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Drywall contractors price by the square foot of board hung and finished. The Drywall Installation Cost Calculator measures the room, 2 × (length + width) × wall height plus the ceiling if you include it, and multiplies it by two parts from Fixr's drywall installation cost guide, updated January 2025: materials at $0.50 to $0.75 per sq ft, and labor by finish level, from $0.30–$0.80 for Level 0 (hung only) to $1–$3 for the usual Level 4 and $1.15–$3.50 for a Level 5 skim coat. Removing old drywall adds about $0.50 per sq ft. Fixr's overall range for most jobs is $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft installed; as a cross-check the calculator also shows homewyse's national average for September 2026, from $2.32 to $2.75 per sq ft for basic labor and materials, and it takes your own quoted price per square foot. The walls and ceiling of a 12 × 12 ft room with 8 ft walls are 528 sq ft: about $792 to $1,980 at Level 4, or $1,225 to $1,452 at the homewyse rate.
| Room | Area | Installed cost | homewyse check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 420 sq ft | $630–$1,575 | $974–$1,155 |
| 10 × 12 ft | 472 sq ft | $708–$1,770 | $1,095–$1,298 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 528 sq ft | $792–$1,980 | $1,225–$1,452 |
| 12 × 14 ft | 584 sq ft | $876–$2,190 | $1,355–$1,606 |
| 14 × 16 ft | 704 sq ft | $1,056–$2,640 | $1,633–$1,936 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 1040 sq ft | $1,560–$3,900 | $2,413–$2,860 |
| Finish level | Labor per sq ft | Installed per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Level 0 — hung, not taped | $0.30–$0.80 | $0.80–$1.55 |
| Level 1 — taped (attics, garages) | $0.70–$1.50 | $1.20–$2.25 |
| Level 2 — tape + one coat (tile backing) | $0.80–$1.75 | $1.30–$2.50 |
| Level 3 — heavy texture | $0.90–$2.50 | $1.40–$3.25 |
| Level 4 — smooth, flat paint (most homes) | $1.00–$3.00 | $1.50–$3.75 |
| Level 5 — skim coat, gloss or critical light | $1.15–$3.50 | $1.65–$4.25 |
Android: Smart Drywall Calculator on Google Play. iPhone: the drywall calculators are inside Roofing Calculator & Estimator on the App Store.
Fixr's 2025 cost guide puts installed drywall at $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft for most jobs: $0.50–$0.75 for materials plus $1 to $3 of labor for a Level 4 finish. homewyse's September 2026 national estimate starts at $2.32–$2.75 per sq ft. Small rooms cost more per square foot than whole houses.
The walls and ceiling of a 12 × 12 ft room with 8 ft walls are 528 sq ft. At $0.50–$0.75 of materials plus $1–$3 of Level 4 labor per sq ft that is about $790 to $1,980; at homewyse's $2.32–$2.75 per sq ft it is about $1,225 to $1,450.
Labor only, per Fixr: Level 0 (hung, not taped) $0.30–$0.80 per sq ft, Level 1 $0.70–$1.50, Level 2 $0.80–$1.75, Level 3 $0.90–$2.50, Level 4 $1–$3 and Level 5 $1.15–$3.50. Level 4 is the normal smooth finish for flat paint; Level 5 adds a skim coat for gloss paint or strong side light.
Fixr adds about $0.50 per sq ft to tear out and dispose of old drywall and make small repairs before the new board goes up — about $264 on a 528 sq ft room.
Fixr breaks labor into hanging ($0.15–$0.65 per sq ft), taping and mudding ($0.40–$0.70), sanding and priming ($0.10–$0.50) and finishing ($0.50–$1.15), $1.15 to $3 per sq ft in all. Local rates vary widely, so the calculator also takes your own quoted price per square foot.
Doing it yourself? The drywall calculator counts the sheets, mud, tape and screws for the room.
Need the whole roof at once? The free roofing calculator works out roof area, squares, shingle bundles, underlayment, drip edge, ridge cap and installed cost from one set of measurements.