Guide to Drywall Contractors

Perform an Internet search of drywall service providers in your area

The Internet is a great resource to find drywall services in your general area. While many general contractors may offer drywall services, they may not specialize in it. For example, if you are looking to get extensive work done for your business, the neighborhood home remodeler may not have the right skills to tackle your job.

I recommend: Builderspace.com is a one-stop shop when it comes to finding contractors in your area. You can search by ZIP code and see a list of contractors around you as well as arrange for them to call you. Service Magic takes all of the details of your project and refers you to pre-screened contractors. Finally, The Blue Book lets you choose your state and lists commercial drywall contractors in your area.

Research the permits and records of commercial drywall contractors

Ask any person ripped off by a drywall contractor what one of their biggest regrets was, and they are likely to tell you they didn't research enough. Business owners are "savvier" these days, but that doesn't mean that every victim performed exhaustive research into the prospects.

I recommend: It is important to know if your state requires a special license--or any contractor license at all--to call themselves drywall construction companies. The Contractor’s License Reference Site lets you select a state and get a listing of all the license requirements for contractors in that state. Ask former customers and the sheetrock contractor himself if you can see examples of work. Don’t settle for just one example either. Even one unhappy customer is a red flag. A great place to check for reviews, both good and bad, is Angie's List.

Collect at least 4 estimates from prospective drywall contractors and don't assume anything

You want to get the best deal possible and contractors know this. Beware of estimates that seem too good to be true. It is important to gather as much information as you can ahead of time so you have a ballpark figure in your head of what the job will cost. Many times a drywall contractor will want to show you a lower price, so he won't include everything in the estimate, such as the cost of disposing of the refuse, container rental or specific licenses you may need to have the work performed.

I recommend: The ConstructionDeal.com website lets you save valuable time and money by posting your job and letting prospective contractors bid on it. Remodelers-Online.com lets you submit information about your job to receive no-obligation quotes from contractors in your area. Just type in your ZIP code to find your area website, click on “consumer information” and request an e-quote. CostEstimator.com will provide you with highly accurate project estimates. They also offer a free 30-day trial run. That should be plenty of time to get the drywall job information that you need to make an informed decision.