Renovation Costs: Interior Wall Framing, Wall Repair, and Wall Installation Costs

Average Cost to Remove A Load-Bearing Wall 

The average cost to remove a load-bearing wall for a single-story home is between $1,200 and $3,000, and for a multi-story home, it is between $3,200 and $15,000. The average estimates do not include the cost of drywall, putting up wallpaper, and repainting the wall. You should also check with your contractor about whether electrical and/or plumbing lines will need to be rerouted when the load-bearing wall is removed. 

When meeting with contractors to get bids, try to get as thorough an inspection as possible because unexpected costs can cause significant increases in the cost of this kind of project. For example, if you have an older home, there may be lead-based paint on your wall or asbestos within the wall, in which case your contractor will not only have to be experienced and licensed to remove them but also use special equipment and special procedures during the removal and disposal process. 

Project Costs Related to Load-bearing Wall Removal

Cost to Open Kitchen Wall 

When opening your kitchen wall, you can choose between a complete wall removal or a kitchen pass-through. When removing the wall, the cost of the removal will be based on whether you are removing a non-load bearing or load-bearing wall. In addition, the cost of the wall removal and the kitchen pass-through will be affected by whether the contractor has to reroute utility lines and remove any toxic material from the residence while removing the wall.

How Much Does It Cost to Build An Interior Wall? 

On average, it will cost you $939 to $8,000 to build an interior wall. Your overall cost will depend on your location, the size of the wall, and whether the contractor is framing a closet into the wall or adding electrical outlets, fixtures, or switches. Moreover, this estimate doesn’t include the cost of insulation, drywall, or installing windows or doors.

When you build an interior wall, there will be other costs that you should consider, like wall framing, drywall repair, drywall finishing, and wall insulation costs. Also, the amount paid for these services will depend on the cost of the materials, labor, and quality or level of the job done. 

Interior Wall Framing Cost 

Interior wall framing will cost you somewhere between $923 and $1614 for a 300 sq. ft. room. The estimate does not include the cost of installing insulation, drywall, windows, or electrical lines. The estimate will also be affected by the overall cost of materials, labor, and if the wall framing is done to a load-bearing wall.

Drywall Repair Cost 

Your drywall repair costs will vary based on the size of the repair, the type of the repair, labor costs, and whether your contractor gives you a flat fee for the whole repair or charges by the hour. Also, consider that some drywall repair can be done by the homeowner or a handyman (e.g., repairing small holes and cracks). Whereas in certain circumstances, other repairs should only be done by experienced, licensed contractors (e.g., large holes, water damage, ceiling work).

Labor Cost to Finish Drywall 

The labor cost to finish drywall depends on the level of finishing drywall the homeowner wants to install. There are six levels of drywall finishing. Level 0 is for temporary construction, and the highest level, level 5, is used for smooth wall designs and uniform surfaces. In short, the higher the level of drywall finishing, the higher the labor costs to finish drywall.  Many contractors will offer a flat fee for a project based on the time needed to complete the job and the area being done. If your contractor offers hourly rates, the rates are likely to range from $50 to $100 per hour.

Wall Insulation Cost

When contractors come to your home to give you an estimate on the cost of the wall insulation, ask them which insulation materials they recommend, how the material will be installed, the time needed to install the installation, and whether the installation should be placed on inside of outside of the house. 

Insulation costs will vary according to the type of insulation installed into the frame.