A basic non-load-bearing internal stud partition in the Republic of Ireland is commonly budgeted at €120–€180 per linear metre, with a typical 3–4 metre wall costing about €450–€850 fitted for a straightforward plastered-and-painted finish. Dublin labour generally runs higher than rural counties, and the figure rises quickly when a doorway, acoustic treatment, electrics or extra finishing enters the scope.
That's the situation facing a homeowner splitting a long sitting room in a 1990s Dublin semi into a playroom and home office. The headline price sounds manageable until the quote adds a door lining, insulation, sockets, skirting and making good. A proper stud wall cost in Ireland needs to be read in layers: the frame, the boards and finish, then the labour and site work around them.
For a fixed scope, homeowners can find drywall and plastering contractors and post your job, then ask each trade to price the same wall specification.
What a Stud Wall Costs in Ireland Right Now
The headline range above applies to a non-load-bearing internal partition, not a structural alteration. It assumes a normal-height wall, a timber or standard metal frame, plasterboard on both sides, ordinary insulation where required, and a finish ready for decoration. It doesn't cover every possible doorway, service alteration or repair to the surrounding room.
The frame itself is the least expensive layer. Timber stud wall framing is commonly around €9.00–€12.00 per m², standard metal stud wall framing around €11.50–€14.00 per m², and a heavier metal stud framing grid around €16.50–€20.00 per m² at Irish builders' merchants. Those are frame-only figures. Plasterboard, fixings, insulation, labour, finishing and VAT still have to be added.
Plasterboard pushes the material bill up because both faces of a normal partition need boarding. Goodwins lists 12.5mm plasterboard at about €13.37–€14.23 ex VAT per board, or approximately €16.45–€17.50 including VAT, depending on quantity, as shown in its Irish plasterboard pricing. The total wall area, not just the floor area, controls how much board is needed.
Practical rule: A cheap frame price isn't a cheap finished wall. Ask whether the figure includes both board faces, skim, paint, waste removal and VAT.
Dublin city and county usually carry higher labour rates than rural Munster and Connacht. Busy spring and summer periods can also affect availability, although there isn't a fixed seasonal price that applies to every contractor. A simple wall in a clear room can sit near the lower end, while a wall with a door, acoustic build-up and first-fix services belongs closer to the upper end or needs a separate written quotation.
Three Specs Compared Side by Side
A homeowner should choose the wall build-up before comparing prices. “Stud wall” can describe a light room divider or a heavily upgraded partition between bedrooms, and those aren't the same product.
The table uses the three specifications most often relevant to an internal home reconfiguration. The per-metre figures are indicative planning bands, not verified Irish market prices for a particular contractor, so a written quote is needed before booking.
| Spec | Frame and build-up | Insulation | Finish | Indicative €/linear metre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic partition | Timber or standard metal studs, single layer of 12.5mm plasterboard each side | Standard cavity insulation if specified | Taped, skimmed and painted | €120–€180 |
| Soundproofed partition | Double, staggered or upgraded stud arrangement, double-layer board each side, resilient bars and acoustic perimeter sealing | 50mm acoustic quilt | Sealed, skimmed and painted | Get a written quote, as the specification changes the price materially |
| Doorway and services wall | Basic frame with strengthened opening, softwood door lining and extra noggins | Standard or acoustic insulation | Door, architrave, skirting and making good included where stated | Get a written quote, with door and electrical work itemised |
The basic partition suits a divider between spaces where ordinary privacy is enough. Timber is often practical in a house because it accepts fixings easily, while metal framing can provide a straighter system and may suit a larger or more technical installation. The framing choice should follow the intended use, not the lowest line on the quote.
A soundproofed partition needs more than quilt placed loosely in the cavity. Double boarding, resilient bars, sealed perimeters and careful treatment around sockets and junctions all affect the result. Acoustic quilt alone won't turn a light divider into a bedroom-grade sound barrier.
A wall with a doorway and first-fix services has extra framing, a proper opening, electrical coordination and more making good. The door itself may be a separate supply item, and the electrician's work should never be hidden inside a carpenter's vague allowance.
Reading a Stud Wall Quote Line by Line
A useful quote tells the homeowner what is being bought. It should show the frame, boards, insulation, fixings, labour, finish and exclusions rather than present one unexplained total.
Irish pricing references can help identify the type of material being listed. Timber stud framing typically sits at €9.00–€12.00 per m², while standard metal framing sits at €11.50–€14.00 per m² at Irish merchants. Plasterboard for a 12.5mm board runs roughly €13.37–€14.23 ex VAT, or €16.45–€17.50 including VAT, depending on quantity, on aggregate Irish market estimates, but the exact sheet size and quantity still need to appear on the quote.
A proper breakdown should include:
- Frame: timber or metal studs, top and bottom tracks, noggins, opening reinforcement and any pattress backing for heavy shelves, cabinets or televisions.
- Boards: thickness, type and number of layers on each side. Moisture-resistant board, acoustic board and fire-rated systems shouldn't be treated as interchangeable.
- Insulation: the thickness and product used, especially where acoustic quilt is part of the specification.
- Fixings and sundries: screws, beads, scrim tape, jointing compound, sealant and protective materials.
- Finish: taped and jointed, skimmed, sanded, primed or fully painted. “Plastered” can mean different things, so the wording matters.
- Openings and services: door lining, hinges, architrave, sockets, switches, conduit and plumbing coordination where applicable.
- Site costs: waste removal, protection of floors, access, delivery and making good to adjoining surfaces.
SEAI describes internal wall insulation, or dry lining, as a build-up involving insulation, a vapour barrier layer, plasterboard, skim and paint, with additional ventilation usually installed as part of that type of work. That is not the same as a simple internal partition, but it shows why a wall quote must separate the thermal or lining layer from the frame and decorative finish. The SEAI explanation of internal wall insulation is useful when a partition is being confused with dry lining to an external wall.
A lump sum isn't automatically wrong. It becomes a problem when the scope doesn't state what the lump sum includes. The homeowner can't compare two totals if one includes paint and rubbish removal while the other stops at boarded walls.
The Cost Drivers That Move the Price
Wall length and height set the starting quantity. A 2.4 metre wall at a normal ceiling height needs fewer studs and boards than a 5 metre run, while a vaulted ceiling creates more cutting, more waste and a more awkward finish. Measure the actual wall length, finished height and any steps or slopes before requesting prices.
Timber versus metal framing changes the substructure line. Timber framing is typically around €9.00–€12.00 per m², standard metal framing €11.50–€14.00 per m², and a 40x40 metal grid €16.50–€20.00 per m² at Irish merchants. Timber often makes sense for a straightforward house partition, while metal can suit a straighter, more technical system or a setting where the specified performance requires it.
Plasterboard type and layers affect both materials and labour. A single 12.5mm board each side is a different job from double boarding, acoustic board, moisture-resistant board or a fire-rated tested system. The quote should state the board product or at least its performance type, not say “plasterboard”.
Insulation and soundproofing can move the price sharply. Acoustic quilt, resilient bars, double layers and perimeter acoustic sealant all need correct installation. A light layer of insulation thrown into a cavity isn't equivalent to a designed acoustic build-up.
Doorways and openings need strengthened framing, a lining, a door set, hinges, architrave and often skirting alterations. A glazed, oak or unusually wide door should be priced separately rather than hidden in a general allowance.
Electrics and plumbing bring other trades into the job. Moving a socket, adding switches or running cables through the new wall requires an electrician, while a basin means pipework, waste, access panels and coordination with the plasterboard work. Wider construction and renovation work, such as a larger room reconfiguration or extension, belongs in a separate scope. Homeowners can find tradespeople and post a task for wider construction and renovation work.
Making good and access are frequent sources of extras. Taping, jointing, skimming, sanding and repainting the affected ceiling, skirting and adjoining walls may sit outside the dryliner's price. A narrow stairs, a finished kitchen or difficult parking can slow delivery and increase labour time.
Separating the plastering (finishing) work from the frame and board allowance helps when reading a quote.
