You can probably google this and the price will vary by region. On recent projects in Arkansas I have seen costs between $3 and $5 per square foot for hanging and finishing (labor and materials). I recommend at least a Level 3 wall finish. Knockdown ceiling finish only required one coat, taped and sanded, usually. I prefer smooth ceilings, personally.

$17,000 may be a little high, but it is in the neighborhood. I would say $12,000 would be at the lower end and I would not count on a good finished product. Also, are we including installing new base/crown moulding, shoe moulding? Painting? That would also drive up the cost.

A Level 3 finish is a layer of mud at the joints, then tape, then mud again (level one). Once dry a second layer of mud is applied to the joints slightly wider than the first (level two). Finally a third layer of mud is applied slightly wider than the first. Once dry it is sanded and primed (Level 3).

@ROGUE architecture, LLC thanks for all info!
They will not be doing any base/moulding or painting. Hmm interesting about the levels- I have no idea what they included for that. I should ask...he will probably be surprised I know about that hah!

what they had in their estimate was for:

• Drywall
  Install 335 sheets of 1/2" drywall in first and second floor as per
  drawings
• Blue board will be hung In all wet areas
• All board will be attached with 1 5/8" coarse thread drywall screws
• All walls will be finished with a smooth finish
• All ceilings will be done with a knock down texture
• Metal corner bead will be applied in all areas as needed
• Tape will be applied at all seams

It is always a good idea to get bid from three different contractors And like Rogue said you should educate yourself on what you are paying for a Level 3 or Level 5 finish and what are reasonable expectations. It is always a good idea to get references from past clients as well so you can find out about service, quality of work, and a general sense of what to expect when you are dealing with this particular contractor. You need to make sure they have a good track record of quality work, standing behind their work and good quality customer service. Good Luck

We are working on 3-4 estimates. That's a good idea to get references.
So the levels go from 1-5?

I agree with everything Big Rock said. References are a must, but do not guarantee success. I suggest to all my clients to get at least 2 but preferably 3 bids on any project and compare them carefully to see who is giving you the best and most complete service.

Drywall finish does go from Level 1 to Level 5. Level 5 being a full float of drywall mud over the entire wall surface. It is by far the best finish, especially if your drywall contractor knows what he is doing. I use a level 5 on the walls in my own home, which we are renovating one room at a time. I do the work myself with some help. A good smooth Level 5 finish is just beautiful in my opinion. It is expensive and labor intensive, but worth it.

Be sure to check the "flatness" of your framing before drywall goes on. Lay a very long level or aluminum bar against the framing - top, middle, bottom, then diagonally, looking for studs out of "flat". Also - seal off every hole that penetrates framing going up into an unconditioned attic. Wiring, plumbing, etc....seal it with caulk and/or sealing tape. Keeping your air conditioned air from flowing up into the attic will reduce your energy bills. We have painted thousands of rooms (in the OKC area). Always amazed at how much dust we find inside electrical boxes down low on a wall when removing the plate covers for painting.

wow great advice @Edmond Kitchen & Bath LLC- so much that goes into renovating- hard to be thorough with it all- but we will be sure to go through what you've mentioned! thank you!

Jessica, for exactly that reason it is best to hire a licensed architect and a licensed contractor to help you. There are a lot of steps and a lot of trades that go into any project and the average homeowner knows little about any of them. It's money well spent on good consultants.

When I needed a bathroom/closet drywalled, I called a friend of mine who's a general contractor and hired the guys he recommended. Great job, fair price, and no three bids.

I have 176 sheets of drywall to hang & finish. I need To know avarge price that someone would charge to do it.

If you were going to shiplap over it, what level would you recommend. Same question if you were going to have 1 by 3s wainscoting throughout the wall and joints, would you need a high level finish?

17,000 is a reasonable price. 335 sheets to finish is roughly $1.06 per square foot if you are using 12ft by 4ft sheets. If they are 8ft by 4ft sheets, it would be $1.59 per square foot. If you have a lot of cornerbead to put up as well, it could be why its on the higher end. Corner bead cost rougly $2.71 to $4.05 per linear foot. That means every corner that goes all the way to the ceiling would be $25 to $36 dollars to install. If you have a lot of corners and windows in your home, it could drive up the price of the bid quickly. Level 3 typically cost between $0.70 to $0.90 per square foot. Level 4 is around $1.15 per square foot. Level five cost around $2.06 per square foot. This is in lower Michigan though. Prices can vary from state to state.

The difference between level 3, level 4 and level 5 is as follows:

Level 3- tape, followed by a coat of mud on the joints using a 8 inch knife, follwed by a skim coat using a 10 inch knife. You usually do level 3 if you are going to do an orange peel texture on the wall. The texture helps to disguise all the imperfections that will be present when doing the lowest level of drywall finishing.

Level 4- tape followed by a first coat using an 8 inch knife, your second coat is then applied with the 10 inch knife, and then you do a skim coat with a 12 inch knife. Level 4 usually doesn't have texture on the walls, other than what is created by the nap on the paint roller.

Level 5- This actually is a texture itself. It is a smooth wall texture. You do a level 4 finish, then once thats is done and sanded out, you apply a coat of mud to the entire wall. There are several methods to applying the coat of mud on the wall. You can hand skim coat, use a paint roller to roll the mud on the wall, or you could use a texture sprayer to spray a thin layer of mud on the wall. Once this is done, you would sand the entire wall to have it become flat and give it the smooth wall texture. Level 5 is labor intensive, and takes twice as much mud as a level 4 finish. It is why it almost cost twice as much as level 4.

I am a drywall finisher in Michigan, and have been in the trade for a few years. I mainly do level 4 and level 5, as I do commercial buildings, so I have a good level of knowledge and experience in regards to drywall finishing and the cost per square foot. I hope this information is helpful for someone.

P.S. Never just go with the lowest bidder. Sometimes that low bid comes with shotty work. Paint is the most costly part of a wall, so if you had to go though touching up the walls and making it where you had to prime the walls a second time, you could end up spending more money than if you would have paid a little more for the higher bid to get a quality job the first time. Furthermore, always research the people bidding on your job, and ask to see photos of their work, if they have any available.