Drywall cost by room and area
Estimates from this calculator's default prices: 4 × 8 ft sheets, a level 4 smooth finish, 8 ft walls, one door and one window per room, and no removal. Change the defaults above to match quotes or prices near you.
| Job | Walls only | Walls and ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft room | $550–$820 | $760–$1,130 |
| 12 × 12 ft room | $660–$990 | $970–$1,460 |
| 200 sq ft room | $800–$1,200 | $1,200–$1,850 |
| Drywall area (sq ft of board) | Hung, taped and finished |
|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $990–$1,490 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,950–$2,950 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $3,850–$5,800 |
| 4,000 sq ft | $7,700–$11,600 |
Drywall cost per square foot
With these defaults, drywall installation comes to about $2.44 per sq ft of board for 1,000 sq ft, hung, taped and finished. Materials alone are about $0.59 per sq ft. Note that this is per square foot of drywall, not of floor: a 12 × 12 ft room has 144 sq ft of floor but about 492 sq ft of walls and ceiling.
Drywall cost per sheet
A 4 × 8 ft sheet is about $13 at the default contractor price, and screws, tape and corner bead add about $2 a sheet. Installed, the 1,000 sq ft job works out to about $56–$84 per sheet hung, taped and finished. Longer sheets cost more each but leave fewer joints: with 4 × 12 ft sheets at $19, the same job is about $1,800–$2,700.
How much does it cost to drywall a basement?
A 1,000 sq ft basement treated as one open room with 8 ft walls has about 976 sq ft of walls and 1,000 sq ft of ceiling. That comes to about $3,900–$5,850 with these defaults. Dividing it into three rooms adds wall area and raises it to about $5,150–$7,750. Basements often need framing, insulation and a permit first, which aren't in this estimate.
Finish level
Finishing is most of the labor. Level 4, the usual smooth wall under flat or eggshell paint, is the default. Level 3, common under texture and in garages, brings 1,000 sq ft down to about $1,750–$2,600. Level 5 adds a skim coat over the whole surface for walls under strong side light or glossy paint, about $2,450–$3,700.
What changes the price
- Ceilings: they take longer to hang and usually need two people or a drywall lift.
- Tearing out old drywall or plaster: at $1 per sq ft for removal and disposal, 1,000 sq ft goes to about $2,750–$4,150.
- Small jobs: mud needs a day to dry between coats, so even one room means several trips. Many contractors have a minimum charge.
- Special board: moisture-resistant, mold-resistant, fire-rated and soundproof board all cost more per sheet.
- Permits: many towns require one for finishing a basement or adding rooms. Check local rules.
How this estimate works
Room mode works out wall area as the perimeter of a square room times the wall height, less 21 sq ft per door and 15 sq ft per window, plus the ceiling. Sheets include 10% waste and joint compound is one 4.5-gallon bucket per 450 sq ft, as in our drywall calculator. Sheets are priced at contractor prices of $13 (4 × 8), $16 (4 × 10) or $19 (4 × 12), a little below the calculator's retail defaults; compound is $20 a bucket; tape, screws and corner bead are $2 a sheet.
Labor is 0.026 worker hours per sq ft for level 4, a pro crew's pace: 0.010 to hang and 0.016 to tape and finish. The calculator uses a slower 0.04 for a small crew. Ceilings take 30% longer to hang. Finishing time is 0.75 times that for level 3 and 1.6 times for level 5, with compound scaled the same way. Longer sheets cut labor by 5–8%. Labor is billed at $65 per worker hour, including the contractor's overhead and profit, and the markup on materials is 20%. The range is the result minus 20% to plus 20%. Change any of these above.
For comparison, Homewyse lists $2.26–$2.69 per sq ft to install drywall (May 2026 figures, accessed November 2026); with these defaults, 1,000 sq ft comes to about $2.44 per sq ft.
Getting quotes
Get at least three quotes and check that each names the same finish level, sheet type and thickness, ceilings, corner bead, and whether priming, texture and debris removal are included.
Questions
How much does drywall cost per square foot installed?
With this calculator's typical defaults, about $2.44 per sq ft of board for 1,000 sq ft hung, taped and finished to level 4. Materials alone are about $0.59 per sq ft.
How much does it cost to drywall a 12 × 12 room?
About $970–$1,460 for the walls and ceiling with these defaults, or $660–$990 for the walls only.
How much does a sheet of drywall cost?
The default contractor price here is $13 for a standard 4 × 8 ft sheet, $16 for 4 × 10 and $19 for 4 × 12; stores often charge a little more. Installed and finished, a 1,000 sq ft job works out to about $56–$84 per sheet.
Is it cheaper to hang drywall yourself?
Yes, materials are a small part of the cost: about $585 for 1,000 sq ft against $1,950–$2,950 hired in this estimate. Hanging is learnable, but a smooth finish takes practice.