How much does it cost to replace a section of drywall in Virginia?

Virginia has no standard price list for replacing a section of drywall, and a number quoted without a date and a scope is a guess. A section is usually quoted as a job, and the quote depends on a handful of factors you can control or at least describe: how big the section is, where it is, what is behind it, how the finish has to match, and who does the painting. The practical way to find your price is to describe the job precisely and ask three licensed businesses for a written bid.

What moves the price

Size and position. Board is the cheap part. A section on a low wall in an empty room is a quick job, while a ceiling section or a high stairwell wall adds scaffolding, a second person and slower work. Several small patches in different rooms usually cost more than one patch of the same total area, because each one has its own setup, drying time and cleanup.

What is behind the board. Replacing board over a leak means checking the insulation and framing, and sometimes stopping for a plumber or a mold specialist. A quote written before the wall is opened often says so in the exclusions. If the damage is water, see how to repair water-damaged drywall and what water damage repair costs in Virginia.

Finish. Taping and coating takes several coats with drying time between them, so even a small section often means more than one visit. Texture matching, such as orange peel or knockdown, takes skill and affects price. USG says the standard Level 4 drywall finish is not recommended under non-flat or dark paints or where critical lighting is present,^[5] and that skim coating the entire surface, a Level 5 finish, minimizes those imperfections.^[5] Asking for that finish, or for the whole wall to be repainted so the patch does not show, costs more than painting only the patch.

Older homes and fire-rated walls. In an older house, EPA says anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in housing built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices, and that includes sole proprietorships.^[6] Expect that to appear in the quote. A fire-rated wall, such as the one between an attached garage and the house, needs matching board and a permit: Virginia's building code requires a permit for the repair or replacement of any required component of a fire or smoke rated assembly.^[7]

What Virginia requires of the person you hire

No one may engage in contracting work in Virginia without a licence,^[2] and the Class C licence covers a single job worth over $1,000 but less than $30,000.^[1] DPOR's hiring guide puts the point at which a contractor's licence is required at work valued at $1,000 or more, and a repair plus repaint of several rooms can cross that line quickly.^[4]

The licence should carry a specialty that fits. The Board for Contractors has a drywall contracting (DRY) specialty for installing, taping and finishing drywall, and a painting and wallcovering (PTC) specialty that includes the surface preparation, caulking and sanding before paint.^[3] Look the business up in DPOR's licence lookup rather than trusting a number on a card.^[4]

How to compare bids

DPOR's guide says it is advisable to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications, and not to automatically accept the lowest.^[4] Give every business the same description and photos, then check that each bid names:

• the size of the section and whether the wall or only the patch is repainted
• the number of coats, the primer and the paint
• whether texture is matched
• what happens if the wall is opened and water damage or mold is found
• dust control, cleanup and haul-away

A bid well below the others usually leaves something out. DPOR's rule of thumb for the initial deposit is no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less,^[4] and the price and scope belong in a written contract.

Do it yourself to cut the cost

A hand-sized patch on a dry wall is a reasonable weekend job: see how to patch a small hole in drywall. Buying a sheet of board and a bucket of compound costs far less than a visit, but the finish is where homeowners most often see the difference, and a poorly finished patch may cost more to fix than it would have cost to hire.

Stop and call a pro if

• The drywall is wet, sagging or stained from above. Fix the source first, then price the repair.
• You see mold, or the section is large enough that you are looking at a whole wall or ceiling.
• The wall is fire-rated or the work means moving wiring, a pipe or a duct inside the wall.
• The house was built before 1978 and the job means sanding or cutting old paint or texture.
• A bid is far lower than the others or asks for a large payment up front.

Getting help in Virginia

Read whether replacing drywall needs a permit and browse drywall patching businesses or more home repair answers.

When you are ready, describe the drywall repair once and local businesses quote it.