Sheetrock, brick & painting · NYC & Long Island
Sheetrock, brick repair, and painting in NYC and Long Island
New walls and ceilings, taping and finishing, brick and plaster patching, and interior painting, done by the same crew that builds the rest of your space.
- Commercial and residential
- One foreman for every trade
- $2M liability + $5M umbrella
- NYC & Long Island
In short: Sheetrock and paint are the finishes everyone sees. Painting and plastering are on the NYC Department of Buildings list of work that needs no permit, while cutting fire-rated walls does need one. Elite quotes every job after a free site walk. Elite works across New York City and Long Island, where permits and licensing follow town and county rules.
NYC rules
What needs a permit, and what doesn’t
Finish work is mostly permit-free in New York. The exceptions matter.
Painting and plastering: no permit
DOB lists painting and plastering among the jobs that do not need a permit.
Fire-rated walls: permit required
Cutting into load-bearing or fire-rated walls, floors, or roofs requires a DOB permit.
Homes: licensed contractor
Residential wall, ceiling, and drywall work over $200 requires a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license. Painting alone is excluded from that license.
Partition limits
1 RCNY 101-14 caps how much non-load-bearing, non-fire-rated wall can be removed without a permit.
No permit
Painting and plastering are on DOB’s list of work that does not need a permit.
Source: NYC DOB, Do I need a permit?
Permit
Required to cut into load-bearing or fire-rated walls, floors, or roofs.
Source: NYC DOB, Do I need a permit?
DCWP license
Required for residential wall, ceiling, and drywall work over $200; painting is excluded.
Pricing
How we price sheetrock and painting
Elite does not publish prices. Material and labor costs change often, so every job is quoted after a free site walk. These factors move the price most.
| Price factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Surface area and height | How much wall and ceiling, and how high the ceilings are. |
| Level of finish | Smooth, high-finish walls take more taping and sanding. |
| Condition | Cracks, water damage, and old plaster add prep time. |
| Fire-rated assemblies | Rated walls use specific materials and may need a permit. |
| Occupied space | Furniture moves, protection, and off-hours work add time. |
What’s included
Walls, ceilings, and finishes
Sheetrock walls and ceilings
New walls, ceilings, and soffits hung and finished.
Taping and finishing
Joints taped, finished, and sanded to the level the space needs.
Brick and plaster repair
Patching brick, plaster, and damaged wall sections.
Interior painting
Prep, prime, and paint for walls, ceilings, doors, and trim.
Protection and cleanup
Floors and finishes protected, debris removed.
How it works
How finish work runs
- Site walkWe check surfaces, ceilings, and any rated walls.
- Line-item estimateA written estimate by trade.
- Prep and protectionFloors, furniture, and finishes protected first.
- Hang, finish, and paintSheetrock, taping, and paint on one schedule.
- Punch listWe walk the finished walls with you and touch up.
FAQ
Common sheetrock and painting questions
Do I need a permit to paint or plaster in NYC?
No. DOB lists painting and plastering among the work that does not need a permit.
Do I need a permit for new sheetrock walls?
It depends on the work. Non-structural partitions within the 1 RCNY 101-14 limits may not, but cutting load-bearing or fire-rated walls always does.
Does a painter need a license in NYC?
Painting is excluded from the DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license. Residential wall, ceiling, and drywall work over $200 does require that license.
How much does sheetrock and painting cost?
It depends on area, ceiling height, finish level, and condition, and costs change often. Call (845) 721-2515 or book a free site walk for a quote.
Free site walk & estimate
Walls or ceilings need work? Let’s walk it.
Call for a quote, or request a free site walk and a written, line-item estimate.