Smarter Renovations Start With Temporary Construction Walls

Updated October 3, 2024

Drywall is ubiquitous in the construction industry, favored for its practical applications in renovations and remodeling projects within commercial environments. Project Managers account for drywall costs in their project budgets, sometimes using it to temporarily section off areas within job sites to allow businesses to continue operations. However, the overall cost of using drywall for containment often fails to consider the disposal of drywall debris post-project.

Cost: Drywall vs. Temporary Construction Walls

In commercial renovations, it is common to stage construction to enable employees to continue their work with minimal disruption. Traditionally, contractors have used drywall to limit noise and minimize disturbance. While drywall serves its purpose during the construction phase, offering a temporary sense of permanence and reduced noise, it lacks reusability—once the project is complete, the material becomes waste, necessitating costly and labor-intensive disposal. 

The construction of temporary walls using drywall also requires significant labor hours throughout the project. Additional hidden costs include:

• Overtime expenses for work done outside normal hours
• Costs associated with teardown, cleanup, and disposal
• Environmental costs due to its non-sustainable nature

Considering these factors, drywall proves to be a costly option for the temporary containment of construction dust and debris.

Analysis: Disposable Drywall vs. Temporary Construction Walls

Drywall, when used for containment purposes, consistently represents a sunk cost—there is no return on investment (ROI), nor is there a payback period (PBP). In contrast, high-quality, durable modular wall systems act as long-term investments, yielding returns over multiple projects through their reusability.

STARC’s temporary walls—including the RealWall™, LiteBarrier™, FireblockWall, and StackBarrier™ systems—stand out as superior alternatives offering tangible ROI, unlike disposable drywall. These systems are not only innovative and advanced; they are designed to substantially improve profit margins when used across multiple phases or projects.

Temporary Walls: Economic Viability and Strategic Advantages

A critical analysis reveals that when the reusability of STARC’s temporary construction walls is factored in, the costs range from $5 to $10 per linear foot. This pricing makes STARC’s solutions more economically viable than drywall, presenting a more strategic choice for cost-conscious construction firms.

By adopting STARC’s reusable temporary construction walls, Project Managers can significantly reduce their material costs for containment across numerous jobs, establishing these walls as a wise investment that pays for itself after just a few uses.

Conclusion: Use Temporary Walls for Cost-Efficiency

If the goal is to select a cost-effective and efficient temporary wall system that delivers solid ROI, the choice is clear: STARC’s durable, reusable temporary construction walls can be used on hundreds of projects over many years. Choosing STARC provides significant cost savings and environmental benefits while maintaining robust performance and reliability, all backed by multi-year warranties.

To learn more about STARC’s full line of reusable temporary construction walls and accessories, click here. Or, if you have an upcoming project and would like to discuss its specific requirements with a member of our team, schedule a time to chat with us.