"What will this cost?" is the first question most people ask before booking a handyman. The honest answer is that it depends on the job: the size of the damage, the wall behind it, and how finished you want the result to look. To give you a realistic starting point, we gathered published 2026 prices for three of the most common jobs we see around Washington, DC, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring and Potomac.
Please read this first: the ranges below are typical area ranges from public sources, including Thumbtack and Angi cost data, national cost guides, hourly marketplace rates and price lists published by DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia handyman, drywall and TV installation companies. Where we only found national figures, we say so. This is not a Hang & Patch price list. Prices vary by job size and scope, and the only way to know your price is a quote for your actual wall.
Handyman hourly rates in the DC area
Many handyman jobs are priced as a flat rate per task, but hourly pricing is still common for mixed or open-ended work. Public data for the DC area puts general handyman and mounting rates at roughly $56 to $90 an hour, and published DC drywall repair rates carry a first-hour minimum of about $140 to $210. Many companies set a similar minimum visit fee. That minimum is why one small task can feel expensive, and why bundling several jobs into one visit usually lowers the cost per job. Nationally, Thumbtack data puts a typical handyman job at about $134 to $460.
Drywall repair costs
| Job | Typical area range | What usually moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Small hole patch (nail, anchor or doorknob hole, under about 4") | $75 – $350 most quotes $125 – $350 | Whether priming and paint touch-up are included, texture matching, and any minimum visit fee |
| Large patch (fist-size hole up to about a 2 ft section) | $200 – $800 | Size, ceiling vs. wall, texture match, and whether a second visit is needed for drying and sanding |
| Full sheet replacement (one 4×8 panel) | $225 – $900 per panel a full wall runs about $500 – $1,500 | Water damage, removal and disposal, finish level, paint, and access (stairwells, high walls) |
Small holes are usually priced as a minimum visit rather than per hole, so a handful of patches in one visit costs far less per patch than a single one. National cost guides run higher than local price lists (about $300 to $500 for a small hole and $500 to $800+ for a large one) mainly because many drywall contractors set a $350+ minimum job fee. Ceilings, textured walls and anything with water damage sit at the top of each range. Fix the leak first, and check for mold before any patching.
See our drywall repair service, or our patch-and-paint service if the patch also needs a full repaint or the damage is on a ceiling. For Maryland homes, see drywall repair in Montgomery County, which covers plaster in older down-county houses and nail pops in newer up-county builds.
TV mounting costs
| Job | Typical area range | What usually moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard flat screen (up to about 65") on drywall | $100 – $220 budget listings start lower | Surface raceway vs. in-wall wire concealment, mount type, plaster or concrete walls |
| Large or oversized TV (75" and up) | $140 – $600 | Two-person lift, heavier full-motion mount, anchoring into several studs or masonry |
| Above a fireplace | $180 – $350+ | Brick or stone, pull-down mount, heat and height checks, hiding wires or adding power |
Most local price lists quote labor with your mount, so check whether a bracket is included; a fixed or tilting mount for a large TV adds roughly $60 to $70 at one DMV installer, and a full-motion arm about $90 to $120. Hiding wires inside the wall typically adds $40 to $130 where the wall allows it. National cost guides put a typical TV mount at about $149 to $346, and about $250 to $600 for screens over 60 inches. DC's plaster rowhouses, brick fireplaces and concrete condo walls tend to land at the higher end.
See our TV mounting service and our guide to mounting a TV over a brick or stone fireplace.
Picture hanging costs
| Job | Typical area range | What usually moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Single picture or mirror (standard weight) | $75 – $150 often the minimum visit charge | Wall type (plaster, brick, tile), ladder height, hardware |
| Gallery wall (about 5 – 10 pieces) | $200 – $400 larger collections often billed hourly | Number of pieces, layout planning and templating, mixed frame sizes |
| Heavy artwork or large mirror | $120 – $300 | Weight, French cleats or rated anchors, second installer, plaster walls |
Picture hanging is often billed by the piece for small jobs and by the hour for gallery walls and collections. DC-area art installers publish hourly rates of about $150 to $240, and marketplace rates in DC average around $67 an hour. Nationally, Thumbtack data puts professional art installation at about $98 to $213 per job, and hanging pictures or mirrors at about $175 to $323. Plaster walls, brick and heavy mirrors need the right hardware, and that is where the extra time goes.
See our picture and mirror hanging service for the DC metro area and Maryland, our picture and art hanging in Washington, DC page, art installation in Bethesda and our guide to wall anchors for heavy items.
What changes the price on any job
- Job size and scope: one nail hole versus a water-damaged ceiling, or one frame versus a 12-piece gallery wall.
- The wall: drywall is fastest; plaster and lath, brick, stone and concrete take more time and different hardware.
- Finish: priming, texture matching and paint touch-up, or hiding TV wires inside the wall rather than in a raceway.
- Access and building rules: high ceilings, stairwells, condo elevator reservations and set work hours.
- Bundling: several small jobs in one visit spread the minimum fee across all of them.
How to compare quotes
Ask exactly what is included: materials, mount or hardware, priming and paint, cleanup, and whether a return visit is needed. A very low number that leaves out patching or cleanup isn't a bargain. Send clear photos of the wall and the item, and the measurements if you have them, so the quote reflects the real job. Local details matter too: handyman visits in downtown Bethesda high-rises may need a certificate of insurance and a booked elevator, and if you're comparing quotes for Four Corners homes in Silver Spring, ask whether plaster repair is priced differently from drywall.
Get an exact quote
Hang & Patch is locally owned, not a franchise, and has served the DMV since 2016. We don't guess at a price before we've seen your wall. Text a photo to (202) 438-6197 or email [email protected], and we'll give you a clear, exact quote, often for same-day service.