How drywall contractors normally break the money out
A drywall contractor's invoice is usually a price per board or per square foot for hanging, a separate rate for taping and finishing to a stated level, and materials itemized. Keeping those apart is what stops the customer asking what the total covered.
Step by step
- 1State the finish level — Level 4 or Level 5 — on the invoice. It is the single biggest driver of price and the most common misunderstanding.
- 2Separate hang, tape and finish. They are different crews' worth of work and customers should see them.
- 3Price patch and repair work by the patch or by the hour, not by the square foot. Small repairs cost far more per foot than a whole room.
- 4Itemize board, compound, corner bead and tape, plus dust containment if you set it up.
- 5Say whether the price includes priming and sanding cleanup, and note that final paint is separate unless you quoted it.
When to send it
On completion for residential rooms and repairs. On new construction, invoice by phase — hung, taped, finished — against the builder's schedule.
Builder accounts pay on their cycle: get the job number and the draw cut-off. Homeowner repair work should be collected on the day.
Common questions
- What is the difference between Level 4 and Level 5?
- Level 5 adds a skim coat over the whole surface. It costs noticeably more and matters under gloss paint and raking light — say which you priced.
- Should cleanup be a line item?
- Yes if it involved containment or hauling. Drywall dust cleanup is real work and customers accept it when it is named.
- How do I price a single patch?
- A minimum call charge plus time. A patch priced by the square foot always loses money.
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