Serving the Great Lakes Bay Region · based in Bay City, MI
Licensed and Insured · Free Estimates (501) 520-1783
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Framing and Drywall in Bay City, MI

Framing and Drywall · Bay City, MI

Wall framing and drywall work for remodels and additions

Most jobs need framing and drywall somewhere in the middle. A wall comes out, a room gets bigger, or a basement becomes living space. A framing contractor lays out the new walls, then the drywall goes up over them. We handle both parts, based in Bay City and working across the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Drywall repair is its own kind of call. A pipe let go upstairs, a corner cracked, or another trade left a hole in the wall. We cut back to sound board, patch it and blend the finish so it disappears under paint. We also do the framing behind a room addition and the drywall inside a kitchen or bathroom remodel.

What We Handle

  • Wall framing for remodels, including new door and window openings
  • Headers and beams when a load-bearing wall comes out
  • Basement framing on pressure-treated bottom plates, laid out around ducts and posts
  • Drywall installation on walls and ceilings, screwed off to code spacing
  • Taping and finishing to a Level 4 or Level 5 finish
  • Drywall repair for water damage, stress cracks, nail pops and holes
  • Patching walls that were opened up for wiring or plumbing
  • New drywall tied into existing plaster and lath walls

Free Framing and Drywall Quote

Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.

House framing for remodels and additions

Framing sets the shape of a room and holds the house up. When a wall comes out to open a kitchen, something has to carry what that wall carried. That means a header or a beam sized for the span, with posts down to solid bearing. We work that out before the wall comes down.

Older houses in Bay City make framing more involved. About half the homes here were built before 1940, when framing lumber was still full size. A 2x4 in those walls really measures two inches by four. New lumber is smaller, so we shim the new framing out to meet the old.

Some of the region's oldest houses are balloon framed. The studs run from the sill plate all the way up past the second floor. That changes how a wall gets opened and where blocking has to go. We look at what is behind the plaster before we plan the cut.

Drywall installation and finish levels

Drywall installation starts before the first sheet goes up. Old surfaces have to come out first, and interior tear-out is part of our demolition work. Then we hang the ceiling, then the walls, running the sheets across the framing. That breaks up the joints and keeps seams from showing through the paint.

Finish levels run from 0 to 5 under the industry standard. Level 4 is the normal finish for painted walls and ceilings in a house. Tape gets set in compound, then two more coats go on the flat joints. Screw heads and corner beads get three coats.

Level 5 adds a thin skim coat over the whole surface. It is worth it where a window throws hard light down a long wall. Dark colors and any paint with sheen show every seam underneath. Flat paint on an ordinary room does not need it.

Drywall repair and matching old plaster walls

Drywall repair calls usually start with water. A supply line let go, an ice dam backed water up under the roof, or a toilet ran over. The stain is the easy part. We cut back to sound board and dry framing, then patch, tape and blend the finish.

Cracks are a different problem. In older houses the same cracks come back over doors and windows every winter. That is the house moving with the freeze and thaw cycle. We tape the joint right, and where the framing is the cause, we fix the framing.

Plenty of walls around here are not drywall at all. Plaster over wood lath runs about three quarters of an inch thick. Standard drywall is half an inch, so a new sheet sits low against it. We fur the framing out or double the board so the patch lands flush.

Worker on a scaffold hanging a drywall sheet on a vaulted ceiling Basement being finished with new stud walls, ducting and a bare concrete floor

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Free, no-obligation estimates across the Great Lakes Bay Region.

(501) 520-1783
How We Work

How a Job With Contracting Pros Runs

From the first call or text to the final walkthrough of the finished work, here is how it goes.

1

Call or text

Tell us what needs to come down and where the property sits. Call or text (501) 520-1783 and we will set a time to look.

2

Site visit and estimate

We look at the structure, the access and what sits around it. Then you get a free estimate for the demolition.

3

Permits and prep

Utilities get shut off and capped, and a MISS DIG 811 dig notice typically goes in. We pull the demolition permit and the historic district approval where Bay City calls for one. An asbestos survey and state notification get ordered when the rules cover the building.

4

The teardown

The structure comes down with our equipment, in pieces where the site is tight. Debris gets loaded out as the work goes.

5

Cleanup and walkthrough

The hole gets filled, compacted and topped with soil and seed. Then we go over the finished site with you before we leave.

FAQ

Framing and Drywall Questions, Answered

Common questions about framing and drywall across the Great Lakes Bay Region. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.

Call (501) 520-1783

Do you do small drywall repairs or only whole rooms?
We do both. A single water stain or a hole from a doorknob is a normal call. Bigger jobs, like a ceiling that came down after a leak, start the same way. We come look at it and give you a free estimate.
Can you take out a load-bearing wall?
Yes, with the right header or beam put in its place. The span and the load above it decide the size. Structural work like that typically needs a building permit in Bay City. We pull the permit and set up the inspections.
What drywall finish level should I ask for?
Level 4 covers most painted rooms in a house. Ask for Level 5 where a wall gets strong side light or the paint has sheen to it. We will tell you which one fits the room before any board goes up.
How do you match new drywall to old plaster and lath walls?
Plaster over wood lath is thicker than drywall, so the two do not line up on their own. We fur the framing out or add a second layer of board until the faces match. Then the joint gets taped and floated like any other seam. Houses from the 1930s and 1940s often have rock lath, which sits closer to drywall in thickness.
Do you frame and drywall basements?
Yes. Basement framing sits on pressure-treated bottom plates where wood meets concrete. The water table runs high here, so moisture gets handled before the walls close in. Paperless or mold-resistant board is the safer pick down there.
Do you only frame remodels, or new buildings too?
Both. We frame new homes and detached garages as well as additions and interior work. On a larger project we can run the whole job as your general contractor, permits included.
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Why Choose Contracting Pros

Built Tough. Built Right. Built to Work.

Licensed and insured

Contracting Pros is licensed and insured for the work we take on. The paperwork is available before a job starts.

Residential and commercial

We tear down houses, garages, barns and sheds for homeowners. We also handle small commercial buildings and interior demo for businesses.

Demolition through rebuild

One demolition contractor takes the structure down and puts the new one up. That keeps the schedule and the site under a single plan.

Free estimates across the region

Estimates are free anywhere in our working radius around Bay City. That covers the Great Lakes Bay Region and the counties around it.

Guides and Resources

Framing and Drywall Guides

Free Estimates

Get In Touch With Contracting Pros

Tell us what needs to come down and where the property is. Call or text (501) 520-1783, or send the details through the form and we will get back to you.

Get a Free Quote

Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.