Drywall quote template

Download the Drywall quote template

The same sample document in two formats. The PDF is what a finished quote looks like; the spreadsheet has live formulas, so change a quantity or a rate and the totals follow.

No signup, no email, no watermark. Sample figures — edit everything. Opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets.

See this quote filled in, in the builder — the same sample, editable.

What a Drywall quote needs on it

Drywall bids hinge on a number most customers have never heard of: the finish level. Level 3 is fine behind texture and looks terrible under a flat sheen; Level 5 costs substantially more and is what you need for raking light. Put the level on the estimate, name the texture, and on repairs be explicit that matching existing texture is an attempt rather than a guarantee — because that is the callback that costs the most to argue about.

New construction and full-room work quote cleanly by the square foot at a stated finish level. Fix that price and exclude texture matching to adjacent existing surfaces — a fixed price on a match you cannot control is a callback waiting to happen.

• Finish level (3, 4 or 5) with a plain-language note on what each means
• Texture type by name — knockdown, orange peel, skip trowel, or smooth
• Whether priming is included, since Level 5 effectively requires it
• On repairs: that texture and paint matching is best-effort, not guaranteed
• Dust control and containment, and whether the customer expects a clean house
• Corner bead type, and whether existing walls are square enough for it

And what every quote needs

Use a quote when you can see the whole job and control the variables: a like-for-like replacement, a measured area, a repeat job you have priced twenty times.

• A tightly written scope — a fixed price is only safe if the scope is exact
• Explicit exclusions, since anything unlisted is what a dispute will be about
• A change-order clause saying how additional work gets priced and approved
• An expiry date, because a fixed price cannot outlive your material costs

Drywall line items included in this template

These load into the builder ready to edit. Prices are starting points, not our opinion of what you should charge — set your own and they save to your price book.

Rates are illustrative US figures and vary widely by market. Price your own work.

How drywall contractors price this work

New work prices per square foot of board hung, taped and finished, with the finish level as the main multiplier. Repairs price by the patch or by the hour, and small patches are expensive per square foot because mobilisation, multiple coats and return trips dominate. Charging a minimum for repair calls is standard — three coats with dry time is a three-visit job whether the hole is a foot wide or a room is.

Questions

What drywall finish level should I quote?

Level 4 is the residential default under texture or flat paint. Level 5 — a skim coat over the whole surface — is what you need for gloss, dark colors or walls in raking light, and it costs meaningfully more. Put the level on the estimate: it is the difference between a fair bid and a cheap one, and it is invisible until the paint is on.

Can you guarantee a texture match on a repair?

Not honestly. Texture is applied by hand and ages with the paint, so a patch can be very close and still visible in the right light. Say so on the estimate, and offer the alternative — retexturing the full wall or to the nearest corner — as a priced option. Customers accept this readily when told beforehand.

Why is a small drywall repair so expensive per square foot?

Because the cost is trips, not area. Tape, two or three coats and texture each need dry time, so a one-foot patch and a full wall can both be three visits. A stated minimum charge on the estimate makes that legible rather than looking like padding.

What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?

A quote is a fixed price you are committing to; an estimate is an informed projection that can move. In practice many customers use the words interchangeably, so the safer approach is to label the document clearly and let the terms on the page say which one you mean.

Can I change a quote after the customer accepts it?

Not for the scope you quoted — that is the point of quoting. You change the price by changing the scope, through a written change order the customer approves before the extra work happens. Verbal change orders are how contractors end up eating costs.

How do I protect a fixed price against surprises?

Exclusions and allowances. List what is not included, and where you cannot see behind a wall, quote an allowance with a stated unit rate for anything beyond it. That keeps the headline price fixed while pricing the unknown honestly.