Most walls in a house are made of wallboard, also called drywall. It’s compressed gypsum covered with a paper facing that is vulnerable because the material appears solid on the outside, but it’s really quite fragile if it’s struck with a blow. Two vulnerable areas are the wall behind a door where there’s no doorstop or the wall behind a frequently used chair that’s pushed back from the table. The gouge or dent left in the wall is an eyesore that needs repair because it will only get worse over time.
We think wallboard repair is a nuisance job because it requires a lot of time to complete. It’s a process with several steps: cleaning out the hole, applying patching compound and sanding it smooth. After the first application dries, more coats are needed to build up the repaired area to be as smooth as the surface surrounding it. For a contractor, the drying time needed means a return trip to the job site, which translates to travel time for a small job.
But that’s what makes it good for a homeowner, who can schedule the repair work more easily. And it’s a no-brainer for even a first-time do-it-yourselfer, because you’ll learn the skill on the job as you practice each application. To repair a dent or hole in the wallboard approximately 8 inches by 8 inches, a handyman will charge $250, which includes labor and material.
For $50, the cost of a wallboard repair kit or patching compound, a putty knife and sandpaper, you can do it yourself and save 80 percent. The sanding process for even a small repair can create quite a bit of wallboard dust, so be prepared to put a covering on all nearby surfaces. And budget more time to repaint or wallpaper the wall after you’ve made the repair.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.
Pro Cost — DIY Cost — Pro time — DIY Time — DIY Savings — Percent Saved
$250 — $50 — 3.0 — 4.0 — $200 — 80 Percent
Copyright 2023 Gene and Katie Hamilton. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
