Drywall Repair in Vancouver
Drywall repair is mostly patience — the actual patching is quick, and the waiting between coats is what sets the timeline. Done properly the repair disappears; rushed, it shows as a shadow under every light in the room.
Repair tiers by hole size
Small holes from screws, anchors and picture hooks are filled and sanded, often several in one visit. Medium damage — a door handle through the wall, a failed anchor that tore out — needs the damaged section cut back to sound board and a patch let in, taped and feathered.
Larger damage means cutting back to the studs on either side so the new board has something solid to fix to. Once a repair reaches that size the cost is driven by the finishing, not the board: a bigger patch simply needs a wider feather to stay invisible.
Matching existing texture
A flat wall is straightforward. Textured ceilings are the difficulty — knockdown, orange peel and the sprayed stipple found on many mid-century Vancouver ceilings all need to be reproduced, and a patch that is perfectly flat next to texture is as obvious as the hole was.
We can match most common textures closely. Be aware that older sprayed ceiling texture in homes built before the 1990s may contain asbestos, and it should be tested before it is disturbed. If your ceiling is that vintage we will stop and recommend testing rather than sanding it.
Dust control in an occupied home
Drywall dust is fine enough to travel through a whole home and settle for days. We seal the work area with plastic, cover floors and furnishings, and sand with dust extraction or by hand rather than with an open power sander.
It is never entirely dust-free, but the difference between a contained repair and an uncontained one is the difference between wiping one room and cleaning the whole flat. If you have anyone in the home with respiratory sensitivity, tell us in advance and we will seal more heavily.
Cure time before painting
Compound needs to dry fully between coats, and a typical repair takes two or three coats with sanding between. In a heated dry room that is often a coat a day; in a cool damp Vancouver winter room it can be longer, and rushing it means the repair shrinks and telegraphs through the paint later.
Primer over the patch before painting is not optional. Bare compound absorbs paint at a completely different rate to the surrounding wall, and skipping primer leaves a visible dull patch even when the colour matches exactly.
What this costs
$290 minimum callout · $145/hr · $540 half day
Charged by time, not by task. Most lists of small jobs land between the two-hour minimum and a full day.
Materials are always separate from labour and passed on at cost. Quotes are free and written, and the full rate card is published rather than given out on request.
Common questions
How long before a patch can be painted?
Usually two to three days for a normal repair, allowing each coat of compound to dry fully before the next. Cool damp conditions extend it. Rushing causes shrinkage that shows through the paint weeks later.
Can you match a knockdown or stipple ceiling?
Most common textures can be matched closely. One caution: sprayed ceiling texture in homes built before the 1990s may contain asbestos and should be tested before being disturbed — we will flag it rather than sand it.
Do you handle water-damaged drywall?
Yes, but the leak has to be fixed first or the repair fails again. We also check whether the damage has reached the framing or insulation behind, because patching over damp material traps the problem inside the wall.