How much does drywall finishing cost in a garage and is it worth doing?

Drywall finishing in a garage costs between $2,500 and $6,500 in Ottawa for a standard two-car garage, covering materials, hanging, taping, mudding, sanding, and painting. A single-car garage runs $1,500 to $3,500. Whether it is worth doing depends on how you use the space, but there are practical reasons beyond just appearance.

The material cost for drywall is relatively modest. Half-inch drywall sheets run about $15 to $20 each at Ottawa building supply stores, and a two-car garage typically needs 30 to 40 sheets for walls and ceiling. Add joint compound, tape, screws, and corner bead, and materials total $800 to $1,200. The labour is where most of the cost sits. Professional drywall installation and finishing in Ottawa runs $3 to $5 per square foot, with the finishing and sanding being the most labour-intensive part.

For an attached garage, drywall is actually a building code requirement, not just a cosmetic choice. The Ontario Building Code requires fire-rated separation between an attached garage and the living space. This typically means 12.7mm (half-inch) Type X fire-rated drywall on the garage side of shared walls and ceilings, with all joints taped and mudded to maintain the fire rating. If your attached garage currently has exposed studs on the shared wall, it is not meeting code, and you should address this regardless of whether you are doing a full renovation.

Beyond code compliance, drywall provides several practical benefits. It protects the insulation you have invested in, preventing damage from stored items leaning against walls or accidental impacts. It makes the space dramatically easier to clean, as dust and cobwebs wipe off painted drywall far more easily than they come out of exposed insulation. It also improves lighting efficiency significantly because white painted walls reflect light throughout the space, reducing the number of fixtures you need.

For a workshop conversion, many people opt for a Level 3 or Level 4 finish rather than the smooth Level 5 finish you would want in a living room. Level 3 means the joints are taped and have two coats of mud, which is perfectly functional and saves about 20 percent on labour compared to a full smooth finish. For a living space conversion, spring for Level 4 or 5 for a proper residential look.

One cost-saving approach is to hang the drywall yourself and hire a professional for the taping and finishing, which is the skilled part that most DIYers struggle with. Hanging drywall is straightforward physical labour, while achieving smooth, invisible joints takes real experience. This hybrid approach can save you $800 to $1,500 on a two-car garage. Just make sure you use the correct fire-rated drywall on code-required walls and that all electrical boxes are properly trimmed before the finisher arrives.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Ottawa Construction Network connects Ottawa homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Justyn Rook Contracting
• RenoMotion Inc.
• Joe Imerti Contracting
• The Fixer
• Regimbal