Garage coming along - some questions about ceiling drywall

[accelerus]

Hi all

So - I'm at the point where I can't move forward in my garage till I get the ceiling taken care of. House is 40 years old, it's a 2 car garage, about 18x20 in size.

Some of the drywall was put up pretty half assed, with standard nails, and sagging a bit. Already ripped out about 1/3 of the ceiling, going to rip out the rest.

Getting to the point where its 100F outside (texas) combined with the fact it's a 2 man operation minimum (and I'm just a single guy) means I'm probably going to contract it out

I'm a huge DIY guy, so this will be the first time paying contractors. To demolish old, hang up new, tape, and float a ceilings worth of drywall, what is ball park looking like?

Pic attached for fun (that's my dad in the pic who helped me demolish some) Already have my Epoxy Coat kit sitting in my livigin room rearing to go!

Between time and just wanting it DONE so I can move to working on the garage myself (epoxy, paint, cabinets) I've heard labor is cheap in Texas for contractors/laborers... so hope that helps. Hell, if anyone is in the DFW, TX area and "knows a guy" i'd be happy to take their name/number if they do good/reasonable work. I figure 2 or 3 guys working who do this kind of stuff all the time can knock it out in 1/2 a day. Garage is MUCH cleaner already (junk cleared out, just need to remove washer/dryer for when they do the work)

Any and all thoughts/ideas/suggestions are welcome!

 

[bazzateer]

You can do the ripping out yourself to save a few bucks maybe. Then hire out the installation of the new?

 

[cdestuck]

You need to rent a drywall lift. Pretty cheap at a rental store. Makes ceiling drywall work a one man job. Theyre slick as you know what.

 

[Scott r c]

So the big question is... the drywaller going to take down the garage door rails, and if he does.....will he put them back up???

 

[mrvm]

Do you have to rip out the rest of the drywall? Can't quite tell from the picture. Securing the existing ceiling drywall with drywall screws should be quick now that the studs are exposed. Insulate, run the electric, etc before closing things up

 

[accelerus]

So the big question is... the drywaller going to take down the garage door rails, and if he does.....will he put them back up???

Yes that's a question I need to ask, I can take down the garage door opener and main pulley rail...but really don't want to mess with the other rails.

To answer others questions: i originally was going to keep the drywall, but attempts to put some more drywall screws in were less than optimal. The way it was put up originally was just crappy, and i want it to be tip-top from the get-go.

I actually have a truck now and can rent the drywall lift -- however it's a time thing for me. Being new to a lot of the home improvement stuff... I go slow and take my time, however, time isn't something I have much of these days for a project like this. For a 2 or 3 man crew, for at most a 1/2 day's work, I'm hoping to be able to get something like this done for 600-700 dollars, does that sound reasonable?

 

[jethrodawg]

I paid $2600 for my garage to be drywalled. It's a 24x26 and was spray foam insulated and completely stripped to bare studs. This is in New Hampshire, not sure about prices in Texas but I see guys post jobs costing way less than what is reality.

$700 for a ceiling would be low for my area. I'd expect to be double that but again, that's where I live and may not apply if your local contractor is using "cheap" labor

FYI, that's more than 1/2 a day's work....

 

[PCO6]

... it's a 2 man operation minimum (and I'm just a single guy) means I'm probably going to contract it out

One of the reasons I installed an aluminum ceiling was that I wanted to do it myself at my own pace and without gutting the garage to do it. The panels I used are 16" wide by 10' long and were very easy to install. The fact that there was no taping, mudding, painting, etc. was also a big plus.

View media item 36630

 

[rice rocket]

^^ Hmm! Very interesting. Do you have a thread detailing the process?

My ceiling isn't very level, and the extra features on the siding might hide the irregular surface better than one single flat surface. I bet it'd be lighter too (which is a concern if you've seen my ceiling joists).

 

[PCO6]

rice rocket - I don't have a dedicated thread but you can find some details in the thread below. In post #28 I tried to answer some questions based on the way that I did it.

My ceiling wasn't very level either and doing it this way allowed me to generally level things out.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142328&highlight=aluminum+ceiling&showall=1

 

[jethrodawg]

One of the reasons I installed an aluminum ceiling was that I wanted to do it myself at my own pace and without gutting the garage to do it. The panels I used are 16" wide by 10' long and were very easy to install. The fact that there was no taping, mudding, painting, etc. was also a big plus.

View media item 36630

Does that aluminum pass code for fire rating?

 

[accelerus]

I paid $2600 for my garage to be drywalled. It's a 24x26 and was spray foam insulated and completely stripped to bare studs. This is in New Hampshire, not sure about prices in Texas but I see guys post jobs costing way less than what is reality.

$700 for a ceiling would be low for my area. I'd expect to be double that but again, that's where I live and may not apply if your local contractor is using "cheap" labor

FYI, that's more than 1/2 a day's work....

When you say your garage -- did you also mean the walls as well? Mine is the ceiling only, so it would be about 1/3 the drywall off the bat.

The little reading I've done on the subject, yes the labor rates here in texas is generally way wayyyyy cheaper than anything way up north. The square footage of the ceiling when it comes to installing 8x4 panels... that's like 8 panels max assuming a TON of waste board) I just can't see how it would take something crazy like 1 hour per panel to install.

 

[PCO6]

Does that aluminum pass code for fire rating?

I don't know and I don't think it matters. The garage was built with no ceiling. There are no habitable rooms over the garage. The attic space over the garage is not open to the attic space of the house so I don't believe a fire rated ceiling is required (in Ontario anyway).

 

[sberry]

I havejobs like this I hate to do, its not I cant but just hate it and just got to push along and do it. This is so small its worth doing yourself, unless you got a pal in the biz its way to much hassle to deal with someone over it, and yes it may be a half a day but what do you do with the workers for rest of the day when they are done? I would be quoting for a day and not a few hours.

 

[Trey T]

There are a lot of "cheap labor" in big cities of texas.

I would hang it but let someone come in to join it and float it smooth. If you can't float joint compound to 99% smooth, I suggest do not try it because sanding in the heat ***** and makes it very frustrating.

I paid a guy $200 ten years ago to join, float, and paint my walls and ceiling (20'x12' room). The guy did it in one day.

 

[FORMUD]

Around here (Delaware) your looking at $20 a sheet finished. I did a 14' high, 1600 sf ceiling in my shop this past winter by myself. Used a jack and I worked off a rolling scaffold. A young man game for sure if your in a rush....If your in no hurry....It's doable.

 

[accelerus]

got a quote from a contractor my buddy has used successfully in the past - $850 to tear it out, hang, tape, float, and texture (includes cost of materials)

Gotta take down the garage door opener and rails on my own... but overall i'm pretty pleased, (yay cheap labor in texas)

The sucky thing is scheduling it -- I'm off this week but starting a new job next week that means I'll have almost no time to be home for these guys to do the drywall, scheduling is not the biggest problem on both ends.

 

[7echo]

I would specify they use ceiling board. It is much stiffer than regular drywall and will help to avoid sagging. While the ceiling is open take some pics and measurements so you know where things are above. I would think about putting in some backer for future use. Especially if you know where you might want a cord reel, additional light fixtures, ceiling mounted fan or TV, etc.

 

[jethrodawg]

There are a lot of "cheap labor" in big cities of texas.

I would hang it but let someone come in to join it and float it smooth. If you can't float joint compound to 99% smooth, I suggest do not try it because sanding in the heat ***** and makes it very frustrating.

I paid a guy $200 ten years ago to join, float, and paint my walls and ceiling (20'x12' room). The guy did it in one day.

It's impossible to tape and finish in one day with complete drying to be able to paint.

$200 won't cut it. I spent $300 just in Sherwin Paint for my garage alone. That's the proper primer with two costs. Seems to be pervasive on GJ with guys stating these super lowball prices for things.

 

[jethrodawg]

When you say your garage -- did you also mean the walls as well? Mine is the ceiling only, so it would be about 1/3 the drywall off the bat.

The little reading I've done on the subject, yes the labor rates here in texas is generally way wayyyyy cheaper than anything way up north. The square footage of the ceiling when it comes to installing 8x4 panels... that's like 8 panels max assuming a TON of waste board) I just can't see how it would take something crazy like 1 hour per panel to install.

They have to set up delivery or load and unload the drywall, set-up, waste time talking to homeowner after showing up, breaks, lunch, clean-up, load waste and haul somewhere to dump (doesn't just disappear when they leave your place), etc.

It's not just the time on site they charge for. Like I posted above, GJ has many people posting way unrealistic quotes or leaving stuff out.

Are they going to tape and finish as well? A ceiling like that is 4 hours of work just for that alone plus $50-75 bucks in mud and taping supplies. Quote I gave above was with drywall sanded and ready for me to paint.....

 

[wirickpiao]

This is in New Hampshire, not sure about prices in Texas but I see guys post jobs costing way less than what is reality.