[rocmcd]

Yeah, I'm not aware of any regulation preventing new painters/drywallers from entering the market that would drive up costs.

This is a pretty straightforward example of the Baumol effect, where _anything_ bespoke (not manufactured) requiring a human is simply going to cost more. The materials for patching drywall/plaster are tiny, it's the cost of the person that is expensive because overall cost of living is rising. The cost of outsourced labor (which you can leverage when making a TV, but can't for local labor) also probably plays a role.

In fact, I bet you could find someone to fix the drywall/plaster much cheaper than the cost of a TV. You just won't like the quality of the work.

[ryandrake]

You can also do drywall and plaster yourself. It's not that hard.