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How Much Does It Cost to Install Drywall?

How much does it cost to drywall a basement?

Finishing or drywall a basement can be a fantastic addition to your home, one that adds usable square footage and even enhances the value of your property.

Drywall and finishing your space are fairly simple jobs, but they can also be expensive if you don’t know what you’re doing or you don’t have the right tools or time to do it right.

To give you an idea of how much drywall and finishing your space will cost you, let’s go over the essentials and make some estimates on the overall price tag.

We can’t simply glue drywall to concrete foundations of a basement; this section includes item sized costs. In this guide we’ll also answer, how much does it cost to drywall a basement ceiling?

Cost to frame a basement

Depending on the type of basement from poured concrete, masonry wall, or precast panel – the cost to frame a basement varies. However, on average the homeowners are paying around $1,200 to frame a basement and the typical range is around $500 to $1,600. That’s low than what you can pay for the entire house as the factors are less here. For a standard size basement, you can estimate the cost with the price of $3.68 to $6.75 per square foot.

Cost to drywall a basement

The average cost to drywall a basement depends on different factors. Your cost will depend on the type of framing, drywall type, thickness, ceiling height, removal of existing drywall, and ceiling requirements. The cost of a mold-resistant drywall in basement is much higher than the cost of a standard drywall.

The cost to frame a basement varies depending on the size of your basement, but you can expect to pay around $1,500 for a 1,000 square foot space. This includes the cost of materials and labor. If you need to have your electrical and plumbing roughed in, this will add to the cost. it’s cost is about $1.50 per square foot, so for a 1,000 square foot space, you’ll pay around $1,500. The cost to finish a basement can vary widely depending on what you want to do with the space. If you’re just looking to add some basic finishes like paint and carpeting, you can expect to pay around $5,000.

For a 1,200 sq. ft basement you can assume to pay anything between $1.40 to $7.70 as cost per square foot. The average cost to drywall a basement with mold-resistant drywall type and ceiling height of more than 9 feet is $7.70 per square foot. Anyhow, for a standard basement the average cost to drywall is $1.40 to $2.35 per square foot. The cost is when studs or furring strips are in place. Anyhow, if you want to get both done – framing and drywall, you can expect to pay between $3.90 to $7.70 per square foot (it includes the use of 2×4’s studs). For framing with furring strips; the cost is $3.35 to $5.10 per square foot.

The above basement drywall prices are for drywall that is hung and finished by professionals.

Drywall a basement cost per square foot

  • 1000 sq. ft  – For a 1,000 square foot basement the average cost of the drywall is $4,000 in total just for covering the perimeter walls. For high quality finish and materials the price can jump up to $5,750.
  • For a 1,500 square foot the total cost for the drywall project will be more but the cost per square foot will be lower.
  • Average cost to drywall a basement (drywall only): $1.40 – $2.85 per square foot
  • Average cost of furring strips plus drywall: $3.35 – $5.10 per square foot
  • Average cost to frame: $3.90 – $7.70 per square foot
  • Average cost to replace basement drywall plus disposal: $2.50 – $4.20 per square foot
  • Average cost to drywall a basement ceiling: $2.25 – $3.55 per square foot

Drywall a basement ceiling

For basement ceiling – the cost to install drywall can be as little as $1-2 per square foot. But it depends a lot on the project complexity. For a premium finish and complex projects the cost can jump to $6 per square foot.

Factors affecting the cost to drywall a basement

The cost to this will vary depending on the size of the room, the type of drywall you choose, whether or not you need to have the drywall installed, and if you plan on finishing the basement yourself. Additionally, the cost of labor will also play a role in how much it costs. Here’s how the factors impact the cost:

  • Drywall Type – For basements, homeowners prefer treated drywall. A standard drywall only has paper on both sides with no treatment. Anyhow, the special drywall for basement helps resist moisture and mold. But obviously, such a drywall will be costlier than a standard drywall with paper.
  • Drywall Thickness – There’re range of drywall thicknesses available on home depot. The typical thickness is 3/8” and ½”. But the ones with ½” and 5/8” is preferred for ceilings as others will easily sag.
  • Installation Complexity – Having many corners around the basement will increase the complexity of the project. A standard open and 4 corners basement is typically easy to work with. Similarly, if you have obstructions around the basement, the contractors will likely to charge you more.
  • Ceiling Height – Ceiling height impacts the cost when you need to have additional seem on the drywall. Typical sheetrock size is 4’ and 4.5’.
  • Ceiling Finish – The cost to drywall a ceiling with textured finish will be different than that for a smooth finish. The later takes more labor and time as you’ve got to apply more joint compound. Combine with waiting time to dry and sanding; this adds up more to the cost. On the other hand, texturing is easy and quick.
  • New or Replacement Drywall – Obviously if you’ve got an existing drywall; the contractor had to remove that which will cost you about $1.00 to $2.00 per square foot.

The bottom line

The average price to drywall and finish a basement depends on several factors, including the region in which you live, the area and the type of finishing or wall covering you choose. These factors are difficult to evaluate for an average homeowner. So, if you’re struggling to get an accurate estimate based on your requirements, we’re a here to help.

We, at Real Estimate Services, has number of industry leaders and experts in finishing and drywall a basement.