The drywall installation process phases are Estimating, Delivery and Placement, Installation, and Cleanup. Drywall installation or “hanging” is a job that some people think they can save money by doing themselves. Some succeed, but many end up spending more money overall because they made the job more difficult for the taper to finish. We at New Generation, Inc. (NGI) have professional drywall suppliers and installers to make sure that everything goes as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

The four phases of the drywall installation process:

Phase 1,”Estimating”:When starting the drywall installation process, it is very important to have an estimate with a realistic drywall sheet count. When we estimate how much drywall will be needed, we take on the responsibility of making sure that we have included enough to complete the job. If we underestimate the drywall sheet count for the job, we will buy the rest at no additional cost to you to complete the job. Having some drywall left over is good because your project goes smoothly without interruptions—no stopping and having to run get more drywall or wait for another delivery.

When estimating the amount of drywall, we figure out how many sheets of which size and thickness go where. Also, our estimators take into consideration how the drywall will be delivered and the cost that may be associated with that. Carrying charges will be added when drywall has to be hand carried to upper or lower levels. Boom trucks lift the drywall to upper floors and slide the sheets through windows. We also figure out what length of sheet will be able to fit around corners and walls.

Phase 2, “Delivery and Placement”: It may seem like a no-brainer to deliver drywall, but having a good supplier can make or break the process, and not all drywall is made the same.

Our suppliers deliver in basically two time periods. They have a first run typically between 7 am and 11 am and a second run between 10 am and 5 pm. They have boom trucks to deliver to upper floors and the personnel to carry the drywall sheets when that is the only option. They know where each size and thickness should be placed on which levels, and are reliable with each delivery.

Damage to the drywall or to the jobsite can happen. Having a properly insured supplier is essential to the process as well. We use only suppliers who have the proper insurance.

The quality of the drywall can vary from supplier to supplier. The paintable surface and the gypsum can have manufacturer defects. Our supplier will stand behind all the materials they supply and will assume responsibility for the quality of all materials they deliver.

Phase 3, “Installation”: Drywall installation is dusty. Make sure to cover and plastic off any adjoining areas in which drywall will be installed. Customers are responsible for covering doors, vents, and furniture to protect from dust unless noted in estimate under Protection.

Having good framing before the drywall installation begins is essential to keeping cost down. Putting in nailers, blocking, backing, and fixing framing is not part of drywall installation. Hourly charges are applied if any of the framing is not complete when drywall installation begins.

Drywall installation has to be done in a certain way to be a long-lasting, quality product. Ceilings must be hung first. Staggering joints helps to make the installation stronger. When hanging drywall, we use drywall sheets that are as long and as wide as possible. Making as few cuts (or joints) as possible gives our product the most professional appearance and keeps the amount of taping needed to a minimum.

The screws have to be installed in the proper areas with the proper amount per sheet. The head of the screw has to be set to a depth so it can be covered with joint compound but not so far as to break the paper. If the paper breaks, there will be problems with screw pops. Screw pops can happen due to structural movement of a building, from studs moving, or from the screws being set too deep into the drywall. When screws are set too deep into the drywall, joint compound can pop out from the hole because the top of the screw is set into the stud and therefore is not moving with the drywall.

Phase 4, “Cleanup”: Cleanup includes hauling the scrap drywall to a location provided by the customer (dumpster or garbage) and sweeping floors.

After drywall installation is complete, the next phase is finishing (taping).