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Drywall subcontractors hang gypsum board, tape and finish joints, and apply texture on residential and commercial projects, and many also frame nonstructural metal studs and ceilings on commercial work. General contractors and builders slot drywall at a hinge point in the schedule: board cannot go up until mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-ins have passed inspection and any insulation cover inspection is signed off, and once it is up, every trade behind those walls is done or working through access panels. The scope usually lands in overlapping phases per area: stocking, hanging, taping and finishing, texture, then a point-up pass after other trades have banged up the walls. Before the crew hangs, walk the job for backing and blocking, since missing backing for cabinets, grab bars, and wall-mounted equipment discovered after board is up means cutting it back open. Finishing quality is where expectations need to be set in writing. The Gypsum Association's finish levels are the industry language: Level 4 is the standard for most painted walls, while Level 5 belongs on surfaces under critical lighting, with gloss or dark paint, where joint shadowing would otherwise telegraph. Agree on the level per surface in the subcontract, and on how finish gets judged, since the industry standard is viewing from a normal distance under the lighting the space will actually have, not a flashlight held against the wall. Temperature and humidity affect joint compound drying, so condition the building before finishing starts in cold or damp weather. Before award, we recommend confirming license and insurance status: in California, drywall work typically falls under the CSLB C-9 Drywall classification, with a free public lookup at cslb.ca.gov. Texas has no statewide license for drywall, though many cities require contractor registration for permitted work.
After mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-ins have passed inspection and any required insulation cover inspection is signed off, since covering unapproved work means tearing board back off. Walk the job for backing and blocking before stocking, because missing backing for cabinets and wall-mounted fixtures is far cheaper to fix before the board goes up.
Level 4 is the standard finish for most painted walls. Level 5 adds a skim coat over the entire surface and belongs where joints would otherwise telegraph: walls under critical or raking light, gloss or dark paint, and large uninterrupted surfaces. Spec the level per surface in the subcontract rather than job-wide, since Level 5 everywhere adds real labor for little visible benefit in normally lit rooms.
The industry standard is viewing from a normal position, several feet back and perpendicular to the surface, under the lighting the finished space will have. Blemishes visible only with side lighting or a light held against the wall are outside the standard for a Level 4 finish. Agreeing on this method in the subcontract prevents most finish disputes.
This is a recurring scope dispute. Most drywall subs include one point-up pass before texture or paint, but damage from trades working after that pass is typically a billable patch. Define in the subcontract how many point-up rounds are included, how later patches get priced, and back-charge the responsible trade rather than absorbing it.
Often yes on commercial work. In California the C-9 Drywall classification covers gypsum board assemblies including nonstructural metal framing members, and many commercial drywall subs bid framing, board, and finishing as one package. Structural steel studs are a different scope, so confirm which framing the bid actually carries.
It varies by scope. The main drivers are board type (fire-rated, moisture-resistant, abuse-resistant), ceiling heights and scaffold or lift needs, the specified finish level, texture versus smooth walls, and whether metal framing is in the package. Compare what each bid carries for point-up rounds and patching before comparing numbers.
