Best Drywall Contractors in Long Beach, CA
Ranking Long Beach drywall contractors by review volume, service breadth, and local AI visibility.
18
Businesses reviewed
18
AI research reports
12
Top picks
Long Beach is a city of distinct architectural eras. You will find 1920s Craftsman bungalows in Belmont Heights holding onto their original lath and plaster, right alongside mid-century modern tracts in Los Altos. This variety makes wall repair and installation highly specific to the neighborhood. A contractor who only knows modern gypsum board might struggle to seamlessly patch a plaster wall that has shifted over eight decades. Another factor in Long Beach is the coastal climate. The persistent marine layer in neighborhoods south of the 405 freeway slows down drying times for joint compound and texture applications. Contractors working in Belmont Shore or the Peninsula have to account for humidity, adjusting their timelines to ensure the mud cures completely before sanding and painting. Separating a good operator from a bad one often comes down to dust management and texture matching. Removing acoustic ceilings or sanding large patches creates a massive amount of fine particulate matter. Reliable local contractors seal off rooms, protect HVAC returns, and utilize vacuum-equipped sanders. They also know how to match the heavy orange peel or knockdown textures common in older Southern California homes so the patch disappears entirely under a fresh coat of paint.
The verdict
Our Quick Picks
We ranked 12 local drywall companies serving Long Beach and the wider Southern California market. Drywall Patch Guys leads the list for small residential repairs based on a high volume of positive local reviews, while Rice Drywall Inc and Pacific Rim Contractors Inc stand out for union-affiliated commercial public works.
- 1Best for Texture MatchingDrywall Patch Guys
Homeowners needing seamless repairs on older textured walls.
- 2Best for Dust ControlPro Patchers
Occupied residential remodels requiring meticulous cleanup.
- 3Best for High-End FinishesVillasenor Drywall & level 5
Custom home builds requiring perfectly smooth walls for high-end paint.
- 4Best for Ceiling UpgradesSouth County Drywall Inc
Living room renovations requiring both drywall patching and recessed lighting installation.
- 5Best Veteran-OwnedHeritage Drywall Design Inc.
Residential customers looking for a verified, highly-rated veteran-owned specialist.
- 6Best for Public WorksRice Drywall Inc
Large-scale commercial developments and union-mandated projects.
- 7Best for Commercial SubcontractingPacific Rim Contractors Inc
General contractors needing reliable drywall and framing partners for commercial builds.
- 8Best for Exterior NeedsA1 Drywall & Stucco Pros of Anaheim
Properties needing both interior drywall finishing and exterior stucco work.
- 9Best for Multi-Trade ProjectsDrywall Contractor La Mirada
Bathroom or kitchen remodels requiring simultaneous tile and drywall work.
- 10Best for Acoustic RemovalDana's Above It All Ceilings and Drywall
Homeowners updating outdated popcorn ceilings to modern smooth finishes.
- 11Best for Coastal PropertiesDrywall Contractor Marina Del Rey
Simple residential patching in high-humidity coastal neighborhoods.
- 12Best for Detailed InspectionsCalderon Drywall Contractors Inc.
Homeowners prioritizing meticulous quality control and detailed site management.
All 18 drywall contractors in Long Beach, at a glance
| Specialty | AI Sentiment | Contact | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for Texture Matching | 72Speaks well of them | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Dust Control | 55Speaks well of them | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for High-End Finishes | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Ceiling Upgrades | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best Veteran-Owned | 55Speaks well of them | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Public Works | 52Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Commercial Subcontracting | 52Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Exterior Needs | 52Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Multi-Trade Projects | 52Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Acoustic Removal | 48Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Coastal Properties | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Best for Detailed Inspections | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Also Serving Long Beach | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Also Serving Long Beach | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Also Serving Long Beach | 55Speaks well of them | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Also Serving Long Beach | 50 | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Also Serving Long Beach | 50Factual, no praise | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Also Serving Long Beach | 50 | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Reach Drywall Patch Guys
17280 Newhope St Ste 2-B, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, United States
Reach Pro Patchers
14825 Dunton Dr, Whittier, CA 90604, United States
Reach Villasenor Drywall & level 5
2601 E Victoria St #348, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220, United States
Reach South County Drywall Inc
1701 E Edinger Ave C10, Santa Ana, CA 92705, United States
Reach Heritage Drywall Design Inc.
144 E Locust Ave, Orange, CA 92867, United States
Reach Rice Drywall Inc
919 E 6th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701, United States
Reach Pacific Rim Contractors Inc
1315 E St Andrew Pl B, Santa Ana, CA 92705, United States
Reach A1 Drywall & Stucco Pros of Anaheim
120 N Magnolia Ave Apt 55, Anaheim, CA 92801, United States
Reach Drywall Contractor La Mirada
13515 Avenida Santa Tecla #461, La Mirada, CA 90638, United States
Reach Dana's Above It All Ceilings and Drywall
531 W Brentwood Ave, Orange, CA 92865, United States
Reach Drywall Contractor Marina Del Rey
13953 Panay Way #906, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, United States
Reach Calderon Drywall Contractors Inc.
2324 N Batavia St #102, Orange, CA 92865, United States
Before you hire in Long Beach
Hiring a drywall contractor in Long Beach requires looking past a simple Google rating. You have to consider the age of your house, the local permitting rules, and the climate of your specific neighborhood. Use these guidelines to structure your project and vet your candidates.
Navigating Long Beach Permitting
Every significant renovation in Long Beach requires running plans through Long Beach Development Services. While minor cosmetic patching generally skirts the permit requirement, exposing studs or altering the framing means you need municipal approval. A qualified contractor will know exactly which residential modifications trigger an inspection. They should take the lead on pulling the necessary permits rather than asking the homeowner to navigate the city portal. Unpermitted work can complicate future property sales and void homeowners insurance if a hidden defect causes a fire or water leak. Always ask a prospective hire who handles the paperwork before signing a contract.
Working Around Historic Lath and Plaster
Many Long Beach neighborhoods like Belmont Heights and Rose Park feature homes built in the 1920s and 1930s. These houses almost entirely rely on original lath and plaster walls rather than modern gypsum board. When a plumber cuts a hole in a plaster wall to fix a pipe, you cannot simply screw a piece of drywall into the gap and tape the edges. The materials expand and contract at different rates, leading to immediate cracking. A competent local contractor knows how to bridge the gap using metal lath and setting-type joint compound. They match the density of the existing wall before applying a topcoat, ensuring the structural integrity of the historic room remains intact.
Coastal Humidity and Curing Times
Long Beach experiences a persistent marine layer, particularly in neighborhoods south of the 405 freeway like Belmont Shore and the Peninsula. This heavy coastal moisture directly impacts construction timelines. Joint compound relies on evaporation to cure properly before it can be sanded and painted. On a humid May morning near the water, a heavy coat of mud might take twice as long to dry compared to a job inland. Experienced contractors adjust their schedules accordingly. They either use quick-setting chemical compounds or space out their visits to allow sufficient drying time. Rushing the sanding process on wet mud ruins the finish and forces the crew to start over.
Questions for the Initial Quote Call
Vetting a contractor over the phone requires asking specific questions about their daily process. Ask them how they handle jobsite masking and whether they protect flooring with construction paper or just loose drop cloths. Inquire about their cleanup routine at the end of each day, especially if the house remains occupied during the project. You should also ask who exactly will show up to perform the work. Some companies send a skilled estimator to win the bid but dispatch an untrained crew to do the actual heavy lifting. Getting clarity on the specific personnel arriving at your door prevents surprise miscommunications on day one of the project.
Navigating Lead and Asbestos Risks
Because Long Beach has a massive inventory of homes built before 1980, hazardous materials remain a constant consideration. Popcorn ceilings applied in the 1970s often contain asbestos, and old layers of paint likely contain lead. Disturbing these materials without proper containment poses a severe health hazard to your family. Legitimate drywall contractors know the testing protocols required before tearing into an old ceiling or wall. If testing reveals hazardous materials, they coordinate with certified abatement specialists to remove the threat safely before the new drywall goes up. Never let a contractor scrape a textured ceiling in an older home without verifying the material composition first.
Coordination With Painting Contractors
A finished drywall patch requires priming and painting, but not every drywall company handles the final color coat. Some contractors leave the wall sanded and ready for primer, placing the burden of the final steps on the homeowner. Others offer complete start-to-finish services, blending the new paint directly into the existing wall color. You need to establish exactly where the drywall crew stops and where the painter takes over before signing a contract. If they do not paint, ask them what level of finish they provide. A standard taping job requires more primer and prep work from your painter than a perfectly smooth skim coat.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit for drywall repair in Long Beach?
Minor surface patching and cosmetic repairs usually do not require a permit. Removing large sections of drywall that expose electrical wiring, plumbing systems, or structural framing generally triggers a permit requirement from Long Beach Development Services.
Can a contractor put drywall directly over old plaster?
Yes, installing a thin layer of drywall over cracked plaster is a common renovation technique. It requires locating the original wall studs to ensure the new board is securely anchored, rather than just screwing into the brittle plaster lath.
What is a Level 5 finish?
A Level 5 finish involves applying a thin skim coat of joint compound over the entire surface of the drywall. This creates a perfectly smooth, uniform texture that hides all tape seams and screw indentations, which is necessary when applying high-gloss paint.
How long does drywall mud take to dry near the coast?
Standard joint compound typically dries overnight in warm, dry conditions. In humid coastal neighborhoods like Belmont Shore, the heavy marine layer can extend the drying time significantly, sometimes requiring chemical setting compounds to keep the project on schedule.
Do drywall contractors handle the final painting?
Some contractors offer painting as part of a complete restoration package, while others only tape and sand the wall before leaving. You must clarify the scope of work during the bidding phase to know if you need to hire a separate painter.
What is the difference between drywall and sheetrock?
Drywall is the general industry term for gypsum panels wrapped in paper used to build interior walls. Sheetrock is simply a specific, highly popular brand name of drywall manufactured by the USG Corporation.
Can a contractor match my existing wall texture?
Skilled tradesmen can match nearly any common texture, including heavy orange peel, knockdown, or skip trowel patterns. They test their spray rigs and manual trowel techniques on scrap board before applying the final texture to your wall to ensure a seamless blend.
Should I hire a handyman or a drywall specialist?
A general handyman is perfectly capable of patching a doorknob hole or fixing a minor dent. For large-scale water damage repairs, acoustic ceiling removal, or matching complicated wall textures, a dedicated drywall specialist brings the proper tools and daily experience required for a clean finish.
How we chose
We pulled the current Google Maps listing for this service in this city, and ranked on review volume, average rating, and the service categories each business publishes. We also ran a deep AI visibility analysis on 12 of these businesses. That analysis reads what is publicly published about a business and estimates how the major AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews are likely to describe it when someone asks for a recommendation in this category. We used those findings as context for the profiles below, and each analyzed business links to its full report. We did not call, license, inspect, or interview anyone. Our research strictly evaluates local digital footprints and consumer review patterns to help you find the right contractor. We base our rankings entirely on these public signals rather than hands-on testing or site visits.