2026 Cost Guide · Cambridge

Drywall Costs in Cambridge (2026)

Planning ranges for drywall work in Cambridge in 2026, and a plain account of why a century home and a new basement are priced on different things.

In a new basement, drywall is priced by the bulkheads and drops. In a century home it is priced by what is behind the wall: whether the plaster can be overlaid or has to come down, how far the framing is out of plane, how much trim has to be saved and reset, and whether a lab test comes back clean. The ranges below are for planning; the real figure follows a site visit and comes in writing.

Planning ranges

• Overlay drywall over existing plaster, taped and finished to Level 4, trim removed and reset, jambs extended: roughly $4–$7 per square foot of wall or ceiling surface.
• Strip plaster and lath to the studs, strap or shim, board and finish to Level 4: roughly $7–$12 per square foot of surface, including plaster and lath disposal as a separate load, before any rewiring or insulation by other trades.
• Skim coat a sound plaster wall to Level 5, primed: roughly $1.50–$3.50 per square foot.
• Plaster washer re-anchoring and skim of a sagging ceiling: commonly $600–$2,000 per room depending on size and condition.
• Flood or water-damage replacement (board cut out above the water line, insulation removed, cavity dried and checked, re-boarded and finished): roughly $25–$45 per linear foot of wall for a bottom-metre cut; a single ceiling or wall section typically $400–$1,500.
• Board, tape and finish to Level 4 in a new or open basement or addition: roughly $2.50–$4.50 per square foot of surface, with bulkheads and drops pushing toward the top.
• Level 5 skim added to new work: typically $1.00–$2.00 per square foot where the room needs it.
• Finishing only (board hung by others): roughly $1.25–$2.50 per square foot.
• Fire-rated ceiling for an additional unit: commonly $1.00–$2.50 per square foot more than an ordinary ceiling in the same basement, more again where old joists have to be strapped level.
• Popcorn ceiling removal, scrape and skim to Level 5, primed: roughly $3–$6 per square foot after a clean test; overlay with new board commonly $4–$7 per square foot.
• Asbestos lab test of a texture, compound or plaster sample: typically under $100 per sample. Abatement, if needed, is a licensed contractor's quote and not included.
• Small repairs (a hole, a few nail pops, a short crack): most fall in the $150–$450 range as a two-visit job; grouped repairs cost less each.

These are 2026 planning figures for Cambridge and the surrounding region. They assume ordinary access and a clear room, and they are not a quote.

What moves the price, in rough order

• What is behind the plaster. Framing out of plane, knob-and-tube, no insulation, a chimney breast — a stripped wall is as much carpentry as drywall.
• Trim. Removing, labelling, storing and resetting original baseboards, casings and picture rail, and milling a replacement where a piece is too far gone.
• Demolition and disposal. Plaster and lath are heavy and are not drywall; they go as their own load. New gypsum offcuts go to the Region's drop-off as a sorted stream — the Region lists drywall at $120 per metric tonne as of April 2026 with a minimum fee per load, and mixed loads at the highest rate in the load.
• Bulkheads, boxes and drops in any basement.
• Finish level. Level 5 over the whole surface costs more and is worth it only under raking light or dark paint.
• Drying time. Flood repairs wait for the cavity to read dry; old, cool rooms slow the finishing. Neither is padded, but neither can be rushed.
• The cause. The leak, the seep or the river is dealt with by another trade or by time before board goes in, and that is its own line.
• Occupancy and protection. Working in a furnished house with original floors to protect takes longer than an empty new build.

How the quote should read

A drywall quote worth accepting in an old house says which walls are being repaired, overlaid or stripped, how the trim is handled, what the lab test covers and what happens if it comes back positive, the board type and finish level by room, what boxing and strapping are included, whether demolition, disposal and priming are in, and what happens if something unexpected is behind the wall. A square-footage number without that is not comparable to anything.

Frequently asked questions

Price ranges above are typical Waterloo Region figures for 2026 and are provided for planning only. Every job is quoted in writing after a site visit. Last updated October 24, 2026.