Hang, tape, and finish to a level everyone agreed on in writing, plus patch work that disappears under paint.

New hang, tape, and Level 4 finish typically runs $2.25 to $3.25 a square foot of board in the Omaha area, with Level 5 adding roughly a dollar. Small repairs are priced per job, generally $175 to $450 depending on size, texture, and whether the ceiling is involved. Basement finishing is quoted after a walk-through since framing, soffits, and fire-rated assemblies change the number.

Level 4 finishes the joints, screws, and corners and is standard for most walls with flat or eggshell paint. Level 5 adds a thin skim coat over the entire surface, which evens out the difference in texture between compound and paper. If a wall gets strong side light from a window or takes a satin or gloss paint, Level 4 seams will show and Level 5 is worth the cost.

In most cases yes. Knockdown and orange peel match well, and hand textures depend on how distinctive the original pattern is. We test on a scrap piece and hold it up against your wall before applying anything permanent. Older hand-troweled work sometimes cannot be matched perfectly in a small patch, in which case texturing the full wall or ceiling gives a better result.

A single room hang and finish is typically three to four days because each coat of compound has to dry before the next one goes on. A whole-house new build runs one to two weeks depending on size. A small repair is usually two visits: one to patch and coat, one to sand and texture. Running a heater or fan speeds drying a little, but the coats still have to cure.

We prime when it is part of the scope, but we are a drywall contractor rather than a painting company, and we work alongside painters on most jobs. A good handoff matters: the painter should walk the walls with a light before priming and flag anything that needs another coat, and we would rather fix it then than after the color is on.