How much does it cost to paint a house?
Short version: expect $2–$6 per square foot of floor area for interior professional painting, and $1.50–$4.50 per square foot for exterior. The gap between the low and high end is mostly prep work, ceiling height and how much furniture someone has to move.
Interior painting cost by house size
| House size | Professional | DIY materials | Typical time (DIY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,800 – $4,500 | $600 – $1,100 | 5–8 days |
| 1,500 sq ft | $2,400 – $6,000 | $850 – $1,500 | 7–11 days |
| 2,000 sq ft | $3,000 – $8,000 | $1,100 – $2,000 | 9–14 days |
| 2,500 sq ft | $3,800 – $10,000 | $1,400 – $2,500 | 12–18 days |
| 3,000+ sq ft | $5,000 – $13,000 | $1,700 – $3,000 | 14–21 days |
"DIY materials" means paint, primer, tape, rollers, trays, sanding supplies and drop cloths. Most of that gear is reusable, so your second room costs closer to paint-only prices.
Interior cost by room
| Room | Walls only (pro) | Walls + ceiling (pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom (5 × 8) | $250 – $600 | $350 – $800 |
| Bedroom (10 × 12) | $350 – $900 | $500 – $1,200 |
| Living room (16 × 20) | $600 – $1,500 | $850 – $2,000 |
| Kitchen (12 × 14, cut-in heavy) | $550 – $1,400 | $750 – $1,800 |
Kitchens cost more per square foot than their size suggests because of cabinetry cut-ins, appliance edges and the number of coats needed over grease-prone surfaces.
Exterior painting cost
| Home size | Single storey | Two storeys |
|---|---|---|
| 1,200 sq ft | $1,800 – $3,500 | $2,600 – $5,000 |
| 1,800 sq ft | $2,500 – $4,800 | $3,600 – $7,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $3,400 – $6,500 | $5,000 – $9,500 |
Exterior work carries costs interior work does not: pressure washing, scraping failing paint, caulking joints, priming bare wood, masking windows, and ladders or scaffolding. A house with flaking 1980s paint and rotten trim can land 40–60% above the range above.
What drives the price up
- Prep and repairs. On exteriors, prep is often 40–60% of the labour. If a quote looks cheap, ask what is excluded — usually scraping and priming.
- Height and access. Anything above 10 ft adds labour and equipment. Cathedral ceilings and stairwells are priced separately by most painters.
- Number of colors. Each color change costs a clean-up cycle. Four accent colors is a different job from one.
- Paint quality. Premium exterior paint runs $60–$90 per gallon but lasts 8–10 years instead of 5–6. On exteriors, cheap paint is usually a false economy.
- Season and lead time. Late summer is the busiest exterior window in most US markets; booking in off-season can move a quote 10–15%.
DIY vs professional: the break-even
For a single bedroom, DIY saves roughly $500–$700 and costs a weekend plus drying time. That is usually worth it. For a whole interior, the saving is $2,000–$5,000 but the job takes 2–3 weeks of evenings, and uneven walls and cut-in lines are the things you will notice every day afterwards.
A useful rule of thumb:
- One or two rooms, normal ceilings, decent walls → DIY.
- Whole house, or any space with tall ceilings → hire, and use the DIY numbers on this page to sanity-check the quotes.
- Exterior above one storey → almost always hire. Ladder work is where DIY injuries happen.
How to check a painting quote
Ask three questions before signing:
- How many coats? One coat is not a repaint.
- What prep is included? Sanding, caulking, patching, priming, masking.
- Which paint, by name and line? "Premium paint" in a quote means nothing.
Estimate scope and price checks
These figures are broad US planning ranges, not a contractor quote. They are not location-specific and may exclude permits, unusual access, repairs or local minimum charges. Before budgeting, compare at least two local written quotes with the same scope, paint system, prep and coat count. Use the paint calculator to estimate gallons and the coverage guide to check product coverage; neither replaces a site-specific labour quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to paint an empty house?
Yes, typically 10–20% cheaper. Painters charge for moving and protecting furniture, and an empty house also means rooms can be finished back-to-back without drying interruptions.
Does painting increase home value?
Interior repainting is consistently one of the highest-return cosmetic updates, mainly because it shortens time on market. A $3,000 interior repaint before listing is a common recommendation from realtors.
How long does exterior paint last?
Latex or acrylic on wood or fiber cement: 7–10 years. On stucco: 5–7 years. Cheaper contractor-grade paint on a poorly prepped surface can fail in 3–4 years.
Should I paint the ceiling the same color as the walls?
Painting ceilings the same color is fashionable and does make rooms feel taller, but it needs a flat finish and shows stains more than white. It also adds 40% more surface area to the job.