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The Daily Insight

How much does it cost to finish drywall per square foot?

Author

Sarah Cherry

Updated on February 16, 2026

The Long Answer:

The cost of finishing drywall is typically in the range of $1.00 to $1.65 per square foot, not including labor. For an average 12' x 12' room (144 square feet), those costs would translate into a drywall finishing cost of anywhere from $144 to $238.

How much does it cost to finish drywall?

The average cost to finish drywall is $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot for labor and materials. The cost to tape and mud drywall is $0.35 to $1.10 per square foot and is typically included with finishing. Finishing drywall in a 12x12 bedroom costs $580 to $1,800.

How much does it cost to hang and finish drywall per square foot?

Drywall installation costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot, depending on the ceiling height, drywall type, and level of finish. Drywall costs $0.50 to $0.80 per square foot for materials. The labor cost to hang and finish drywall is $1.00 to $2.70 per square foot. The cost to drywall a 12x12 room is $580 to $1,800.

How do I calculate drywall finish?

Calculate how many drywall sheets you will need by dividing the total square footage of area by 32 (if you're using 4-by-8 sheets) or by 48 (if you're using 4-by-12 sheets). If you want to get the cost, just multiply the total number of sheets by the price per sheet. Remember to add local taxes and delivery charges.

What is the average cost to mud and tape drywall?

The national average materials cost to tape drywall joints is $0.05 per linear foot, with a range between $0.04 to $0.05. The total price for labor and materials per linear foot is $0.91, coming in between $0.83 to $1.00. A typical 500 linear foot project costs $455.95, with a range of $412.97 to $498.92.

How The Drywall Doctor Prices Jobs From Materials to Labor

How do you calculate labor for drywall?

Multiply drywall square footage by the going rate

The total drywall square footage numbers can be used to estimate both material and labor costs. For example, if you find that your house will require 150 sheets of 4' x 12' drywall, you know you will need about 7,200 ft2 of drywall (48 ft2 * 150 sheets = 7,200, ft2).

How much does it cost to drywall 1000 square feet?

The national average cost to install drywall is between $1,600 and $3,500, with most homeowners spending around $2,000 on 1,000 sq. ft. of standard ½” drywall, hung and finished in a remodel. At the low end, you can install 500 sq.

How much does it cost to drywall a 2000 square foot house?

For 2,000 sq. ft. of wall space, your average total drywall cost is $4,200 – $7,800.

How much does it cost to finish a 1500 sq ft basement?

Finishing a basement typically costs between $7 and $23 per square foot with an average of $25 per square foot. Most homeowners can expect to pay from $2,800 to $33,985, or $18,395 on average, for a 400 to 1,500 square foot space. The price includes labor, materials and any permits you need.

How much does it cost to drywall 500 square feet?

It costs approximately $875 to $1,100 to hang sheetrock in a 500 square foot room. This cost includes labor and materials, but it does not include the cost of removing old drywall or disposing of debris. If you need to remove any old drywall, plan to pay approximately $225 to $250 more.

How much does it cost to finish a wall?

The national average for the cost to finish drywall starts around $1,000 and goes up to $3,000. During a remodel, you can expect to spend Around $1,800 to use a standard ½-inch drywall to finish a 1,000-square foot room.

How do you calculate drywall mud and tape?

If you're using a lightweight joint compound (not premixed), then you'll probably need 0.053 pounds of mud per square foot of drywall. If you're using a quick-setting product, then you'll likely need 0.073 pounds of mud per square foot. Drywall tape typically covers about 2-3 square feet of sheetrock per foot of tape.

How many screws should go in a sheet of drywall?

How Many Screws Per Sheet of Drywall. Use about 32 drywall screws per sheet of 4-foot by 8-foot drywall installed horizontally on a wall. This total is comprised of four screws on the five middle studs and six screws on each of the two sides.

What sandpaper do you use for drywall?

Use 220-grit sandpaper and sand the areas with a light and easy touch. Avoid using coarse sandpaper below 100 grit as that may damage the drywall.

How much does it cost to frame a wall per linear foot?

Framing a wall generally costs $7 to $16 per square foot when installing top and bottom plates with studs. This figure is for the framing only and can increase to $20 to $30 per linear foot with the inclusion of drywall and electrical work to finish the wall.

How much does it cost to finish a 500sq ft basement?

The average cost to finish a basement is $32 to $47 per square foot or about $39 per square foot on average. A small, open-plan, 500-square-foot basement will cost about $20,000 while a 1,500-square-foot basement with three rooms and a bathroom costs around $57,000 to finish.

How much should I charge to frame a basement?

It costs an average of $1,200 to frame a basement, with a typical range of between $500 and $1,600. It can cost as little as $250 to frame a small basement and as much as $4,000 for a large one. There are three types of basements: masonry wall, poured concrete, and precast panel.

How much does it cost to put up drywall in a basement?

Drywall: It costs around $1.50 per square foot to hang drywall in your basement. Ceiling: Basic ceiling installation can cost as little as $1-2 per square foot. But, if the project is complex, it can cost around $6 per square foot.

How much does it cost to finish a 1400 square foot basement?

Costs can range from $7 to $23 per square foot for basement finishing and the total will depend on the type and quality of materials, how the space will be used and the contractor's labor rates.

Can you finish a basement for 5000?

Average Cost to Remodel a Basement

Remodeling a basement costs $5,000-$10,000 on average, so you can easily finish your basement for $10,000 or less.

Is finishing a basement a good investment?

Great Return on Investment

In the United States, on average, finishing a basement will give you a return of 70 to 75% of your investment. For example, if you spent $1,000 on improvements, it would increase the value of the property by about $700.