Drywall Installation & Repair in Wellington

Hairline cracks at joints and above door frames are usually seasonal movement and are cosmetic. Wide (over 3 mm), diagonal, or recurring cracks, or cracks paired with sticking doors, can indicate settlement — get a builder or structural engineer to look before patching.

Small patch repairs (nail holes, door-knob dents) typically run the price of a 1-2 hour call-out, while larger holes or water-damaged sections cost more because they need cutting back to studs, new board, taping and up to three coats of joint compound. Whole-wall or ceiling replacement is priced per square metre or square foot.

Usually not. Most drywall contractors leave the wall sanded and primed (or just sanded), ready for your painter. Ask explicitly — some will prime and paint the patch for an extra fee, but colour-matching an aged painted wall often means repainting the whole wall.

Yes, almost all do. Small patches are priced as a minimum call-out (often 1-2 hours of labour plus materials) because of travel and return visits for coats. Bundling several small repairs into one visit is the cheapest way to get patches done.

Even a small patch takes 2-3 visits or one long day, because joint compound needs drying time between coats. A typical patch is fill day one, sand and second coat day two, final sand and ready for paint day three. Quick-set compounds can compress this to one day for small jobs.

If board has swollen, sagged, or grown mould it must be cut out and replaced — drying alone is not enough. Fix the leak first, cut back at least 30 cm beyond visible damage, and let the cavity dry before new board goes in. Persistent damp needs a moisture-meter check.

Holes smaller than a fist are a reasonable DIY job with a patch kit. Anything larger than about 30 cm, ceiling repairs, or water damage is worth hiring out — matching the surrounding texture and getting invisible joints takes practice and proper tools.

Usually yes — resultant water damage to ceilings is standard in SA household policies even where the geyser itself has separate cover. Get the insurer's go-ahead before repairs, and keep the damaged board for assessment if asked.