Drywall Contractor in Somerville, MA
Wall surfaces in Somerville are mostly what the original builders put up. Nearly every original Somerville three-decker has lead under the newer coats, which puts exterior scraping under federal RRP rules. We match the substrate rather than skimming compound over it and hoping.
Drywall Contractor Services in Somerville
Drywall Repair in Somerville
Holes, cracks and damaged board — Patched, taped, mudded in coats with real dry time between, textured to match, then primed.. If you want the detail, here's how we handle drywall repair in Somerville.
Plaster Repair in Somerville
Original lath-and-plaster walls — Plaster needs compatible materials, not drywall compound smeared over it, or the repair shows through the paint.. If you want the detail, here's how we handle plaster repair in Somerville.
Ceiling Repair in Somerville
Cracks, water damage and sagging — Source of the water gets confirmed first. Then remove, replace, texture-match and stain-block.. If you want the detail, here's how we handle ceiling repair in Somerville.
Popcorn Ceiling Removal in Somerville
Textured ceiling removal and skim coat — Pre-1980 texture gets tested before anything is scraped. Then skim smooth, prime and paint.. If you want the detail, here's how we handle popcorn ceiling removal in Somerville.
More from us around Somerville: Start from the Somerville overview.
More on this trade generally: Drywall & Plaster across our service area.
Small Crew, Licensed, Fully Covered
Aura is family-run out of Allston. Licence #193121 is on file with the Commonwealth, and both liability and workers' comp are in force on every property we set foot on.
Estimates in Somerville
Estimates are written, itemised, and free.
(617) 777-7700 Call Now Request OnlineWhat Drywall & Plaster Work Here Actually Involves
Three-deckers and two-families from the 1890s through the 1920s, packed tight with minimal side yards, plus Victorian single-families on Spring Hill and Prospect Hill.
Most of our drywall & plaster work here is for owner-occupants living in one unit of a three-family, plus landlords running the other two.
Extremely tight lot lines
Somerville buildings sit within a few feet of each other. Ladder and staging placement on a three-storey exterior is planned, not assumed, and often negotiated with a neighbour.
Stacked porches on every block
Front and rear porches carry three households and take the full weather load. Rails, decking and post bases rot first and painting over soft wood buys one winter.
Rental turnover
Much of Somerville turns over on the September lease cycle, and units have to be patched, primed and painted in days.
Drywall, Plaster and the Difference Between Them
What drives the price
The number is driven by finish level and access, not area. A patch in a closet is quick. The same patch on a nine-foot ceiling under raking light from a window has to be feathered wide enough that no seam catches the light, and that is a different job. Older plaster work costs more than drywall because matching an existing texture takes skill that new board does not. In Somerville specifically, the work is mostly three-deckers packed shoulder to shoulder, and almost no room to stage shapes how we schedule and stage it.
How the work is sequenced
Cut back to sound material, back the repair so it is not floating, tape, then three coats of compound each wider than the last, sanding between. Then prime — always prime — because bare compound and painted wall absorb differently and the difference shows through the finish as flashing.
Where it usually goes wrong
The failure we see most is a patch that was sanded flat but never primed, so it reads as a dull patch through the topcoat. The second is compound applied too thick in one pass, which cracks as it shrinks. Three thin coats beat one heavy one every time, and there is no shortcut around the drying time between them.
How long it takes
Small patches are same-day plus a return for sanding and paint. Whole-ceiling work and plaster restoration run several days because each compound coat has to dry fully before the next one goes on.
Recent Work
Before & After
Drag the handle to compare
Apartment building corridorOccupied building, worked in sequence so residents kept access throughout. Walls, ceiling, chair rail and doors.
Questions We Get Asked
Can you repair and paint the same day in Somerville?
Why does my crack keep coming back?
Will the patch be visible under paint?
Ready for Your Drywall Contractor Estimate in Somerville?
We walk the property, measure it, and send a written itemised quote — normally inside 24 hours. No pressure, no obligation.
Licensed #193121 · Fully insured · 2-year workmanship warranty