What a water damage drywall rebuild costs
A rebuild is priced by the opening and the finish. A ceiling leak drywall repair in DC, with a tissue holder rehung on the same visit, ran $215 in September. An emergency call where the ceiling was opened and patched the same day ran $293. Both numbers are from this year, labor and materials.
Water damage drywall rebuild jobs we have billed this year
Emergency leak call, ceiling opened and patched
Washington, DC, Sep 2026. Same day. Labor and materials.
$293
Ceiling leak drywall repair, tissue holder and a sprinkler bypass
Washington, DC, Sep 2026. Labor and materials.
$215
Wall touch up after an old leak and a loose fire pull station resecured
Washington, DC, Aug 2026. Labor and materials.
$147
Finished jobs with the town and the month. Street addresses stay off the list.
What moves the price
- Dry or wet decides the first visit. A dry stain is a prime and paint. A wet ceiling is an opening, a dry out and a second visit to close it.
- The size of the opening sets the hours. We cut to the nearest joist so the patch has something to screw into, so a small stain can still be a two foot patch.
- Insulation and mold add lines. Wet insulation is bagged and replaced. Small mold spots are treated. Large growth goes to a remediation contractor before we close anything.
- Texture and paint finish the job. A textured ceiling needs a sprayed match, and the whole ceiling may need paint so the new section blends.
Get the number for your job
Send the address and a photo. The written estimate comes back the same day on most jobs, and the price on it is the price on the invoice.
Or call or text (443) 998-2738. Hours 8 to 6, Monday through Saturday.
Cost questions
- Should I fix the leak first?
- Yes, or have us open the ceiling so the plumber can reach it. Closing a ceiling over a live leak means doing the job twice. We ask who fixed the leak before we schedule the rebuild.
- Will the stain come back through the paint?
- Not with a shellac or oil stain blocking primer. Latex primer over a water stain bleeds in a week, which is why the stain you painted over last year is back.
- Do you handle insurance paperwork?
- We write the estimate with the opening size, the materials and the labor on separate lines, which is what adjusters ask for. Photos of the cavity before it is closed are included.
How the work itself goes is on the water damage drywall rebuild page.