What should a drywall quote include?

The areas covered, board type and thickness, who supplies materials, the finish level for each area (per GA-214), whether texture and primer are included, cleanup and haul-off, the start date and duration, and the payment schedule.

Should I pay a drywall contractor up front?

Avoid paying the full price before work starts. A common setup is a modest deposit or a materials payment, a payment when board is hung, and the balance after the final walk-through, agreed in writing.

What finish level should I ask for?

Level 4 is the usual choice for flat paint and light texture. Level 5 is recommended for glossy paint, smooth walls, and strong side light. Level 3 is common under medium or heavy texture. Name the level on the quote.

How do I check a drywall contractor?

Ask for a certificate of liability insurance sent from their insurance agent, two or three recent references you can call, photos of finished work in raking light, and check any license or permit rules that apply in your city.

How to hire a drywall contractor (and get the job finished right)

Hiring a drywall contractor means comparing written quotes that name the scope, finish level, schedule and payment stages, then checking insurance and references. This guide gives the 12 questions to ask before you hire, plus the red flags to watch for.

By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 25, 2026

Most drywall headaches come from three things: a vague quote, a crew that disappears halfway through, and a finish that looks fine until the paint goes on. A few questions before you hire fix most of it, whether you're a homeowner patching a ceiling or a GC lining up a hang-and-finish sub.

Before you call anyone: know your scope

What's being done: hang only, finish only, or hang and finish? Patch or full rooms?
Rough size: room dimensions or square footage of wall and ceiling, and ceiling height. Photos help a lot.
Finish you want: smooth or textured, flat or glossy paint. That decides the finish level.
Special board: moisture-resistant for baths, fire-rated where required, thicker board on ceilings.
Timing: when the space is ready, and what has to be done before drywall (inspections, insulation, electrical).

12 questions to ask a drywall contractor

Do you hang, finish, or both? Will your own crew do the work, or will you sub it out?
Can your insurance agent email me a certificate of liability insurance?
Can I call two or three people you've done work for recently?
Can you show photos of finished walls, ideally with light coming across them?
What finish level are you pricing for each area?
Who buys the board, mud, tape, and bead, and is it in the price?
Are texture and primer included? Which texture?
Who handles cleanup, scrap, and haul-off?
When can you start, how many days will it take, and how many trips (hang, tape, coats, sanding)?
What's the payment schedule?
How do you handle changes and extra work once you're on site?
If something shows up after paint, like a seam or a screw pop, how do you handle it?

Insurance tip: a certificate sent straight from the contractor's insurance agent is worth more than a photo of one. Licensing rules for drywall vary by state and city, so where there's no license to check, insurance and references matter even more.

What a good drywall quote includes

Each area listed, with board type and thickness.
The finish level per area, for example "living areas Level 4, garage Level 2".
Whether materials, texture, primer, and haul-off are included or excluded.
Start date, expected duration, and the payment schedule.
How change orders get priced.

If two quotes are far apart, line them up on these points first. The cheaper one is often leaving something out, like a lower finish level, no haul-off, or materials billed separately.

Red flags

Wants the full price up front, or cash only with nothing in writing.
Won't name a finish level, or says "it'll be smooth" without one.
Can't produce insurance or a single reference.
Quotes without asking about size, ceilings, or the finish you want.
Pushes you to skip a required inspection.

Set up payment so the job gets finished

Tie payments to progress you can see, and put it in writing. A common setup is a modest deposit or a materials payment to start, a payment when the board is hung and inspected, and the balance after the final walk-through. Do that walk-through in the lighting the room will really have, and agree on primer before you judge the finish.

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General guidance, not legal advice. Check your local permit and licensing rules and put the agreement in writing.