Most of what makes a drywall repair go smoothly happens before the contractor shows up. It's not about deep cleaning your house, it's about giving us clear access to the work area and protecting the things nearby that dust and debris could reach.
What to do before we arrive
Clear the work zone
Move furniture, rugs, and anything breakable at least three feet back from the repair area. For ceiling work, that radius should be wider since dust and debris fall further than you'd expect. If something's too heavy to move yourself, just let us know when we schedule, we can plan around it.
Take down what's nearby
Wall art, mirrors, curtains, and shelving near the repair area should come down beforehand. Vibration from sanding and cutting can knock things loose even a few feet away, and it's one less thing for us to work around.
Protect electronics
TVs, computers, and sensitive electronics near ceiling repairs are worth covering or relocating, drywall dust gets into vents and components more easily than people expect.
Clear a path
We'll be moving tools, materials, and debris in and out, so a clear path from the work area to the nearest exterior door speeds up setup and cleanup considerably, especially for larger jobs.
Have your paint on hand, if you have it
If you want the patch color-matched exactly, having the original paint can, or at minimum the brand and color name, saves a trip to color-match at the store. If you don't have it, we can color-match from a small paint chip in most cases.
What happens once we're on site
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Walkthrough and confirm scope
We take a final look at the area, confirm what we discussed at the estimate still matches what we're seeing, and flag anything new before starting.
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Set up dust containment
Drop cloths go down, plastic sheeting goes up if needed, especially for sanding-heavy jobs or homes with sensitive flooring nearby.
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Cut out and repair
Compromised material is removed, new drywall or plaster is fitted, and fasteners are set into solid framing.
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Tape, mud, and dry
Seams are taped and coated, with drying time between each coat. This is usually where a project spans more than one day.
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Sand, texture match, and paint
Final sanding, texture blending, and paint happen once the compound is fully cured, checked under raking light before we call it finished.
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Clean up and walkthrough
We vacuum dust, wipe down nearby surfaces, and walk the repair with you before wrapping up.
How long to expect the disruption
A small patch is usually a single visit, a few hours including drying time between coats. Larger repairs, full walls, or anything needing texture matching typically span two to three days due to the drying time joint compound needs between coats, we can't rush that part without risking cracking later.
What we handle, so you don't have to
- Dust containment and daily cleanup
- Matching existing texture (knockdown, orange peel, skip trowel, smooth)
- Paint color matching when you don't have the original can
- Disposal of old drywall, plaster, and debris