Drywall Los Angeles: how much is repair and who to hire?

Quick answer: Across Los Angeles, drywall repair typically runs $200 to $450 per patch, and repainting a room runs $400 to $900 with most painters. TurnOver LA charges $150 per small patch with texture, $240 per medium patch, $395 per room for repainting, and $200 for paint touch-up, all with a flat 48-hour turnaround.

Drywall repair in Los Angeles covers patching holes, retexturing to match existing walls, priming, and blending paint so the fix disappears. Market pricing varies by neighborhood and scope. Our exact rates are fixed from booking: $150 per small patch with texture, $240 per medium patch, $395 per room for repainting, and $200 for touch-up. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

What is considered drywall repair in LA apartments?

Drywall repair includes restoring damaged gypsum board or plaster surfaces to like condition. In LA rentals that usually means: cutting back to sound material, installing a backer or new board, taping seams, applying setting compound, sanding, and matching texture like orange peel or light knockdown. After texture, the area gets primed to prevent flashing, then paint is blended. In prewar buildings across Hollywood and Koreatown you will also see true plaster over lath. Small repairs there are handled similarly, but with a bonding primer before skim. Typical repair triggers are TV mount holes, door knob punctures, prior wall anchors, pet damage, and leak cutouts at ceilings. If the damage involves framing or fire-rated assemblies, that moves from repair to build-back scope and may require a specialty contractor and permits.

How much should I pay for drywall repair in Los Angeles?

Across LA, expect $200 to $450 per patch for repair with texture, higher for ceilings or complex blends. Repainting a standard bedroom commonly ranges $400 to $900 with local painters. TurnOver LA pricing is fixed and published below, with a 48-hour turnaround and no rush fee.

If you also need general fixes like door stops, blinds, or loose outlets, compare the market at $85 to $125 per hour. Our handyman menu is flat: a General maintenance and safety visit is $125, a Half-day handyman punch list is $230, and a Full-day handyman punch list is $425. See full painting and drywall pricing and add-ons before you book.

Can I do drywall repair myself or should I hire a pro?

You can DIY small nail and anchor holes. Medium patches that need texture blending are where make-or-break results happen. LA apartments often have orange peel or light knockdown, and a mismatched patch will flash under sunlight. If you are preparing a deposit deduction, a professional finish and a dated photo log protect you. Your DIY kit would include a hawk or pan, 20-minute setting mud for first pass, lightweight compound for skim, a 6 inch and 10 inch knife, a sanding sponge, oil-based stain blocker for prior leaks, and an aerosol texture or hopper gun matched to the existing profile. For owners managing vacancy loss in Westlake or Santa Monica, the time cost can exceed savings. If your daily carry is $80 to $200 in lost rent, a 48-hour pro turnaround often pencils out.

Will painters handle drywall repair too?

Many painters will patch small areas as part of prep, but not all match texture or handle leak cutouts. Our crews handle both scopes so you do not juggle trades. We price Small drywall patch with texture at $150 per patch, Medium drywall repair at $240 per patch, Paint touch-up only at $200, and Repainting per room at $395. Ceilings and baseboard or trim add-ons are $125. This is helpful when a move-out needs a few patches, a closet repaint, and baseboard refresh in one visit. You can bundle drywall and paint with a flat 48-hour clock, which reduces unit downtime. If you only need paint without repairs, we still do touch-ups, full repaints, and cabinet or shelving refreshes at $135. Book the exact line items you need in one pass. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

Which textures and wall types are common in Los Angeles, and how do you match them?

Most post-1970 LA apartments use orange peel sprayed light to medium. Many 1990s buildings have light knockdown. 1920s to 1940s stock in Hollywood, Larchmont Village, and Mid-City can be true plaster that was later skimmed, which feels denser under a knuckle tap. Matching steps are predictable: measure the existing texture height, prime any stain, apply a setting mud base, sand and feather out 12 to 18 inches, then blend a test spray on scrap before committing to the wall. For orange peel, we adjust viscosity and air pressure until dot size matches. For knockdown, we let the texture set slightly, then knock with a clean knife to mirror the field. Final prime and two-coat paint prevent haloing. In many LA units the wall color is a Swiss Coffee variant, so we color-match by eye and with a swatch under daylight to avoid shade shifts.

How should landlords schedule drywall and paint between tenants in LA?

Work backward from your next showing date and your deposit deadline. California requires the itemized statement and receipts within 21 days of move-out under California Civil Code §1950.5. A clean schedule for a typical one bedroom looks like this:

1. Day 0: Pre-inspection, capture photos, confirm punch list. 2) Day 1: Patching and texture, plus primer. 3) Day 2: Sand, paint touch-up or room repaint, detail clean. 4) Day 2 evening: Reinstall plates and hardware, final walk. Vacancy loss in LA is often $80 to $200 per day, so a two-day plan saves $160 to $400 compared with a four-day stagger of separate trades. We hold a flat 48-hour turnaround. If you also need a deep clean and a dated photo set for the file, add our Make Ready service for the same visit.

What documentation do you need for deposit deductions on wall damage?

The state requires an itemized statement of deductions, copies of receipts, and any return of balance within 21 days, as noted in the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide. Best practice in LA is to capture before and after photos with timestamps, show cause on the tenant side, and record materials by room. Our Make Ready includes a 12-point photo report that drops into your packet. Pair drywall line items like $150 per small patch and $240 per medium patch with paint touch-up at $200 or per-room repaint at $395. If you house rules cap wall anchors, include that exhibit. For units under the LA rent ordinance, you still follow state deposit law while managing access timing under the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance.

For more policy detail, see our guide to the 21-day deposit return and what qualifies as normal wear and tear.

Who should repair ceiling cuts after leaks, and when?

Leak repairs on ceilings are common in condo stacks from Downtown LA to Studio City. First, ensure the source is fixed and the area is dry. If the HOA performed a mitigation cut, coordinate access so we can close the hole and match texture in one mobilization. Water staining needs an oil-based stain blocker before skim, or it will bleed through the finish. Our Medium drywall repair at $240 per patch handles typical 6 to 18 inch ceiling openings. For larger cutouts, multiple patches, or fan box support, add a Half-day handyman punch list at $230 so we can reattach fixtures and reset smoke alarms the same day. Finish with a ceiling repaint or a Paint touch-up only at $200 if the blend point is natural at a corner or beam.

Handyman or drywall contractor: which is right for your scope?

If you have a few scattered holes, door-stop punctures, and a cracked corner bead, a handyman-integrated repair service is faster and more cost effective than calling a framing and taping contractor. Our menu covers both trades: Small drywall patch with texture at $150 per patch, Medium drywall repair at $240 per patch, plus a Half-day handyman punch list at $230 or Full-day at $425 for related fixes. Reserve a specialty drywall contractor when you have full wall replacement, fire-rated assemblies, or commercial demising walls. For general apartments, bundling drywall, paint, and a handyman punch list in one 48-hour slot is the cleanest path to market.

Where in LA do we handle drywall and paint?

We service most rental-heavy corridors, including Hollywood, Koreatown, Westlake, Mid-City, Echo Park, and the Valley. If you are turning a unit in Hollywood, start with a combined drywall and paint scope so your listing photos read clean on day two. See our Hollywood service area and book the time you need. If you also need a deep clean or a haul-out of old furniture, add Make Ready and unit cleanout and junk haul to the same order. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

What else should be on your drywall turn checklist?

• Identify all patches per room and measure approximate size.
• Flag textures by room: orange peel, light knockdown, smooth, or plaster.
• List paint color and sheen, or set a target repaint color.
• Decide between touch-up and full wall repaint based on wall condition and sunlight.
• Pair common punch items: door stops, blinds, outlet plates, and baseboard caulk.
• Capture before photos for your deposit file, then after photos post-finish.

If you want a full unit process, see our apartment turnover checklist and the broader turnover cost breakdown. For drywall and paint only, browse our painting and drywall service to select exact line items.

Example scopes with exact line-item pricing

Here are typical small, medium, and bundled scopes you can book at our live rates.

• Small move-out make-good: 2 small patches with texture ($150 x 2), paint touch-up only ($200). Total line items: $500.
• Bedroom refresh: 1 medium ceiling patch after leak ($240), repainting per room ($395), ceilings and baseboard or trim add-on ($125). Total line items: $760.
• Whole-unit tidy-up: 3 small patches ($150 x 3), 1 medium patch ($240), repaint 2 rooms ($395 x 2), sand and repaint shelves ($135), Half-day handyman punch ($230). Total line items: $1,995.

Every job targets a 48-hour turnaround, which helps control vacancy loss that can run $80 to $200 per day in Los Angeles submarkets like Downtown LA and Santa Monica. Bookable line items and timing are shown at checkout. Get instant quote in 30 seconds