Drywall Estimating Services for Drywall Contractors

Commercial drywall is priced by assembly, not by sheet. We start with the wall type schedule and partition legend, which show the stud size and gauge, layers and type of board on each side, insulation and any fire rating. Every wall on the plans is then measured by length and height and assigned to its assembly.

Height is critical. A wall that stops just above the ceiling uses far less material than one that runs to the deck, and walls that go to the deck often need deflection track and fire stopping at the top. We read the sections and reflected ceiling plans to get the right height for each wall.

• Gypsum board: by type and thickness, such as regular, Type X, moisture resistant, abuse resistant and shaft liner, in square feet and sheets.
• Metal framing: studs and track by size and gauge in linear feet, plus deflection track, bracing, backing and headers.
• Wood framing: for residential and light commercial jobs, when it is in your scope.
• Accessories: corner bead, J-bead, control joints, reveals and fasteners.
• Insulation: sound attenuation batts and thermal insulation in walls and ceilings.

The specs usually call for a level of finish from Level 0 to Level 5, based on industry standard GA-214. Most walls behind paint get Level 4, while walls under critical lighting or with glossy paint may need Level 5, a full skim coat. Each level adds labor and material, so we price finishing by level and area.

Drywall contractors often carry more than walls. We include these items when they are in your scope:

• Drywall ceilings, soffits, bulkheads and light coves
• Acoustical ceiling grid and tile
• Shaft wall assemblies for elevators, stairs and chases
• Area separation walls in townhomes and multifamily
• FRP panels in kitchens and restrooms
• Access panels and fire-rated penetrations

Many drywall estimators do not deduct small openings, because the cut-out board is usually wasted anyway and the extra labor around openings offsets the saved material. Large openings, such as storefronts, are deducted. We follow your preferred method and state it in the estimate.

Board waste is typically around 10 percent, more in small rooms and cut-heavy areas. Labor is adjusted for wall height, scaffolding, curved walls and work in occupied buildings.

Office and tenant improvement work is mostly partitions to just above the ceiling, with drywall soffits and bulkheads. Healthcare projects add rated corridors, lead-lined walls in imaging rooms, abuse-resistant board and many backing and blocking requirements. Hotels and multifamily buildings repeat unit types, with rated demising walls, shaft walls and sound control assemblies between units. Schools often use abuse-resistant or impact-resistant board in corridors and gyms.

Single-family homes are usually priced by house plan, with board by room, ceiling heights and finish level, so builders can reuse each price across a community.

• Which walls run to the deck and which stop above the ceiling?
• What level of finish applies in each area?
• Does your scope include acoustical ceilings, insulation, doors and frames or FRP?
• Are backing, blocking and in-wall supports for other trades in your scope?
• Is the work in an occupied building or phased?

Every assumption is listed in the estimate, so you and your client agree on scope before award.

Quantities by assembly and floor make it easier to plan deliveries and stocking. Board can be stocked floor by floor in the right sizes, which reduces waste and handling. Stud and track quantities by size and gauge become your framing order, and finishing areas by level help you plan tapers and finishers.

When walls are added or moved, the assembly-based estimate lets you price the change by length and type, so change orders are quick and backed by clear numbers.

Wall assembly

The full build-up of a wall: studs, board layers, insulation and rating.

Deflection track

Top track that lets a wall move as the structure above it deflects.

Shaft wall

A rated wall system built from one side, used for elevators and chases.

Type X board

Fire-resistant gypsum board used in rated assemblies.

Level of finish

The GA-214 scale, Level 0 to 5, describing how smooth the finished wall must be.

• Quantities by wall and ceiling assembly, with lengths, heights and areas
• Board, stud, track, insulation and finishing quantities
• Labor and material cost for each assembly
• Clarifications on openings, waste and finish levels
• Excel workbook and PDF summary