installing drywall in garage

[dtam]

I need to insulate and put up drywall (ceilings and walls) in a 2 car garage. If you only have the following choices, which would you choose:

1) pay $2800 to have contractor put up drywall and insulation, and tape all the joints; includes all materials including fiberglass insulation

2) pay $2000 to have contractor put up drywall and insulation, but you do the taping of all the joints; includes all materials including fiberglass insulation

3) you do everything yourself

Also, would this be a good time time to add dust collection ductwork behind the drywall, or would this hurt the property value later on.

Thanks
David

[Cochese]

I'd do it myself, depending on how much I saved. That's a big thing. Hanging drywall is easy once you get the hang of it, and taping/mudding just takes a little practice. It's really an artform.

As for ductwork behind the drywall? I'd vote no. Put in the full insulation and do it on the outside.

[Shep]

Since this is a garage, I would vote for doing in myself. I hate doing drywall, but since the drywall doesn't have to be too pretty, I would save the money of paying a contractor.

I would not install the DC sytem behind the drywall. Not that it would hurt the property value (it might actually help for some buyers), but I would want to leave it exposed in case I would want to change it later, or take it with me when I moved.

[Mr__Bill]

Option 4

I really hate hanging drywall on a ceiling. It's a lot of work and not at all fun. Unless you have some experienced help you will need a drywall jack to hold it up there and even then you will need at least one helper strong enough to help get the sheets on to the jack and if you don't set the screws or nails just right it tends to want to fall down.

That said, I would pay to have the ceiling done, both hanging the Sheetrock and taping. I would put the piping in the ceiling rather than under so as to not loose any overhead and run it exposed on the wall. I would do the drywall on the walls myself.

This is also the time to do any electrical.

Bill

[billwmeyer]

I agree with Mr Bill. The ceilings are a pain. The walls I would do myself. The ductwork you can do either way, but I think I would mount it to the outside.

Bill

[LarryG]

+2 on what the Bills said about the ceilings. Without experienced help and the proper equipment, hanging drywall on ceilings is tough -- even dangerous.

I've taped and finished enough drywall to know that, if it were mine, $800 would be a small price to pay to let someone else have that aggravation. It is, as mentioned, a bit of an art form, and I'm no artist. So between that and the above, I'd choose Option #1.

If it's a detached garage, and taping is not required for fire code reasons, I'd choose Option #2-1/2: pay the contractor to insulate the walls and hang the rock; and then the heck with the taping.

[capncarl]

Write the man a check and you do the painting. Drywall is like concrete, better left to people with strong backs and plenty of help.

capncarl

[natausch]

Did mine for $750 including insulation, sheetrock and renting the lift. The cheapest and most expensive part will be taping, supplies cost next to nothing, but you'll be working on it for a good long time.

[toolguy1000]

half and half. you insulate. it's important that's done properly so you realize all the potential heating/cooling expense savings. you install the drywall. rent a lift for the ceilings and use 4x12 pieces to minimize seams. hire out the taping. a good taper can make a mediocre drywall installation look better than it is. the isulation and drywall are just "installing" new parts. the taping requires a level of skill and technique that's only obtained through experience. keep the DC equipment out of the walls. it will simplify insulation installation and make for easier changes to the system in the future. surface mount electrical. it will simplify insulation istallation and make future changes to the electrical system easier. it's a garage...function should prevail over form.

[BigguyZ]

I plan on doing the same thing. I don't know how you're properly be able to put venting in the walls, but I'd forgo that for the same reasons previously mentioned.

But I do agree about doing any electrical work now. Even if it's just running the lines to hook up at a later date.

As far as the drywall does- I plan on doing it myself. No reason to pay that much for labor. Another thing, I don't plan on taping at all. I think the seams are fine in a space like a garage.

[cabinetman]

If you can afford it, hire it all out. It's a PITA, especially the ceiling, and taping. Or, just contract out the ceiling. Insulation is easy to do if you use batts, and as said, do any electrical, and plan for lighting.

I would surface mount all ducting, so it can be changed if need be.
.

[eccentrictinkerer]

I remodeled my neighbor's basement last year to make a "man-cave". I had a pro hang the rock and tape it for $2400.

He and his helper hung 108 sheets in a day and a half.

Around here the going rate for hanging rock is $10 sheet! I'll never hang another sheet of rock.

BTW, I used 1/2" OSB, primed and painted for my garage shop back in 2007. At the time OSB was 10 cents less a sheet that 1/2" rock. Primed and painted with 2 coats of white. I can drive a screw or nail anywhere in the shop.

[BobSch]

I insulated, sheetrocked and taped my garage walls myself. I didn't do the ceiling. The pre-made trusses they used when they built the house must have been the cheapest they could find and with the winter snow loads I don't want to over-stress them with the extra weight. Probably being overly cautious but I do not want to hear a CRACK! some winter night!

[iceman61]

I vote for Toolguy1000's idea with the exception of surface mounting any electrical. I'm assuming that since it's an existing garage that it is already wired, but if it isn't just put enuff outlets (every 6ft-8ft) and you can pretty much hit one anywhere you are. Renting a drywall lift is not much & it's easy to use. Taping joints is not that hard & where better to get the experience than your garage. $800 seems a little steep for finishing your sheetrock job.

[sparkeyjames]

if you don't set the screws or nails just right it tends to want to fall down.

Bill

They make stud finders for this problem.

Oh and do the drywall yourself it's really not that hard and you will save that money to be better spent on something more enjoyable. Like that new big screen TV you want for your man cave.