Re-boarding a whole room in a Vanier house, what goes in the quote?

Re-boarding a whole room means taking out the old board if it is coming off, hanging new board, taping the joints, finishing to a named level and sanding, so the quote should price each of those. Published Toronto and Ontario contractor prices for hanging, taping and finishing run about $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot of board, meaning the wall and ceiling area covered, not the floor area; these are not Ottawa prices.

What moves the number for your room:

• the board area of the walls and ceiling
• the ceiling height
• the finish level wanted
• texture matching, where a surface has to blend with an existing one
• removal and disposal of the old board
• whether primer and paint are included

The Gypsum Association's GA-214 guide describes finish levels 0 to 5 as an industry recommendation, not a Building Code rule: it lists Level 4 for flat paint and light textures, and Level 5, a thin skim coat over the whole surface, for gloss or dark paint and critical lighting. Name the level you want in the quote.

If the house was built before 1990, Health Canada advises a professional asbestos test before renovating; test before anyone cuts or sands the old board or compound, and tell the contractor the age of the house and any test results before they start. A positive result is abatement work (ottawaabatement.com).

On permits, the City's lists do not name re-boarding a room. If the job includes moving or adding a wall, that is on the City's permit list; otherwise ask the City's Building Code Services before work starts.

A complete quote names the board and its thickness, the board area, the finish level by number, the coats of compound, sanding, primer and paint in or out, and how old board is removed.

Before you sign, ask for the warranty terms in writing: what is covered, for how long, and whether they transfer to a buyer.