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Drywall Cost Per Square Foot in Canada
Most construction and home renovation projects in Canada involve drywall installation, which forms the foundation for smooth, paint ready walls and ceilings, hence providing insulation and durability.
In Canada, installing a drywall normally costs from approximately $1.50 to $3.50 per sq.ft. based on materials, room size, labour rates, ceiling heights and complexity of the tasks involved.
The table below breaks down the costs, which serves as a guide in budgeting for your condo renovation, garage and apartment construction or renovation across GTA:
| Item | Approximate Cost |
| Taping & mudding drywall | $0.35 – $1.10 |
| Old drywall removal | $0.50 – $2.50 |
| Replacing an existing drywall | $2.00 – $6.00 |
Factors Affecting the Cost
- The type of material/drywall chosen: A standard drywall, which is mostly used in residential projects, costs less (around $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot,) while specialty drywall types like fire resistant (Type X) suitable for furnace rooms and garages and moisture resistant (green board) which are ideal for kitchens and bathrooms cost more (roughly $2.50 to $3.00).
- Requirements of the finishing: Standard finishing, which consists of textured walls with minor and acceptable imperfections, will be cheaper, while premium level 5 finishing, whereby the walls are smooth and ideal for direct lighting and glossy paint, will cost more.
- Labor rates: Simple drywall installations may require fewer skills and will thus cost less, while complex tasks like coffered ceilings or high-end finishes require professionals or high skill levels, which contributes to a cost increase.
- Room layout and size: Larger and regularly shaped rooms reduce the cost per square foot because of efficiencies in installation and material cutting, while irregularly shaped ones with maybe vaulted ceilings or rooms with multiple corners need more labour and precision, which increases the cost requiring additional 20 to 30 per cent to the base cost.
Drywall Cost Per Square Foot Per Works
Drywall installation involves various works, and you can expect to pay for each work as discussed below:
Cost Per Square Foot to Hang Drywall
Drywall hanging costs about $0.85 to $1.90 per square foot and involves tasks such as measuring and cutting sheets to ensure they fit the walls and ceilings, securing the sheets with fasteners to ensure no gaps remain and inspecting the work done for structural integrity.
For example, hanging drywall in a 120 sq. ft. room would cost roughly between $180 and $300. However, drywall hanging does not involve sanding, surface finishing, tapping or mudding.
Cost Per Square Foot to Texture Drywall
Texturing a drywall will cost you averagely $0.80 to $2.00 per square foot and it’s done to hide imperfections and add visual appeal while ceiling drywall texturing costs $1 to $2 per square foot.
The tasks involved are mixing and applying texture compounds like orange peel and using tools like trowels and sprayers for consistent patterns.
Cost Per Square Foot for Labor to Install Drywall
The labor you employ handles tasks such as transporting drywall sheets to the site, ensuring compliance with Canada’s building codes as well as mudding, taping and hanging the drywall.
The cost per square foot for labor to install drywall averages $1.00 to $2.70 and makes between 65% to 75% total of the drywall installation cost.
Cost Per Square Foot to Finish Drywall
This work involves sanding to prepare for painting, taping and mudding, and the cost ranges from $0.85 to $3.50 based on the level of finishing, materials and labor.
- Level 0 finish (drywall hung without mud, tape or finish) costs $0.85 to $1.90
- Level 1 (concealed attics or areas) ranges from $1.15 to $2.15.
- Level 2 (consists of walls or storage rooms with one coat of compound) costs $1.30 to $2.60.
- Level 3 to 5 (flawless) finish costs from $1.50 to $3.50.
Cost Per Square Foot to Replace Drywall
Replacing damaged drywall will cost you an average of $2 to $6 per sq.ft., including works like old drywall removal, new sheets installation and disposal of debris.
For drywall replacement in older homes, the charges are about $600 to $1500 due to asbestos testing and lead requirements.
Average Cost to Drywall Per Room
The cost of drywalling a room ranges from $580 to $3,100 based on the size and entails cutting, hanging, finishing drywall sheets, measuring, sanding and mudding. Below are the costs based on the type and size of the room:
| Room Type & Size | Drywall Square Feet | Average Cost |
| Living room (16′ x 20′) | 580 – 900 | $850 – $3,100 |
| Bathroom (5′ x 8′) | 200 – 250 | $300 – $1,000 |
| Primary Bedroom (12′ x 20′) | 510 – 750 | $750 – $2,600 |
| Bedroom (12′ x 12′) | 380 – 530 | $580 – $1,800 |
Average Cost to Drywall a Garage
Normally, the amount you pay for garage drywall installation varies depending on the size of the garage and how complex the tasks involved are, including covering exposed walls and adding insulation and the level of drywall finishing. The prices range from $1000 to $3,900.
| Garage Size | Average Cost |
| 1 car garage | $800 – $2,800 |
| 2 car garage | $1,000 – $3,900 |
| 3 car garage | $1,700 – $5,000 |
Average Cost to Drywall a Basement
Drywalling a basement helps transform an unfinished space into functional and liveable square footage and involves adding soundproofing and finishing edges around ducts and pipes. The approximate cost depends on the materials used and the basement size.
For example, drywalling a 1000-square-foot basement will cost between $1,500 and $7,000 based on whether the floor plan is divided into smaller rooms or if it’s open.
| Basement Type | Average Cost |
| Small( 700 square footage) | $1,200 – $6,000 |
| Large(1,500 square footage) | $2,000 – $9,000 |
Average Cost to Drywall a Ceiling
Installing a ceiling drywall will cost from $1.50 to $3.80 per square foot based on the height and size of the ceiling and comprises of works like securing the drywall with screws to prevent sagging, finishing joints and seams for a smooth textured look and measuring and cutting drywall sheets to fit the dimensions of the ceiling. High or slope ceilings may increase the cost by up to 30% or more.
Average Cost to Drywall a Whole House
A whole house will need about $5,000 to $45,000 for drywall installation. If the house has an open floor plan, it will require less sheetrock, include tasks like finishing ceilings and walls with smooth surfaces, efficiently hanging drywall in larger spaces primarily to reduce labor time and coordinating material delivery, as well as site preparation and thus, the drywall cost per square foot canada cost, will be lower.
Here are the costs for drywalling houses of various sizes in Canada:
| House size | Drywall Square Feet | Cost |
| Small house (1,200 to 1,500 square feet ) | 4,200 – 7,200 | $5,000 – $22,000 |
| Medium house (2,000 to 2,500 square feet) | 8,000 – 12,500 | $8,000 – $35,000 |
| Large house (3,000+ square feet) | 10,000 -14,500 | $10,000 – $45,000 |
Additional Costs for Drywall Jobs
Performing a drywall job includes add-ons or complementary tasks to enhance the overall project. Some of the jobs include:
- Mold removal costs $15 to $30 per sq. ft.
- Acquiring building permits in Toronto costs between $50 and $150.
- Painting and priming to provide a finished look costing approximately $1.00 to $3.00 per square foot.
- Pest control, requiring $100 to $270.
- New pipe installation, which costs $450 to $1,800 per fixture.
- Soundproofing to reduce noise transfer with prices ranging from $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot.
Contact our renovation company, CSG Renovation, at (647)428-0007 to estimate the cost of your project!
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