Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster: Drywall & Plaster Contractor in Cambridge, MA
Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster delivers drywall installation, taping and finishing, plaster repair, water damage repair, and commercial drywall for residential and commercial properties across Cambridge, MA and the surrounding towns. Our crews work with standard board, moisture-resistant board, and 5/8 inch Type X, matching the board and finish level to the job, from a single-room patch to a full commercial build-out.
Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster has worked across residential, rental, remodel, and commercial job sites throughout Greater Cambridge. The everyday call runs from a water-stained ceiling patched in Mid-Cambridge to cracked plaster re-keyed and skimmed over lath in Avon Hill, a rental unit turned over in Cambridgeport, and a metal stud partition framed for an East Cambridge tenant improvement. Plaster work sets us apart from a generic sheetrock crew: the city's pre-1940 homes still carry original lath and plaster, and we save it in place under Cambridge Historical Commission review instead of defaulting to a full tear-out. The company holds a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License and Home Improvement Contractor registration, is EPA RRP Lead-Safe Certified for the pre-1978 housing stock across the city, and belongs to AWCI, finishing to GA-214 Level 4 and Level 5 standards.
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Our Services
Residential and commercial drywall services across Cambridge and the surrounding area.
Water Damage Drywall Repair
A burst pipe, an ice dam, or an upstairs leak leaves stained, sagging ceilings and soft walls. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster cuts out the wet board, dries and checks the framing, and rebuilds the section to match, and we document the work for your insurance claim.
Learn morePlaster Repair & Plaster-to-Drywall Conversion
Cambridge's pre-1940 homes carry lath-and-plaster walls that crack, bulge, and let go from the lath. We re-key and skim to save original plaster in a historic district, or convert a failed wall to drywall with a plaster-smooth finish when replacement is the honest call.
Learn moreMold Drywall Replacement
Damp basements and slow leaks near the Charles grow mold behind the board, where paint can't fix it. We remove the affected drywall, treat and confirm the cavity is dry, and hang mold-resistant board so the problem does not come back.
Learn moreCeiling Repair
Sagging plaster ceilings, water stains, and spider cracks are common in older Cambridge homes. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster repairs the ceiling section, matches the existing texture, and blends the patch so the fix disappears instead of framing itself.
Soundproof Drywall
Party walls in condo conversions and two-family homes carry noise room to room. We build assemblies with QuietRock, resilient channel, and proper sealing so a shared wall between units actually reads as quiet, not just thicker.
Skim Coat & Level 5 Finish
Old walls read wavy under West Cambridge and Brattle Street remodel lighting, and glossy paint shows every flaw. We skim the full surface to a GA-214 Level 5 finish so the wall is dead flat under raking light and premium paint.
Popcorn Ceiling Removal
Textured ceilings date a room and, in pre-1978 homes, may contain asbestos. We test the age, remove or encapsulate safely, then re-skim the ceiling to a clean modern finish ready for paint.
Drywall Repair & Patching
Doorknob holes, popped screws, cracked corners, and anchor damage are the everyday calls. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster patches the wall, feathers the compound, and matches the texture so the repair blends into the surrounding surface.
Drywall Installation & Hanging
New construction, additions, and gut renovations need board hung right the first time. We hang and finish to ASTM C840 and GA-216, screw-pattern correct and seam-planned, so the finished wall stays flat and crack-free.
Basement Drywall Finishing
Cambridge basements sit close to the water table and damp air. We frame with the right clearances and hang moisture-resistant board so a finished basement stays sound, instead of wicking moisture and failing at the base.
Texture Matching
A patch that doesn't match the wall's texture is as obvious as the hole was. We match knockdown, orange peel, and skip-trowel textures across the repair so the whole surface reads as one, not a patchwork.
Drywall Taping & Finishing
Board is hung but the seams, screws, and corners still need finishing. We tape, mud, and coat to a clean Level 4 or Level 5, corner bead set true, ready for primer with no telegraphing joints.
Drywall Crack Repair
Recurring cracks at corners and over doorways come from settling and seasonal movement, not just old paint. We fix the cause with proper tape and reinforcement so the crack stays closed instead of reopening next winter.
Metal Stud Framing & Commercial Drywall
Commercial interiors run on light-gauge steel, not wood. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster frames demising and partition walls in metal stud, straight and plumb to the layout, ready for rated assemblies and commercial finishes.
Garage Drywall & Fire Separation
An attached garage needs a code-correct fire separation to the living space. We hang ⅝″ Type X on the shared wall and ceiling and finish it to the 780 CMR separation requirement, so the barrier is real, not just boarded over.
Drywall Removal & Demolition
Gut renovations and tear-outs need the old drywall or plaster off cleanly first. We remove board and lath, contain the dust, and haul it out so the space is ready for framing, wiring, and new board.
Fire-Rated Drywall Assembly
Rated partitions, shaft walls, and firewalls have to be built to a specific UL design, not approximated. We install Type X assemblies to their listed detail so a 1-hour or 2-hour wall passes inspection and does what the rating says.
Suspended / Drop Ceiling
Offices, basements, and commercial spaces use suspended acoustical grid for access and sound control. We hang level ACT grid and tile, and repair sagging or water-stained sections, so the ceiling stays flat and clean.
Why Choose Us
We save original plaster, not just cover it
Cambridge's historic-district homes have lath-and-plaster walls that a drywall-only crew rips out by default. We re-key and skim over sound lath where the plaster is worth saving, and convert to drywall only when it isn't, so the work respects Cambridge Historical Commission review and the character of the house.
Lead-safe on every pre-1978 home
Most of Cambridge was built before 1978, so sanding old walls without EPA RRP lead-safe containment spreads lead dust through an occupied home. As a lead-safe firm we contain, control the dust, and clean to the RRP standard, which protects your family and keeps the job compliant.
We build rated and lab assemblies to their listing
Fire-rated partitions, ICRA containment, and cleanroom walls only work if they're built to the exact UL, ICRA, or ISO 14644 detail. We build to the listed assembly and document it, so the wall passes inspection and commissioning the first time instead of getting flagged for rework.
Commercial Drywall Services
Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster builds across the full range of Cambridge's commercial stock, from Kendall Square lab and GMP suites to Harvard and MIT campus renovations, Mount Auburn and Cambridge Health Alliance healthcare interiors, Central and Harvard Square restaurant and retail buildouts, and municipal buildings.
Laboratory / Life-Sciences Fit-Out
Kendall Square holds the densest life-sciences cluster on earth, and its lab and GMP buildouts never stop, from bench labs to cleanroom suites. That work runs to ISO 14644 classes, ICRA-grade cleanliness, and DensGlass and cement-board substrates the finish schedule demands. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster builds cleanroom and GMP wall systems to their spec so the suite qualifies, holds its air, and passes commissioning on the developer's schedule.
Condo & Landlord Turnover
With Cambridge roughly 65% renter and heavy with condo conversions and two- and three-family stock, units in Cambridgeport, The Port, and North Cambridge need patch, skim, and paint prep at every tenant turn. Vacancy is the clock. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster runs turnover crews that patch damage, match wall and ceiling texture, and hand the unit back paint-ready fast, so landlords, property managers, and condo associations re-lease without losing weeks.
Education / Institutional (Harvard / MIT)
Harvard, MIT, Lesley, and Cambridge College run a nonstop capital-project machine of dorm, classroom, and lab renovation, most of it in occupied buildings on an academic calendar. High-traffic corridors call for impact- and abuse-resistant board. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster builds to that standard, phases around the school's schedule, and finishes to the summer-break deadline so buildings reopen for students on time.
Medical / Healthcare Office
Mount Auburn Hospital and Cambridge Health Alliance renovate around live patient areas, where dust control is a patient-safety rule, not a preference. That work demands ICRA containment, negative air, and abuse- and infection-resistant board like DensArmor. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster builds the containment, holds the barrier through the work, and finishes to the infection-control plan so the department stays open and passes inspection.
Office / Tenant Improvement
Kendall, East Cambridge, and Alewife turn over office and lab-office floors on lease clocks, each fit-out reworking partitions and demising walls for a new tenant. A certificate-of-occupancy deadline drives the schedule. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster frames metal-stud partitions, builds demising walls to their rated detail, and finishes to the commercial level the space calls for so the tenant takes occupancy on time.
Retail & Restaurant Buildout
Central Square, Harvard Square, Inman, and Kendall storefronts turn over into new restaurants and retail, each buildout on a lease and opening-day clock in tight, often historic frontage. Moisture- and fire-rated assemblies apply behind the finishes. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster frames and finishes the interior partitions, builds the rated separations, and hits the opening date so the space is ready for fit-out trades and inspection.
Senior & Assisted Living
Assisted-living, memory-care, and nursing facilities across Greater Cambridge renovate around residents in place, where corridors take constant wheelchair and cart contact. Abuse-resistant board and clean fire separations are the standard. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster builds impact-resistant walls, maintains rated corridor separations, and contains the work so residents stay safe and the facility keeps operating through the renovation.
Government / Municipal
Cambridge's municipal and public buildings, schools, libraries, and public-safety facilities renovate under public-bid rules and prevailing-wage documentation. Rated partitions and durable finishes carry the spec. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster builds metal-stud partitions and fire-rated assemblies to the drawings, documents the work for the public record, and finishes to the specified level so the project closes out and passes municipal inspection.
How it works
- 1
You call and describe the job
Tell us what you're seeing, a cracked ceiling, a wet wall, a full renovation, and where in Greater Cambridge it is. We ask a few questions to size it up and set a time to look.
- 2
On-site assessment and cause diagnosis
We come look in person, because a stain or a crack is a symptom. We find the cause, whether it's a leak, settling, failed lath, or moisture, and check whether you have plaster, drywall, or both before we quote.
- 3
Written quote
You get a clear written quote that names the scope, the board type (standard, moisture-resistant, or Type X), the finish level (GA-214 Level 4 or Level 5), and any lead-safe or historic-district steps the job needs.
- 4
Scheduling and site protection
We schedule the work and protect your home first, covering floors and furniture and sealing off the work area with dust containment so drywall dust stays out of the rest of the house.
- 5
Removal and substrate check
We remove damaged board or plaster, then check what's behind it. Wet framing gets dried and confirmed, mold gets treated, and the cavity is sound before any new board goes up.
- 6
Board hung or plaster re-keyed
We hang the right board for the location, screw-pattern correct to ASTM C840 and GA-216, or re-key and stabilize original plaster over lath when we're saving a historic wall.
- 7
Taping and coats
We tape the seams with proper reinforcement, set corner bead true, and build up the compound in coats, letting each dry so the joints don't telegraph or crack later.
- 8
Sanding to the finish level
We sand to the agreed finish, a standard Level 4 for most walls or a Level 5 skim where lighting and premium paint demand it, and match existing texture so patches disappear.
- 9
Cleanup and final walkthrough
We clean up, haul the debris, and walk the finished work with you under real light. You confirm the wall is right before we call it done, and we document the work for insurance when a claim is involved.
Who we help with drywall and plaster in Cambridge
Homeowners in historic Cambridge
You own one of Cambridge's pre-1940 homes, a Victorian or Colonial in Old Cambridge, Avon Hill, or Mid-Cambridge with lath-and-plaster walls, maybe inside a conservation district. Those walls crack at the corners, bulge where the plaster keys have broken off the lath, and stain when an ice dam or old pipe lets go. A drywall-only crew tears the whole wall out and boards over it, which is faster for them but loses the original plaster and can run afoul of Cambridge Historical Commission review. We re-key and skim over sound lath to save the plaster where it's worth saving, work lead-safe under EPA RRP because your home predates 1978, and convert to drywall with a plaster-smooth finish only when the wall is truly gone.
Landlords, property managers, and condo associations
You turn over units in Cambridge's dense rental stock, the condo-converted two- and three-families of Cambridgeport, The Port, and North Cambridge, in a city that's roughly 65% renter. Every tenant move-out leaves nail holes, anchor damage, cracked corners, and scuffed walls that have to be paint-ready before the next lease. A handyman patch that doesn't match the wall's texture reads as a patch, shows through the paint, and slows your re-lease while the unit sits vacant. We run turnover crews that patch, skim, and texture-match the whole wall so it reads as one surface, and we hand the unit back fast so vacancy doesn't eat the month.
General contractors and life-sciences developers
You build in Kendall Square and East Cambridge, the densest biotech cluster on earth, where lab, GMP, and office fit-outs run to ISO 14644 cleanroom classes, ICRA cleanliness, and DensGlass or cement-board substrates on a commissioning deadline. A framing sub who treats a lab wall like an office partition misses the substrate spec or the containment detail, and the suite fails commissioning, which costs you the schedule and the tenant's move-in. We build cleanroom and GMP wall systems, metal-stud partitions, and fire-rated assemblies to their listed detail and document the work, so the space qualifies and passes the first time.
Facilities and healthcare / institutional buyers
You manage renovation at Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, or the Harvard and MIT campuses, where work happens in occupied buildings around patients, students, and staff. Dust control and rated corridor separations aren't preferences here, they're patient-safety and life-safety requirements. A crew that skips ICRA containment or builds a rated wall off-listing shuts down a department or fails a life-safety inspection, and the project stops. We build ICRA containment with negative air, install abuse- and infection-resistant board like DensArmor, and construct rated partitions to their UL design, phased around your operations so the building keeps running.
How Much Does Drywall Installation Cost in Cambridge, MA?
| Scope | Cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Drywall installation — hang & finish (new) | $2.75–$5.25 |
| Taping & finishing only (board already hung) | $1.25–$2.50 |
| Basement finishing (moisture-resistant board + framing) | $3.25–$6.00 |
| Garage drywall & fire separation (⅝″ Type X) | $3.00–$5.25 |
| Skim coat / Level 5 smooth wall | $2.10–$4.50 |
| Plaster repair / skim over lath | $3.75–$8.50 |
| Popcorn ceiling removal + refinish | $2.10–$4.25 |
| Texture application & match | $0.95–$2.40 |
| Soundproofing assembly (QuietRock / resilient channel) | $4.75–$9.75 |
| Drywall removal & demolition (tear-out) | $0.75–$1.90 |
Ranges reflect Cambridge / Greater Boston labor, one of the highest-cost metros in the country; final quote after an on-site look. Repair and water-damage calls are quoted per job.
Areas we serve
Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster serves homeowners, landlords, and commercial builders across Cambridge and the surrounding towns, from Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, and Watertown to Medford, Everett, Malden, Newton, Brookline, Winchester, and Waltham.
Frequently asked questions
Do you do both drywall and plaster repair in Cambridge? +
Yes. Cambridge Elite Drywall & Plaster handles standard drywall installation, patching, and finishing, and we also work in traditional lath-and-plaster, which is common in the city's pre-1940 homes. We save original plaster where it's sound and convert to drywall when it isn't.
Are you licensed and insured in Massachusetts? +
Yes. We carry a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License (CSL) and Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration through the Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation, and we're an EPA RRP lead-safe certified firm for pre-1978 homes. We're fully insured for both residential and commercial work.
How soon can you come out for water damage? +
We prioritize water and mold damage because wet drywall keeps spreading and can grow mold. Call us and we'll get out quickly to find the cause, remove the wet board, and confirm the framing is dry before we rebuild, and we document everything for your insurance claim.
Will the repair match my existing walls and ceilings? +
Yes. Matching is the whole point of a repair. We match knockdown, orange peel, and smooth textures across the patch and feather the compound so the fix blends into the surrounding surface instead of framing itself, and we can skim a full wall to a Level 5 finish when the lighting demands it.
Do you contain the dust and clean up? +
Yes. We seal off the work area with dust containment, protect floors and furniture, and clean up and haul the debris when we're done. On pre-1978 homes we follow lead-safe RRP containment, which keeps lead dust out of the rest of your home.
Do you handle historic-district and conservation-district homes? +
Yes. Many Cambridge homes sit in the Old Cambridge, Harvard Square, or neighborhood conservation districts under Cambridge Historical Commission review. We do plaster-sensitive work that respects that stock and keep the work lead-safe on any pre-1978 home.
What areas do you serve? +
We serve Cambridge and the surrounding towns, including Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, Watertown, Medford, Everett, Malden, Newton, Brookline, Winchester, and Waltham.
Get a fast, no-pressure quote
Call or send a few details — we serve Cambridge and the surrounding area.
Call (857) 375-6939