A drywall and plaster laborer works beside the finishers and plasterers. They stock board, mix compound and plaster, cover floors and prep each room before a coat, and clean up so the next crew starts on a swept floor. Most learn the trade from the finisher they help.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, drywall and insulation contractors · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $36,960, middle half $38,500 to $57,540, 90th percentile $60,130. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Lead Finisher / Master Plasterer
Department
Operations
Schedule
Weekdays 8 to 5, some overtime · Full-time, about 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on job sites, moving between projects, with overtime when a job runs against its date
This role supports drywall and plaster operations by assisting finishers, preparing surfaces, and maintaining clean job sites. The Laborer / Helper is vital to ensuring quality work, safety, and efficiency on every project.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Assist finishers with material handling and basic finishing tasks.
Prepare and prep surfaces for drywall and plaster application.
Mix plaster, joint compounds, and other materials as needed.
Maintain a clean, organized, and safe job environment.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Follow finishers’ instructions to support efficient project completions.
Pre-clean surfaces and remove debris to ensure optimal finish results.
Transport and organize tools, materials, and equipment throughout the job site.
Maintain site cleanliness by sweeping, disposing waste properly, and reporting hazards.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Surface preparation accuracy: Less than 2% error rate per project.
Jobsite cleanliness rating: Achieve a satisfaction score of over 95%.
Task efficiency: Demonstrate a 5% monthly improvement in task completion time.
Team support feedback: Receive 90% or higher positive feedback from finishers.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent.
Basic understanding of drywall installation and plastering techniques.
Ability to follow safety protocols and work under supervision.
Strong work ethic, reliability, and effective communication skills.
6. Preferred Experience
1-2 years of experience in construction, home services, or related industries.
Prior experience with drywall, plaster, or finishing work.
Familiarity with power tools and construction equipment.
Background as a laborer or helper in residential or commercial projects.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
Frequent bending, kneeling, and climbing required.
Work in varying weather conditions and on different job site environments.
Prolonged standing, walking, and manual handling tasks.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours: 8 AM to 5 PM.
On-site job locations with occasional travel between projects.
Full-time position with potential overtime based on project demands.
Use of personal protective equipment and adherence to safety guidelines.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate: $18 - $22 per hour.
Eligibility for overtime compensation.
Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance plans.
401k plan with company match and additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
A growth-driven company that values innovation and quality craftsmanship.
A collaborative and supportive work environment that encourages development.
A commitment to personal and professional growth for all team members.
Emphasis on integrity, safety, and community engagement as core company values.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
A helper's day is mostly mixing, moving board and getting rooms ready, done the way the finisher wants. Small habits here decide how many coats and return trips a job takes.
A clean bucket for every batch
USG's sheet for its Easy Sand setting compounds says to mix only what can be used within the working time, in a clean container for each batch. Adding water won't hold off the set, and the compound must not be re-tempered or mixed with anything else. Cold water slows the set and hot water speeds it up. So the helper mixes to the finisher's pace and washes the bucket and paddle between batches. Source: USG: Easy Sand lightweight setting-type joint compounds submittal sheet (J621).
Board rides on edge
USG's handling sheet says to carry panels on edge, never flat, over the shortest distance, using dollies or carts where possible. When board has to lean against a wall, it says to set the bottom 4 to 6 inches out, since closer can let the stack pull over and farther pushes too hard on the wall. It also says to mark leaning stacks with tape or a sign. The helper stocks each room with the lengths and types the stocking sheet lists. Source: USG: Safety considerations and material handling for gypsum panels (WB2333).
Ladders on a floor slick with mud
Helpers spend hours on stepladders over floors spotted with compound. OSHA bars using a stepladder's top or top step as a step, and bars ladders on slippery surfaces unless they're secured or have slip-resistant feet. A stepladder needs a spreader or lock that holds it open while in use. Everyone who uses ladders gets training on these hazards from a competent person. Scraping drips up as they land keeps both boots and ladder feet from sliding. Source: 29 CFR 1926.1053: Ladders (eCFR).
Rooms ready before the finisher walks in
Before each coat, the helper sweeps up scraps and screws, scrapes off dried drips and covers floors, tubs and windows. In a lived-in home that also means runners of drop cloth from the entry to the room and plastic over doorways and air returns before anyone sands. A finisher who has to sweep first is a finisher being paid to sweep.
How much drywall and plaster laborers make
The closest BLS group for drywall and plaster laborers is Helpers--Painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons. Helpers--Painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons who work for drywall and insulation contractors earned a median of $22.72 an hour ($47,260 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s above the $40,470 median for Helpers--Painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons in all industries. About 910 of the 7,490 Helpers--Painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons in that survey work for drywall and insulation contractors.
Hourly pay plus overtime is how the template sets it. BLS doesn't publish a separate helper code for drywall work, so this page uses helpers of plasterers and painters, which fits the mixing and prep the template describes. For that group at drywall and insulation contractors, the starting rate sits just under where the lowest quarter ends, and the top rate close to, but under, the median.
Drywall and insulation contractors
$47,260$47,260 median Middle half $38,500–$57,540 10th–90th $36,960–$60,130
All industries
$40,470$40,470 median Middle half $36,830–$49,090 10th–90th $31,200–$52,000
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Drywall and insulation contractors
$36,960
$38,500
$47,260
$57,540
$60,130
All industries
$31,200
$36,830
$40,470
$49,090
$52,000
BLS reports drywall and insulation contractors together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Batches compound and plaster to the finisher's order, clean and on time
Carries and stocks board without breaking corners or marking walls
Keeps floors, tubs and windows covered and the work area swept
Shows up on time, takes direction from the lead finisher and asks when unsure
Works from ladders and benches with care
Teach these on the job
Mixing setting compound and veneer plaster with a drill mixer
Running corner bead and taping inside corners
Reading a stocking sheet: board types, lengths and rooms
Masking and covering for spray texture
Your ladder rules and dust mask practice
Helpers work with a drill mixer and paddle, mud pans and buckets, board carts and dollies, a utility knife and drywall square, drop cloths and plastic, and brooms and scrapers. The screw gun and taping knife come later, as the lead finisher hands over small jobs such as closet corners.
Drywall and plaster laborer interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Carrying board
You're asked to carry sheets of drywall up a narrow stairway. How do you do it?
A strong answer: Carries with a partner, clears the path, protects walls and corners, and asks for help when needed.
Behavioral · Getting the crew set up
Tell me about a time at work, school or volunteering when you got tools or materials ready so others could start right away.
A strong answer: Gives a specific example of what they set up, such as tools, materials or floor protection, how they knew what was needed, and how it helped the team start without waiting.
Each measure comes from the finishers the helper works for, so tell a new helper on day one what the finishers will be scoring.
Surface preparation accuracy
Rooms the finisher found not ready, such as scraps on the floor, dried drips, uncovered windows or loose paper at cut edges, out of rooms the helper prepped. The lead notes each one.
Jobsite cleanliness rating
A quick end-of-day score from the lead or the superintendent: floors swept, scrap in the dumpster, buckets and tools washed, and nothing left in another trade's way.
Task efficiency
Time from the finisher's request to a mixed batch or a stocked room, sampled by the lead a few times a week. Compare month to month for the same kinds of tasks.
Team support feedback
A short monthly check with each finisher the helper worked with: were batches right, rooms ready and directions followed? Keep their comments with the scores.
Career path
Laborer / helperGets rooms and batches ready so finishers and plasterers never wait.
Drywall finisherRuns flat joints, corners and bead on whole houses.
Lead finisherRuns the finishing on a job and checks every room before paint.
How should the ad put the template's lifting and climbing lines?
Those four lines stay as written. Then list what they mean on a drywall job: carrying board up stairs with a partner, lifting boxes and pails of compound and bags of plaster, climbing stepladders and benches to reach ceilings, and working on hands and knees to scrape and cover floors. Add work in houses without finished heating or cooling, name the carts and dollies you provide, and tell applicants who handles accommodation requests.
How much does a drywall and plaster laborer make?
Helpers--Painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons who work for drywall and insulation contractors earned a median of $22.72 an hour ($47,260 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $38,500 and $57,540 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Should a helper join the hanging crew or the finishing crew?
Decide before you post. This template puts the helper with the finishers: mixing, prepping, cleaning and learning basic finishing. A helper on a hanging crew mostly carries, stocks and cuts board. If your helpers split their time, say so in the ad, and say who directs them each day.
Who should a helper on a piece-rate crew work for?
Your company, not the hanger. Keep helpers on your own payroll at the template's hourly rate with overtime, even when the crew they help is paid by the piece. A helper paid in cash by a hanger has no record of hours, no training on file and no clear coverage if hurt. Ask your attorney before allowing any other setup.
How can I try out a helper before hiring?
Pay for a short tryout beside a finisher on a real job. Have them mix a batch to the finisher's order, stock one room from the stocking list with a partner, then cover and sweep it. The finisher's verdict after a full day tells you more than an interview, and the questions the candidate asks show whether they'll learn.
