DON'T HIRE US UNTIL: 10 Questions Every Homeowner Must Ask A Drywall Company
- AJ
- Jun 1
- 5 min read
Choosing a drywall contractor is one of the most critical decisions you'll make for your home renovation or new build. Why? Because the drywall is the literal foundation of your interior aesthetics. If it's done poorly, every coat of expensive paint, every stylish tile, and every piece of custom trim will look cheap and amateurish.
In the industry, we see clients make the mistake of choosing the lowest drywall estimate every single day. They quickly learn that the lowest price usually means the highest hidden cost later on.
At AJ Drywall, LLC, we believe transparency and quality are non-negotiable. That’s why we compiled the ultimate vetting guide. Before you sign a contract with any drywall company—including us—you need to ask these 10 essential questions. The answers will separate the true professionals from the weekend warriors.
The Vetting Game: Questions on Licensing, Insurance, and Liability
The first three questions are your non-negotiable safety net. If a drywall contractor hedges on any of these, stop the conversation immediately.
1. Are you fully Licensed and Insured for this specific type of work?
This is Inspection Question #1. A licensed and insured drywall contractor protects you, the homeowner, from massive financial disaster.
Licensing: Verifies they have met local professional standards.
Insurance (General Liability): Covers damage to your property. If they drop a mud bucket on your newly finished hardwood floor, their policy pays—not yours.
Workers' Compensation: Covers injury to their crew. If a worker falls off scaffolding on your property, a lack of Workers’ Comp means you, the homeowner, could be sued to cover medical bills.
We were called to clean up a garage drywall repair job where the contractor had fallen off a ladder. He was uninsured, and the homeowner ended up in a lengthy legal battle to avoid paying for the worker’s broken ankle. A few hundred dollars saved on a cheap bid led to months of legal bills and stress. Always ask for proof of both liability and Workers' Comp.
2. Do you offer a formal drywall warranty on your labor?
A handshake and a promise are worthless when a drywall seam cracks six months later. A professional drywall company stands behind its work. We recommend looking for a minimum one-year warranty against defects in workmanship (like recurring nail pops or cracking joints). This shows confidence in their quality control.
AJ Drywall, LLC offers a one-year warranty on all work performed.
3. What specific safety and dust control measures do you implement?
Drywall installation and drywall repair generate massive amounts of fine, hazardous dust. A professional crew invests in expensive, specialized equipment to protect your home and their workers. Look for:
HEPA-filtered vacuum sanders (like Festool or equivalent).
Sealed plastic containment barriers (zip-up doorways).
Proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for all crew members.
If a contractor shows up with only a regular box fan and tells you to cover your furniture, they are prioritizing speed over your health and home environment.
The Quality Guarantee: Vetting the Finish and Materials
These questions delve into the technical skill of the drywall contractor. The answers here dictate how smooth and flawless your finished walls will look.
4. What drywall finishing level do you achieve, and is it guaranteed in the bid?
The most critical question of all! You must understand the difference between Level 4 and Level 5 finish.
Level 4 Finish: Tape and fasteners are covered, but slight imperfections and texture variations from the joint compound are expected, especially under bright lights. This is fine for heavy texture or wallpaper.
Level 5 Finish/Professional Finish: A seamless, glass-smooth surface. This requires a final skim coat of joint compound over the entire sheet of drywall, eliminating all texture difference.
If your walls are receiving semi-gloss or high-gloss paint, or if you have large windows letting in natural light, you need a near-perfect finish. Ask the contractor to define their finished level, and demand that standard be written into the contract.
5. What thickness and type of drywall will you use in the ceiling, bathroom, and garage?
A one-size-fits-all answer here is a huge red flag. Different areas of your home require specific materials:
Ceilings: Should often use 5/8-inch thickness to prevent sagging and improve fire resistance.
Bathrooms/High Moisture: Requires moisture-resistant gypsum board (often Blueboard or fiberglass-mat board), not standard white board.
Garage: Code requires 5/8-inch Type X fire-rated drywall for the wall separating the garage from the living space.
A professional will specify these materials right in the drywall estimate, showing they adhere to local building codes and quality standards.
6. How do you handle framing irregularities, like bowed studs?
As we discussed in a previous post, no lumber is perfect. A good drywall contractor doesn't just cover bad framing—they fix it.
Ask them about their process for pre-installation: Do they check for warped studs? Do they use shimming or shaving techniques?
The answer should be: "We meticulously inspect the framing and correct minor flaws using shims or planing before hanging the first sheet to ensure a truly flat plane for our finish." Anything less guarantees wavy walls.
The Execution: Questions on Schedule, Crew, and Communication
These questions manage expectations and determine how smoothly the project will run on a day-to-day basis.
7. How long will the drywall finishing process take, and what causes delays?
Drywall isn't a single-day job. It involves multiple coats of joint compound, and each coat must dry completely. Trying to rush the drying process is the number one cause of cracked seams and failed joints.
A realistic schedule for a typical home room should include at least three to four days just for the mud and finish, regardless of crew size. If a contractor promises a whole-house finish in two days, they are either cutting corners or relying on dangerously fast, poor-quality materials. A professional will explain the required wait times for drying.
8. Who will be my primary contact, and what are your site supervision standards?
In the construction world, communication is everything. You need one clear point of contact (a foreman or project manager).
Ask: Who manages the crew? Will a supervisor be on-site every day, or will the crew be unsupervised? A reputable drywall company ensures a lead professional is always present to guarantee consistency and quality control throughout the drywall installation and drywall finishing phases.
9. What is your process for waste disposal and job site cleanup?
Drywall generates massive, heavy, and bulky waste. A professional bid should include the cost of a dumpster rental or proper debris removal.
Ask the contractor specifically how they will handle the drywall scraps. If they tell you, "We'll just pile it on the curb," you may be stuck paying extra for junk removal or facing fines. Proper cleanup reflects the contractor's respect for your property.
10. Can you provide references and photos of your recent, completed work?
Don't just look at the drywall company’s best portfolio shots. Ask for three recent client references whom you can call. When you call the reference, ask:
Did the crew show up on time?
Did the final price match the drywall estimate?
Did they leave the job site clean?
Most importantly, look at the photos of their completed work, paying close attention to the details around the seams, outlets, and corners. If you see perfectly straight lines and invisible transitions, you've found a professional.
Making the Final Decision
Choosing a drywall contractor is ultimately about finding the right balance between quality and value. When you compare your drywall estimates, the difference between the low bid and the professional bid is the cost of peace of mind.
By asking these 10 essential questions, you will expose the amateurs and confirm the expertise of the pros.
At AJ Drywall, LLC, we are prepared to answer these questions—and any others you have—with complete transparency. We pride ourselves on our meticulous pre-drywall checklist, our guaranteed quality standards, and our commitment to a seamless, flawless finish that elevates your entire home.
Ready to start your project with a professional team you can trust? Contact AJ Drywall, LLC today for a detailed, transparent, and quality-guaranteed drywall estimate.
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