[autx790]

great, thanks for the info! Sorry, I didn't equate the $9/board to sq ft pricing. the $2500 is about what I was getting but someone had said he'd do $9/board which was a lot cheaper. Doesn't matter much though, once he saw the job, that price didn't stick. Which I could understand. I'm still torn trying to figure out if i should tackle this my self. I know I could do it, but I'm wondering if it might take a lot longer than I think. Mostly cause of the exposed beams in one room, 10ft ceilings, and a 28ft tall stair well. It would be real nice to have it painted before thanksgiving.

 

[paparocks]

28 ft stairwell...is still a stairwell. 4 years ago as a rule I always priced jobs between $8's for 8ft ceilings $9's for 9ft and $10 for 10ft. even with a 28ft stairwell that price wouldnt change because most houses with 10ft ceilings have stairwells 18ft or higher. With the way the economy is going Ive been finishing anything over 80boards at $9's as long as I can reach the ceilings off stilts....and that typically includes a high "great" room. Too bad you're not a little closer, I'd love an 88 board job right now. I've resorted to working hourly doing restoration work. I run ads continuosly through craigslist, angieslist, and facebook and am in the #1 spot on google for Asheville drywall.
I think a lot of times people just dont know who to call when looking for drywall help. Most think the drywall contractor...... when they should be thinking the drywall sub contractor IE; the guy that actually does the work. Then you get it going in the other direction where the guy that thinks he's a drywall contractor and just has familiarity with the trade and over prices his self right out of a job. Whoever gave you the price by the ft. is still living in the housing boom dream state. lol.. Reality says the cost of labor adjust to whatever the labor market pays....if the drywall tradesman cant do it for the money that is consumer friendly, then he really didnt need the job anyway because he doesnt see any value in it. A resentful drywall finisher cant ruin a job...That's why whenever I look at a job I think of the most efficient way to get it while at the same time reminding myself its just another drywall job. eventually it will be conquered and ready to paint.
what to do: assuming you live near a median size city, go to craigslist and run an ad in their help wanted section stating... wanted drywall finishing sub with insurance ..only reply to the english speaking callers and ask to see their last job. If the caller cant give you a recent job to look over he probably isnt legitimate or a very good finisher. The ones that can, tell them you want a per board price and ask what they charge per board for $10 ceilings throughout with the stairwell. Most professional finishing subs can tell you over the phone roughly what t5he job would cost. me myself depending on the way the job was hung $10 per board. good luck