Free drywall estimate template that names the finish level

By Autumn Harris, Staxen. Updated 2026-09-08.

This free drywall estimate template is built around the two things most drywall bids leave out: the level of finish and the board map. It prices board and labor by the square foot of board hung, lists the specialty boards by where code and moisture demand them, and includes a downloadable PDF version on this page.

Board

Framing accessories

Finishing

Labor

Example scope

Hang and finish a 1,600 sf basement build-out, roughly 6,400 sf of board: half-inch on walls and ceilings, moisture-resistant in the bath, 5/8 Type X on the mechanical room ceiling, Level 4 finish with knockdown texture throughout. Includes corner bead, sanding, and haul-off. Excludes paint, insulation, and framing corrections found behind existing board.

What a drywall estimate must include

The level of finish, by name

Levels 0 through 5 are an industry standard, and the difference is money: Level 4 is the normal paint-ready finish, while Level 5 adds a skim coat over the whole surface for gloss paint or walls hit by raking light. If the estimate does not name the level, the client's eye defines it after the fact.

A board map by type

Half-inch regular for most walls and ceilings, 5/8 Type X where fire code requires it, like garage ceilings under living space, moisture-resistant board in baths and laundry, cement board behind tile. Type X runs about $0.69 per sf against $0.53 for regular, so the map is both a code document and a price explanation.

Square footage of board, not floor

Drywall bids on the square footage of board hung, and standard practice does not deduct normal door and window openings, because cutting around an opening costs more labor than sheeting past it. State this convention on the estimate so your 6,400 sf number is not argued against a 1,600 sf floor plan.

Texture and its match limits

Name the texture, knockdown, orange peel, or smooth, and price it by the square foot. On patch work, state that texture will be blended to approximate the existing finish but an exact match on aged texture is not guaranteed. That sentence has ended a thousand punch-list standoffs.

Exclusions and the small-patch minimum

Exclude painting, insulation, framing corrections, and moving utilities in the way of the board. Then state a minimum charge for patch work: tape coats have to dry between visits, so even a small patch is two or three trips. A square-foot rate with no minimum turns patches into charity.

Payment, expiration, and change orders

For hang-and-finish jobs of any size, a deposit plus balance on completion of sanding is normal, with a draw after hanging on larger jobs. Hold pricing 30 days. Level 5 upgrades, added soffits, and framing fixes discovered behind old board all go through signed change orders.

Estimating mistakes that cost drywall contractors money

Never naming the finish level

The client expects Level 5 smoothness at a Level 4 price the moment the afternoon sun rakes down the hallway wall. Name the level, and quote the Level 5 skim coat as a priced option up front. It sells surprisingly often when it is a number instead of a fight.

Deducting every opening

Cutting and finishing around a window costs more labor than the board you saved. Standard practice counts board across normal openings, and your estimate should say so. Deduct-everything measuring produces a number that looks precise and loses money.

Promising a texture match

Thirty year old knockdown has aged, and the original hand is gone. Promise a blend, not a match, in writing. The repair can be excellent and still visible at a hard angle, and the estimate is where that expectation gets set.

Patch work at square-foot rates

A 4 sf patch takes three visits because coats dry overnight. At any per-sf rate the job pays nothing. Set a written minimum that covers the trips, or the patch calls will quietly consume your week.

Hanging half-inch where code wants Type X

Garage ceilings below bedrooms and attached-garage common walls typically require 5/8 Type X, and the inspector will make you rehang it. The board map on the estimate is your checklist, and the $0.16 per sf difference is a lot cheaper than doing it twice.

Frequently asked questions

What are drywall levels of finish?

An industry scale from 0 to 5 defining how finished the surface is. Level 4 is standard for flat and eggshell paint. Level 5 adds a full skim coat and is the spec for gloss paint, dark colors, and walls washed by raking light. The level named on the estimate decides what the client can demand.

How do drywall contractors count square footage?

By square feet of board hung, not floor area, and normal door and window openings are not deducted because working around an opening costs more than the board saved. A 1,600 sf floor plan can easily carry 6,000 or more sf of board across its walls and ceilings.

When is 5/8 Type X required?

Where fire code calls for it, most commonly garage ceilings with living space above, walls shared with an attached garage, and some furnace rooms. It costs about $0.69 per sf against $0.53 for regular half-inch. Local code decides, so the board map should be checked against it.

Why do small drywall patches cost so much?

Because compound dries between coats, a proper patch is two or three site visits: hang and tape, second coat, then final coat, sand, and texture. The material is a few dollars but the trips are not, which is why professionals carry a minimum charge for patch work.

How do I fill this out fast?

Say the job out loud, 6,400 board feet, Level 4, knockdown, Type X on the garage ceiling, and Eddie, Staxen's estimator, drafts this structure with priced lines ready to text for e-signature. Eddie is $59 per month, and your first job is free with no card required.

Start free with Staxen: your first job is on us, no card required.