Ask three painters what it costs to paint a house and you may hear three very different answers. That isn’t always a sign that someone is wrong. It usually means each of them pictured a different job.
- Rooms and ceilings set the base price
- Trim and doors are separate decisions
- Prep can matter more than paint
- Exterior jobs are quoted after a visit
- Price your own rooms before you call
Start with the rooms, not the square footage
A house’s size in square feet is a poor guide to painting cost. What matters is the number of rooms, how big each one is, and how tall the walls are. A tall open stairwell can take more time than three small bedrooms. That’s why our instant estimate asks you to pick rooms and choose small, medium or large for each.
Trim, baseboards and doors
Walls and ceilings are the large surfaces, but trim and doors are where the time goes. Baseboards, window casings and door frames need careful cutting in, and doors take several steps to do well. Many people include them because painted walls beside tired white trim look unfinished, but it’s your choice, and it changes the number.
The condition of the surfaces
Cracks, nail pops, old patches and peeling paint all need repair before painting, and repairs take time. A house built recently with clean walls is a simpler job than an older house with decades of paint. If your walls need work, see our guide to drywall repair before painting.
Inside versus outside
Interior painting can be priced from rooms and sizes. Exterior painting depends on the size and material of the siding, the number of storeys, how much scraping and repair the surface needs, and how many trim details the house has. Because every house is different, we quote exterior painting after a visit.
How to get a number you can trust
Start by pricing your own rooms with the online estimate, then compare it with a written quote from any painter. A good quote lists what’s included: which rooms, how many coats, trim and doors, repairs and cleanup. If two quotes differ a lot, the answer is usually in that list. Our guide to comparing painting quotes shows what to look for.
Quick questions
Does the season change how painting is done or priced?
Interior painting can happen all year. The price depends on the work, and exterior painting is only possible in the warmer months, so those slots are in demand.
Do I need to pay for paint separately?
That depends on the quote. Ask whether the paint is included, which brand and line it is, and how many coats are covered, so you can compare quotes fairly.
Want a number for your own house? Price your rooms online in a few minutes, and we confirm the final price in person.
