Short answer
Drywall that was hit is repaired, not replaced. The board is a 1/2-inch sheet screwed to studs, so a finisher cuts out the broken section, screws in a new piece, tapes it, and blends the texture and paint. Press the wall around the damage before you price anything. If the surface is firm and only the face is broken, it is a same-day patch. If the wall flexes, sounds hollow over a wide area, or the corner moves when you push it, the framing or the corner bead behind the board took the hit and that gets fixed first.
Tell surface damage from a damaged corner or framing
- Press the damage with your thumb. Firm edges mean the break stopped at the paper face and the patch is small.
- Press 6 inches out in every direction. Loose or crumbling paper that far out means the hit crushed more board than you can see.
- Push the corner sideways if the damage is on an outside corner. A corner that moves or clicks has a bent metal corner bead under the mud, and new bead has to go on.
- Look for a crack running away from the dent. A crack that follows the corner line is bead damage. A crack that runs diagonally into the middle of the wall is movement, not impact.
- Knock along the wall on both sides of the damage. Find the studs. A hole between studs needs backing; a hole over a stud does not.
- Check the back of the wall if you can reach it. Damage showing on both faces means the framing was hit and a carpenter looks at it.
If the wall is firm and the corner does not move, you have a patch. If the corner moves, the framing shows, or plumbing or wiring is visible in the hole, hire for the part behind the board first.
Repair or replace
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Dent or small hole, wall firm around it | Repair. Cut a clean square, back it, patch, texture and paint. |
| Crack and a piece missing at an outside corner | Repair. The corner bead comes out and new bead goes on before the mud. |
| Damage on both faces of the wall | Hire a carpenter to check the stud first, then patch. |
| Open framing you want closed in, as in a bathroom wall | Repair. New board goes over the studs and the finish goes on top. |
| Wiring, a pipe or a vent visible in the hole | Stop and hire for this. The trade fixes its own part before the board closes. |
| Crack that keeps coming back after two patches | Hire someone to look at the framing or the foundation. New board will crack again. |
| Water stained or soft board, not impact | Different problem. Find the leak first, then replace the wet board. |
What it costs
Runhome contractor estimates for these jobs, including the trip and assessment.
| Option | Range |
|---|---|
| Patch a damaged corner, prime and paint | $253 to $585 |
| Close in and patch bathroom drywall, plus a new acrylic tub surround kit | $705 to $1,880 |
Can I do it myself?
Yes, on a small dent or hole in a flat wall. A patch kit, a putty knife and a sanding sponge handle it, and the hard part is not the mud but the finish. Texture and sheen give away every patch, so buy the paint in the original color and feather the edges wide. A corner is harder: new bead has to sit dead straight or the wall looks wavy under side light, and most people who try one corner call someone for the second.
Hire for this if the hole is bigger than a dinner plate, if the corner bead is bent, or if the wall is in a bathroom where new board goes behind a tub surround. Hire for this without exception if you can see wiring, a gas line or a pipe inside the opening.
What a contractor will ask you
Have these ready and you skip the back-and-forth.
- A wide photo of the whole damaged area plus some of the surrounding room, taken a few steps back.
- How long ago you first noticed it. One homeowner said "within the last year", which rules out a leak that started last week.
- The age of the house or unit. New construction cracks differently than a 25-year-old wall.
- Whether that spot has ever been hit or scraped by furniture, a vacuum, kids' toys or anything similar.
- Whether any wall is staying open for access, like a niche or half wall, or getting closed in and finished.
- What finish goes over it: paint, tile, or a prefabricated surround or liner kit.
- Whether any plumbing or valve work happens first, because that changes the order of the job.
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