Overview: Drywall & Plaster Contractors
Drywall crews hang board, but the trade lives in the finishing. Every seam and screw head gets coats of compound, each one wider and thinner than the last, sanded in between, with bead on the outside corners. Older Canadian houses still have plaster on lath, and patching it well is a separate skill worth asking about.
Before anyone opens a wall in an older house, think about what's inside it. WorkSafeBC tells British Columbia homeowners to have the home tested for asbestos before a renovation, and it names drywall and textured ceiling coat among the materials that often held it. Anyone you hire there to test for asbestos or remove it has to be licensed for that work in the province.
Winter leaves its own marks. Truss uplift opens a crack where the ceiling meets an inside wall during the cold months, then closes it by summer. Burst pipes and ice dams soak board, and wet board comes out.
Our listings show what each drywall and plaster company states on its own website. The province and city lists narrow things down to crews who tape, patch and skim in your area.
Drywall and plaster costs in Canada
Separate a small repair visit, new board installation and finishing on already hung sheets. Agree the finish level before comparing prices.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| One small drywall hole repair | C$200–C$350per small standalone wall repair | One accessible wall hole about 2 inches or smaller, patched, sanded and primed for later painting.Standalone small wall repair. Painting, texture matching and ceiling work are extra; several holes in one visit may share the booking cost.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Patch materials and repair labour; Sanding and spot primer Budget separately or confirm: Finish paint and texture matching; Ceiling work or unresolved water damage |
| Drywall supply and finishing | C$2–C$4.50per square foot of board surface | Supply and hang ordinary wallboard, then tape, mud and sand to an agreed paint-ready Level 4 finish.Measured board surface, not room floor area. Small-job minimums, high ceilings, framing, insulation, demolition, primer and paint are separate.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified board; Hanging, taping and finishing Budget separately or confirm: Framing; Painting |
| Level 4 taping and finishing only | C$1–C$2.50per square foot of board surface | Finish properly hung board with tape, joint compound and sanding to a paint-ready Level 4 surface.The sheets must already be hung correctly. Gaps, poor fastening or damaged board can add preparation charges; primer and paint are separate.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Joint treatment; Sanding Budget separately or confirm: Board installation; Correction of unsuitable framing |
| Level 5 full-surface skim upgrade | C$0.75–C$1.50additional per square foot of board surface | Add a full-surface skim coat and sanding to a new drywall job already priced at Level 4.An upgrade amount only. Do not add it if Level 5 is already included; smoothing old painted or unstable plaster walls needs a separate assessment. Add this only when it is needed and is not already included in the agreed package.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Extra skim-coat labour and compound; Additional sanding Budget separately or confirm: Base Level 4 installation or finishing; Old-wall stripping, unstable plaster repair, primer and paint |
| Plaster stabilization or restoration | Scope-based quoteper assessed repair or restoration area | Assess adhesion and lath condition, then specify retained plaster, replacement substrate and the required texture or heritage finish.A drywall insert and authentic lime-plaster restoration are different purchases. Confirm what material will remain and what the finished repair must match. The price depends on whether the plaster can be reattached, needs a modern patch or requires authentic plaster restoration. Send photos and dimensions, and agree the substrate and texture before quoting.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Agreed stabilization or replacement method; Specified surface and texture finish Budget separately or confirm: Unresolved leaks or structural movement; Unlisted ornamental work, testing and finish painting |
What changes the price
- Wall and ceiling surface area, height and access
- Board condition, joint density and the agreed finish level
- Repair substrate, texture matching and the painting handoff
Ask before accepting a quote
- Is the quantity wallboard surface area, and does the price include hanging or only finishing?
- What finish level is included, and are primer, paint and touch-ups after priming separate?
- For old plaster, will you stabilize it, insert drywall or use authentic plaster, and what will match afterward?
Agree what paint-ready means
- Level 4 treats joints and fasteners; Level 5 adds a full-surface skim. Choose against the planned paint and lighting, and identify the upgrade in the quote.
- Existing leaks, loose plaster or moving framing must be addressed before a cosmetic finish; ask which trade owns that work.
Canadian context
If older finishes may contain hazardous materials, obtain an appropriate assessment before pricing disturbance or removal as routine work.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
What do finish levels actually mean?
They set how much compound goes on before paint. The low levels stop at taped joints, which is plenty for a garage or a furnace room. The middle levels add coats over joints and fasteners and suit most painted rooms. The top level skims the whole surface. Low winter sun through a big window shows every ridge, so name the walls it hits and get the level written into the quote.
Why does the same crack keep coming back?
Because whatever moves behind it is still moving. If the crack opens every winter along the joint between ceiling and wall and closes by summer, that's truss uplift, and filler won't hold it. Settling footings and joints with no room to flex do the same thing. Lasting fixes use tape or trim that allows movement, or they deal with the structure before the wall gets touched again.
Does finishing a basement need a building permit?
In Toronto, often it doesn't. The city says finishing a basement in a house needs no building permit when the work makes no structural or material alterations, adds no new plumbing and creates no second unit. Adding or removing walls and cutting new windows count as material alterations. Add a bathroom, change the heating, move a wall or build an apartment and you'll need one. Other municipalities keep their own lists, so call the building department before the framing and board go up.
Is water damaged board worth drying out?
Usually not. Health Canada's flood clean-up advice is to throw out drywall and insulation that flood water has touched if they can't be dried. Clean water from a burst pipe gives you a little more room, but the core still softens once it swells, and wet paper grows mould. Cut back to dry framing, dry the cavity, then board it again. Fix the pipe or the ice dam first, or you'll be buying the same wall again.
Could my old ceiling or wall finish contain asbestos?
In an older house, it could. Health Canada lists drywall, plaster and spackling among home materials that may contain asbestos. Left alone and in good shape, they carry little risk. Sanding, scraping, drilling and sawing are what set fibres loose. Health Canada's advice is to have a professional test before you renovate, and to hire a qualified removal specialist if it's there.
