Guide
When drywall has to come out
Quick answer
Why restorers cut a strip of wall even when the paint looks fine, and how that decision changes cost.
Paper-faced drywall wicks water above the visible stain. If the cavity stays wet, mold and swollen studs follow. A two-foot flood cut can look aggressive on day one and cheap compared with a redo on day ten.
Ask what moisture readings they need before they close the wall. Ask whether insulation is wet. Those two answers explain most of the labor line.
Our cost calculator is a planning range, not a bid. On-site drying decisions belong to a licensed contractor.