CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for drywall and insulation contractors in Knoxville, TN
Drywall and insulation contractors in the Knoxville, TN metro area: 42 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 16-person team.
- Establishments
- 42CBP 2023
- Employees
- 667mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 4.4U.S. 6.1
- Rank
- 102nd of 596areas by count
How many drywall and insulation contractors are in Knoxville, TN?
County Business Patterns counts 42 drywall and insulation contractors (NAICS 238310, Drywall and Insulation Contractors) in the Knoxville, TN metro area for 2023. Together they reported 667 mid-March employees and $54.5 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 102nd of the 596 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 958,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 4.4 drywall and insulation contractors per 100,000 people, 28.1% below the national rate of 6.1. Establishments average 15.9 employees, 31.5% above the U.S. average of 12.1. Payroll per employee comes to $81,715, 22.7% above the national $66,624.
| Measure | Knoxville, TN | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 42 | 287 | 20,760 |
| Mid-March employees | 667 | 3,555 (moderate noise) | 250,758 |
| Annual payroll | $54,504,000 | $248,740,000 (moderate noise) | $16,706,406,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 15.9 | 12.4 | 12.1 |
| Payroll per employee | $81,715 | $69,969 | $66,624 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 4.4 | 4.0 | 6.1 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at drywall and insulation contractors in Knoxville, TN
Of the drywall and insulation contractors in Knoxville, TN that had employees in March 2023, 50.0% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 60.7%). 62.5% had fewer than ten. When a business has only a few people, whoever is free answers the phone, and calls that arrive while everyone is busy go to voicemail unless they are routed somewhere else.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 20 | 50.0% | 60.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 5 | 12.5% | 16.0% |
| 10–19 employees | 5 | 12.5% | 10.6% |
| 20–49 employees | 10 | 25.0% | 7.9% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 5.0% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a drywall and insulation contractor in Knoxville, TN has to catch
Drywall and insulation contractors work mostly for builders and remodelers on schedules that depend on other trades. Quick responses keep projects from stalling.
Calls a drywall and insulation contractor in Knoxville, TN might handle in a typical week include:
- A homeowner calls about water-damaged drywall.
- A customer calls about attic insulation.
- A remodeler calls about a patch job.
When nobody can pick up
After-hours calls are usually scheduling questions.
Business-hours routing in Callata sends calls to voicemail, a teammate's cell or an AI agent once the day ends, and voicemails arrive transcribed with an urgency flag.
Phone system pricing for a 16-person drywall and insulation contractor
The average drywall and insulation contractor in Knoxville, TN has 15.9 employees, so a 16-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 16 users would run $480.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $399.20 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 16 people cost $319.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,932. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $319.00 | $3,828.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $304.00 | $3,648.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $368.00 | $4,416.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $399.20 | $4,790.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $432.00 | $5,184.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $480.00 | $5,760.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Getting a local number in Knoxville, TN
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 2 area codes. 865 has the most, with 409 of 436 exchanges (94%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your customers recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 865 | 409 | Eastern | 1999 | none |
| 423 | 27 | Eastern and Central | 1995 | 729 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
What drywall and insulation contractors in Knoxville, TN get with Callata
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Knoxville, TN, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many drywall and insulation contractors are there in Knoxville, TN?
Census County Business Patterns counted 42 drywall and insulation contractors in the Knoxville, TN metro area in 2023. They employed 667 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 16-person drywall and insulation contractor?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 16 users cost $480.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $399.20 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $319.00.
What area code should a drywall and insulation contractor in Knoxville, TN use?
Area code 865 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 423. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a drywall and insulation contractor?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.