How Much Does It Cost to Build a Wall? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $974 - $3,172
The average cost to install a wall is between $974 and $3,172, with an average of $2,064. Your total will depend on materials used, plus the wall’s size and location.
Whether you want to divide a room into two or put a wall in your open plan for privacy, building a wall will cost you between $974 and $3,172, with most homeowners paying $2,064 on average.
While installing a wall might seem easy to some people, it consists of many steps depending on the type of wall you want to build, such as framing, electrical work, and finishing.
- Average
- $2,064
- Low end
- $350
- high end
- $25,000
Installing a Wall Cost Breakdown
When estimating wall installation costs, you’ll need to consider several factors, including the size of the wall, materials, and the addition of doors or windows.
Wall Size
The bigger the wall, the more expensive it is to build. The standard wall height is 8 feet tall, although you may need something taller or shorter. Once you figure out the wall length you need, just multiply it by the height to get the square footage.
You can expect a finished wall, including framing, drywall, and electrical, to cost around $20 to $30 per linear foot. Half-walls cost $10 to $20 per linear foot and are useful for dividing areas in bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and more.
Materials
The material you use to finish the wall makes a huge difference in the final cost. Interior walls are often built from various materials such as wood, drywall, and insulation.
Framing
The cost to frame a wall is a major factor in determining the cost of building a wall in your home. Different framing materials and whether the walls are indoor or outdoor are elements to consider.
The cost to frame an interior wall is $7 to $16 per square foot, while framing exterior walls can cost $2 to $5 per square foot.
Wood vs. Metal Framing Cost
Wood framing costs about $1 to $5 per square foot, while metal framing costs $2 to $4 per square foot.
Wood framing is a traditional option for residential homes, but you may choose metal framing for some advantages. These include fire resistance, rot resistance, and the ability to often stay intact through natural disasters.
Doors, Windows, and Pass-Throughs
Walls with openings such as windows, doors, or pass-throughs can cost an additional $120 to $200 per opening. An opening needs studs and beams to carry the weight of the wall. In addition, you’ll pay $300 to $1,000 for the trim, frame, sill, doors, windows, and other materials.
Electrical and Plumbing
Most of the walls in your home contain some electrical wiring, which powers your outlets and lighting. You may have to hire a local electrician to add electrical work such as a light switch or a power outlet when building a wall, which can increase the total cost.
Permits
Structural changes in your home require a building permit. Expect to pay $100 to $300 for a permit to build a simple interior wall, but it can vary significantly depending on what you're building and your location.
Labor
You will likely hire multiple contractors to help you build your wall. Your basic construction worker charges $21 per hour on average, while electricians charge $50 to $100 per hour.
If you need plumbing, hiring a local plumber costs about $45 to $200 per hour. And for the final touches, you may hire painters, who charge $23 per hour.
Cost to Install a Wall per Material
The cost to install a wall varies depending on the material of the wall. Walls come in a wide range of materials, from brick, plaster, stone, and concrete.
| Material | Cost Per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Drywall | $1.50 – $3 |
| Plaster | $3 – $10 |
| Glass | $25 – $75 |
| Concrete | $10 – $60 |
| Wood | $10 – $40 |
| Stone or stone veneer | $15 – $80 |
| Brick or brick veneer | $5 – $45 |
Drywall
Drywall is the most common material for walls, consisting of boards made from material bonded to a gypsum plaster core. The price of building drywall runs between $1.50 to $3 per square foot. A typical panel is 4 feet by 8 feet or 32 square feet. Framing interior walls with drywall costs $20 to $30 per linear foot.
Drywall sheets can be used for both your walls and ceilings (and can be built simultaneously). Drywall is heavy, and installation usually requires at least two workers.
Plaster
Plaster is great for curved interior walls and decorative touches to get older house styles or textures. Expect to pay $3 to $5 per square foot for plaster wall prices, though it can sometimes go as high as $10 per square foot.
Glass
The cost to install glass walls is $25 to $75 per square foot. You will pay an extra $1,000 to $3,000 or more to add a glass door, depending on the location.
Stone
Stone walls are mostly used for outdoor walls and are great for building retaining walls. For indoor walls, veneer stone is lighter and more cost-effective. Stone walls cost anywhere from $15 to $80 per square foot, depending on the type of stone and wall you choose, and a stone veneer costs about $20 to $40 per square foot.
Brick
Brick is used for both indoor and outdoor walls. Brick walls cost about $10 to $45 per square foot. You’d use a thin veneer brick for interior brick walls, which runs $5 to $15 per square foot.
Concrete
Building a concrete wall costs $10 to $60 per square foot. They’re durable and easy to maintain. And unlike other materials, concrete walls never rot when exposed to moisture.
Wood
Wood paneling costs $10 to $40 per square foot. Wood upholstery or paneling is a great and cost-effective way to personalize the design of your home. You can hide flaws in the walls, exposed cables, and wiring with wood paneling.
Cost to Build a Wall per Function
Whether you want to install a partition wall for privacy or a load-bearing exterior wall, the function of the wall you build determines the final cost.
Exterior vs. Interior Walls
While framing is almost the same for both interior and exterior walls, some other aspects of finishing an exterior wall will be different. Building an exterior wall will require additional insulation, load-bearing elements, and doors or windows.
Walls with windows or doors requiring a beam for support will increase costs. Some walls also need plumbing or electrical work, which will add to the final price.
While insulating load-bearing walls can cost $1 to $5 per square foot, studs and bracing can cost $1 to $2 per square foot.
Partition Walls
The cost to add a partition wall depends on the type and size. They come in different materials, including glass, panels, and half walls that don't reach the ceiling.
| Partition Wall Type | Price per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Glass walls | $25 – $75 |
| Panel walls | $1.50 – $2.50 |
| Drywall half wall | $10 – $20 |
Load-Bearing Walls
Framing load-bearing walls can cost slightly higher than non-load-bearing ones because they need more studs throughout. External walls need additional studs at the corners plus insulation, increasing material costs by 30%.
Additional Costs of Building a Wall
Here are some additional costs you can expect to run into when planning to build a wall. Not all of these options are necessary, but depending on your project, you may find that you’ll need some of the following items.
Arched Walls
An arch may cost $1,000 to $5,000 to install, depending on the size and whether the wall is load-bearing. Larger arches or rooms with arches at every opening will cost more.
Wall Insulation Costs
The cost of wall insulation is $0.40 to $6.75 per square foot on average. The most affordable types of insulation are fiberglass, cellulose, and polystyrene. The more costly materials are Rockwool and wood fiber.
Soundproofing
Professional soundproofing costs around $10 to $30 per square foot and soundproof drywall costs $40 per panel. In addition to soundproofing walls, you can soundproof ceilings, floors, doors, and windows.
Texture
Adding skip trowel texture to your wall costs approximately $1.25 to $2 per square foot. It’s a cost-effective way to dress up a simple, smooth wall.
Paneling
Installing wall paneling averages $2.50 to $40 per square foot. The budget-friendly option is shiplap, which is around $2.50 to $7 per square foot.
Board-and-batten and beadboard paneling cost about $7 to $20 per square foot, while raised panels are $10 to $30 per square foot. Overlays are on the higher end of the spectrum, ranging between $10 to $40 per square foot.
Trim
You might opt for trim to help hide the space between the floor and the baseboard, like shoe molding and quarter-round trim, which cost about $0.50 per linear foot. If you want something a little more eye-catching, you could go with base molding, which depending on the materials you choose, is $0.60 to $1.20 per linear foot.
Higher-end trim options include crown molding, which runs around $2 to $10 per linear foot. For a luxurious look, you can go with wall-frame trim for $8 to $25 per linear foot or casing trim for $0.60 to $1.20 per linear foot.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Building a wall might sound like a simple project on the surface, but it isn't your everyday DIY task. There are a lot of different skill sets that you would need as a DIYer to get the job done right, from carpentry, electrical, and potentially even plumbing. As with any major project, there are significant safety concerns if you don’t know what you’re doing. For example, don’t risk dealing with the electrical inside a wall if you don’t have the proper training and experience.
Additionally, walls require precise construction to ensure they’re safe and long-lasting. Knowing how to frame a wall requires experience and plenty of knowledge. Amateur mistakes like using the wrong measurements, materials, and methods can compromise your wall’s safety and longevity.
For a wall that you can count on for the long term, hire a drywall contractor near you. They can get the job done to code and ensure proper plumbing, electricity, and a beautiful finish.
Plus, when you hire a pro, you won’t have to worry about making costly mistakes. Common mistakes may require you to buy multiple batches of materials or even cost you a successful home inspection. So unless you’re a very seasoned DIYer, let the experienced workers handle this job.
Tips to Reduce Costs While Installing a Wall
Building a wall can get pricey, so here are some money-saving tips to follow when building a wall:
Use recycled materials.
Interview potential professionals and use these tips to hire the best contractor based on their portfolio and references. They’ll get the job done fast and in the best quality possible.
Use economical materials such as plaster or drywall.
Get multiple quotes from at least three different pros.
Marwa Hasan contributed to this piece.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed over 10,000 real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
While having contractors at your home, there are a few projects you can work on simultaneously when building a wall. You can upgrade to energy-efficient windows or doors to increase sustainability, tear down walls to have an open-concept home, or build a home addition.
Framing is the shell of the house. It includes several steps, including studs, plumbing, and electricity. A professional will ensure the wall frame is secured for the house’s structural integrity.
Framing prices change depending on the material and whether the wall is load-bearing. Most contractors use wood to frame a home, but metal is another popular choice.
Here are the basic steps your pro will take when building a new wall:
The contractor will mark the potential location for the new wall.
They’ll start building a wall frame depending on where they want to put studs, doors, and windows.
They’ll put the frame straight up.
An electrician will add electrical wiring, including outlets and switches.
The builder will nail the drywall down to the studs and plates.
The builder will paint the wall and put cladding or panels for the finishing touches.
The builder will install trims, doors, and windows.