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How much to charge for drywall repair, patches and new sheets
A doorknob hole takes ten minutes to patch and a day to finish, because the compound has to dry between coats. That's why drywall repair is priced differently from most small jobs. Here's how to set your rate, what published guides and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show for patches, repairs and installation, and a worked example with a minimum.
Your hourly rate and what BLS shows
The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median wage for drywall installers, ceiling tile installers and tapers at $28.74 an hour, or $59,780 a year, in May 2025. Drywall and ceiling tile installers had a median of $58,930 a year, with the lowest 10% under $38,460 and the highest 10% over $102,010; tapers had a median of $68,270. Those are employees, and BLS pay figures don't include the self-employed.
Your own rate has to cover the tools, the truck, insurance, the return trip for the next coat and the hours you don't bill; work it out as in how to price a job. HomeGuide's drywall repair guide, written October 2025, puts drywall labor at $60 to $150 an hour, and HomeAdvisor's, updated June 2026, at $60 to $90 an hour for small fixes.
Why drywall repair needs a minimum
A patch needs at least two visits: one to cut, patch and coat, one to coat again, sand and prime once it's dry. HomeGuide (2025) says most contractors charge a minimum job fee of $350 to $650 or more for drywall repair, and its patch prices mostly sit at or above that line.
HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide lists the work at much lower prices for each fix, so the two guides differ a lot; what you charge depends on your area and whether you'll make the second trip. Either way, get every hole in the house onto the same visit. Once you're there, a third patch costs you minutes.
| HomeGuide, Oct 2025 | HomeAdvisor, Jun 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Small hole | $300 to $500 | $20 to $120 |
| Larger hole | $500 to $800+ | $50 to $200 |
| Cracks | $350 to $1,000+ | $60 to $400 |
| Ceiling repair | $350 to $1,500+ | Not listed |
| Minimum job fee | $350 to $650+ | Not listed |
HomeGuide drywall repair cost guide, written October 20, 2025; HomeAdvisor drywall repair cost guide, updated June 17, 2026. What homeowners are charged, not a recommendation.
Installation: per square foot and per sheet
New drywall is priced by area. HomeGuide's drywall installation guide, written September 2025, puts it at $1.50 to $3.50 a square foot of wall, or $30 to $70 a sheet, with labor and materials for hanging, taping and finishing. Materials alone are $0.50 to $0.80 a square foot, and labor to hang and finish $1.00 to $2.70.
Price the steps separately when the job splits that way: HomeGuide lists hanging only at $0.85 to $1.90 a square foot, taping and mudding at $0.35 to $1.10, texturing $0.80 to $2.00 more, and removing old drywall $0.50 to $2.50 more. A 4 by 8 sheet covers 32 square feet; HomeGuide says a 12 by 12 bedroom takes 18 sheets.
A worked example: a doorknob hole and two cracks
Example numbers, not a quote: $75 an hour, a 25% markup on materials and a $250 minimum. Visit one, cutting, patching and the first coat, takes 1.5 hours; visit two, a second coat, sanding and primer, takes 1 hour. Materials (a piece of drywall, compound, tape and primer) cost $28.
The patch alone lands on the minimum, because two trips cost you more than the hours on the wall.
- Labor: (1.5 + 1) hours × $75 = $187.50
- Materials: $28 × 1.25 = $35
- Patch alone: $187.50 + $35 = $222.50, under the $250 minimum, so $250
- Add two hallway cracks, 1 more hour on each visit: (2.5 + 2) hours × $75 = $337.50
- Patch and cracks, same materials: $337.50 + $35 = $372.50, above the minimum
Texture, paint and what the estimate leaves out
Say whether the price includes matching texture and painting, because customers assume it does. HomeGuide (2025) lists texturing at $0.80 to $2.00 or more a square foot, and HomeAdvisor (2026) says a repair comes with a basic skim coat, with painting at $2 to $6 a square foot extra. If you paint too, price it as in how to price painting jobs.
If you open a wall and find water damage, stop and re-price; estimate vs quote explains which word protects you. Check your state's rules on contractor licenses for bigger jobs and on sales tax.
Putting the price on paper
In Workeey you set your rates once: hourly, travel, call-out, first hour, evenings and weekends, parts markup and a deposit percent. Save the jobs you price often, a small patch, a crack or a sheet hung and finished, as lines with a name and a price. A quick estimate prices from those, and you share it from your phone as a quote PDF with the deposit percent printed on it. The customer says yes to you directly.
When the work is done, one tap turns the estimate into the invoice, emailed with a pay link for card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or US bank transfer through your own Stripe account; a small processing fee applies. The free plan includes 23 quick estimates a month and unlimited invoicing; Pro is $5 a month and Premium $19 (pricing). Start from the handyman estimate template, or see Workeey for handymen.
More for drywall pros: pages and free templates
- Drywall invoice template — free, with a filled-in sample
- Drywall estimate template — a free quote sample
- Free invoice template — every field a trade invoice needs
- Free estimate template — copy it, price it, send it
- Free receipt template — a paid-in-full receipt to copy
- Work order template — the job written down before you bill it
- Late payment reminder templates — texts, emails and a letter to copy and send
- All free templates and tools
How much should I charge to patch drywall?
Published guides differ: HomeAdvisor (June 2026) lists $20 to $120 for a small hole, while HomeGuide (October 2025) lists $300 to $500 and notes most contractors have a $350 to $650 minimum. Price from your hours, both visits included.
How much do drywallers charge per hour?
HomeGuide (2025) lists $60 to $150 an hour, and HomeAdvisor (2026) $60 to $90 for small fixes. BLS puts the employee median at $28.74 an hour in May 2025; a self-employed rate has to be higher to cover costs.
How much to charge per sheet of drywall?
HomeGuide (September 2025) lists $30 to $70 a sheet installed, with hanging, taping and finishing, or $1.50 to $3.50 a square foot.
Why charge a minimum for a small drywall patch?
Because the compound has to dry, so even a small patch takes two trips. A minimum makes sure both are paid.
Does drywall repair include painting?
Not unless you say so. Write on the estimate whether texture and paint are included, and price them as separate lines if they are.