Last Updated: Sep 1, 2025

ft²

Created by
Saqib Hanif
Saqib Hanif

Saqib Hanif is the CEO and founder of Calculator Value. He builds calculators and educational content across sports, math, and science, and supports a limited set of construction-related calculators. Read full profile

Drywall Installation Cost — Methodology & Accuracy

This calculator estimates installed residential drywall cost using current market pricing and typical pro practices. It includes hanging, taping, mudding, sanding, supplies, and a contingency buffer. Optional removal/disposal of existing drywall is supported.

Assumptions & Inputs

  • Board type: Standard 1/2", Moisture resistant (green), Fire-rated 5/8" (Type X), Sound-dampening/specialty.
  • Finish level: Level 3, Level 4 (typical), Level 5 (full skim).
  • Labor: Base labor per ft² (hang + finish) adjusted by finish level and location type.
  • Location type: Rural 0.90; Suburban 1.00; Urban 1.15; Metropolitan 1.25.
  • Removal: Optional removal/disposal priced per ft².
  • Soft costs: Supplies 5% of materials; Contingency 10% of subtotal.

Rates & Rationale (current market context)

  • Materials (per ft²): Standard 1/2": $0.65; Moisture resistant: $0.85; Fire-rated 5/8": $0.95; Sound-dampening: $1.10.
  • Labor base (per ft², Level 4, Suburban): $1.60. Finish level factor: L3 0.90; L4 1.00; L5 1.25. Location factor: Rural 0.90; Suburban 1.00; Urban 1.15; Metropolitan 1.25.
  • Removal & disposal: $1.35 per ft².

These figures target typical whole-room/whole-home scopes and yield installed costs mostly within common ranges reported by national estimators.

Formulas

  • Materials = Area × BaseMaterial(board)
  • Labor = Area × LaborBase × FinishFactor × LocationFactor
  • Removal = Area × RemovalRate (if selected)
  • Supplies = Materials × 0.05
  • Subtotal = Materials + Labor + Supplies + Removal
  • Contingency = Subtotal × 0.10
  • Total = Subtotal + Contingency
  • CostPerFt² = Total ÷ Area

Example (Suburban)

  1. Area 1,000 ft²; Board: Standard 1/2"; Finish: Level 4; Location: Suburban; Removal: No.
  2. Materials = 1,000 × 0.65 = $650.00; Labor = 1,000 × 1.60 × 1.00 × 1.00 = $1,600.00; Supplies = $32.50.
  3. Subtotal = $650.00 + $1,600.00 + $32.50 = $2,282.50; Contingency = $228.25; Total = $2,510.75 ($2.51/ft²).
  • Industry-Standard Formulas: The formulas and methods used in this calculator follow widely accepted standards in Financial.
  • Careful Verification: The calculator is tested to ensure it behaves correctly across a range of inputs.
  • Continuous Updates: The calculator is updated as needed to reflect better accuracy and usability.

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Drywall is the skin of the room—it turns insulation and studs into clean, professional, paint-ready walls. If you are looking for a way to estimate drywall installation cost, you have come to the right place. Here, you can instantly see how much your drywall installation is likely to cost.

In this guide, we cover:

  • What is a Drywall Installation Cost Calculator?
  • How the calculator works?
  • A real-world example

What is a Drywall Installation Cost Calculator?

A drywall installation cost calculator is an online tool that helps homeowners and contractors estimate the total project cost. It accounts for many factors to estimate not only the total cost but also a cost breakdown of:

  • Materials (drywall boards by type)
  • Labor (hang, tape, mud, sand—by finish level and location)
  • Supplies (joint compound, screws, tape, corner bead, plastic—modeled at 5% of materials)
  • Optional removal & disposal of old drywall
  • Contingency (10%) to cover small surprises and normal job variability

Further, we will explain the formula behind the calculator and step-by-step walk-through a real-world example.

How the Drywall Installation Cost Calculator Works?

The math behind the calculator is simple, and it uses real-world factors to give you an accurate estimate that helps you make an informed decision based on real data.

We will explain a real-world example step by step so you can see exactly how the calculator computes the estimate:

A Real-World Example

Imagine a scenario where a house with an area of 1,000 ft² needs to be drywalled with these details:

  • Area: 1,000 ft²
  • Board type: Standard 1/2"
  • Finish: Level 4 (normal smooth finish)
  • Location: Suburban
  • Old drywall removal: No
  1. Step 1: Materials
    1,000 ft² × $0.65 = $650
  2. Step 2: Labor
    1,000 ft² × $1.60 × (finish factor 1.0) × (location factor 1.0) = $1,600
  3. Step 3: Supplies (5% of materials)
    5% × $650 = $32.50
  4. Step 4: Removal
    Not selected → $0
  5. Step 5: Subtotal
    $650 + $1,600 + $32.50 = $2,282.50
  6. Step 6: Contingency (10%)
    10% × $2,282.50 = $228.25
  7. Total = $2,510.75
    Cost per square foot = $2.51/ft²

So, we estimate it will cost about $2,510.75 in total, with a cost per square foot of $2.51/ft².