If you have never done drywall removal/repair before, I don't think this is the best time to start. I doubt you'll get a satisfying result first time out. It's not expensive for a good painter to come do it. It is expensive to pay someone to fish wires.
And remember, if you do it yourself and it comes out crappy, it's going to cost more to have a pro first rip out your handiwork, before he/she even can begin his/hers.
Too many of us here, evidently, have tons of time and experience with this and have blocked from memories our first few attempts.
Note to members of "Team Destructo":
If you live in a dwelling with hardwood floors that are original to the structure, you CANNOT tear out the baseboards. They went down before the hardwood floor did. Their bottoms are sitting on the underlayment and would need to be flush cut to be removed.
