How Much Do Painting Companies Cost?

Fill out the form to compare prices and estimates from local painting companies.

Labor costs for painting contractors will vary depending on region, type of paint needed, type of project, and the contractor’s experience level. The national average to hire a painting company will be between $39 – $52 per hour.

Are you looking to hire a painting contractor? If so, here’s what you need to know about painting contractors cost and to find top painting companies near you.

Your home could really use a paint job.

Be it the exterior of your house, a single room or even an accent wall, you should know what you’re getting into before you hire a painter.

How Much Do Painting Contractors Cost?

The best way to find out how much your painting job will cost is to determine the size of the area you want to be painted. To get this number, add the length of the wall and multiply it by the width of the room from floor to ceiling to get the room’s square footage.

Know this number is just a starting point and doesn’t necessarily cover all of the surfaces you want to be painted. The larger the room, the longer it will take a painter to do the job.

Also know that a gallon of paint will cover about 400 square feet, even though the can will say it covers 450 square feet. The cost of paint will also be factored into how much it costs to do your painting project.

There are also other factors you should consider that will affect the cost of your painting job.

Textured Walls

If the walls you want to be painted are textured, then they will require more paint than a wall that is smooth. While texture doesn’t add to the square footage of a room, it does add to the surface area that needs to be painted. The additional surface area is dependant on how much texture the wall has.

Painters will usually estimate about an extra 300 to 350 square feet to accommodate a textured wall.

Speed

How quickly a painter can finish a job will also factor into the final cost, but it is hard to estimate this. If a painter is more experienced, they can cover a wall faster. However, some painters are more methodical which takes longer.

Usually, painters can cover roughly 100 to 120 square feet of flat surface an hour, unless the wall is very large. If the wall is wood or plaster painters can only over about 80 to 100 square feet an hour.

When considering speed, you also should think about how long it will take for the first coat to dry before the second coat can be applied. This can take anywhere from one to 48 hours depending on the paint.

Whole House or Multiple Rooms

This is another factor that would affect the cost of your paint job. If you’re painting multiple rooms, the cost will vary based on gloss, room size, and the difference in color, and obviously labor and time.

Do Painting Companies Charge By The Hour or Job?

If you hire a painter, you are likely going to be charged a fixed rate based on the square footage that needs to be painted. Most painters charge by the hour for interior paint jobs.

Of course, factors like size, location, season, nature of the project, and the painter’s experience all affect the cost. It usually costs around $50 an hour for a standard painting project.

How Much Does It Cost To Paint a House?

The cost to paint a house is usually based on the square footage. Usually, a home between 500 and 1,500 square feet would cost somewhere between $1,000 and $3,000 to paint. There are factors that can affect this rate such as how easy it is to paint the exterior of your home.

Another factor that can affect the cost of painting your house is how many stories your house has.

A single story home that’s between 500 to 1,500 square feet will cost between $1,000 to $3,000 on average. While a two-story home between 1,500 and 3,000 square feet can cost between $3,000 and $4,500. Lastly, a three-story house between 3,000 and 6,000 square feet can cost between $4,500 and $6,000 or more.

Homeowners have said that nationally it costs about $2,581 to paint the exterior of a house. Most homeowners pay between $1,714 and $3,682 to paint the outside of their house.

If you decided to paint other features on or around your home, that, of course, will add to your price.

Doors, for example, can cost between $70 to $150. Gutters can cost between $200 and $800, porches can be anywhere between $500 to $2,000, and window sashes can be between $100 to $200.

How Much Do Painters Charge For 1 Room?

The cost to paint a room that’s an average size (ten feet by twelve feet), ranges between $380 to $790 on average. This does not include ceilings, cost of paint, and the trim. If you paint a room yourself that can cost between $200 to $300. However, doing it yourself has some risks like an uneven or sloppy job, since you’re not a professional.

How Much Does a Painter Charge For 2 Rooms?

The cost to paint two rooms, that are on average the size of ten feet by twelve feet each, range between $760 to $1580 on average. This doesn’t include the cost of paint, ceilings, and the trim. Again you could do it yourself for less, but it might not look professional.

How To Hire A Good Painter?

There are a couple of things you should consider and do before hiring a painter. If you do the following you should find yourself in the hands of a good painter.

Get Estimates

Get a written estimate from each painter you’re considering. Make sure the estimate includes labor, number of coats of primer paint, material costs, brand and model of the material, and the amount of surface prep the job needs.

Check References

Get references for the painter’s past work. Call these references and make sure the painters were professional. Also, see if you can see their past work and make sure it’s up to your standards.

Get a Contract

You want a contract that includes the contractor’s full name, number, address, license number, job details and the estimate that includes what is and isn’t included with the job.

You will also need the painter’s worker’s compensation insurance and liability certificates. You want to make sure your painter has coverage, otherwise, any accidents can come out of your pocket.

Hire Your Painter Today

Now that you know how much painting contractors cost, and what to look for in a painter, begin your search for your painter. Remember the cost can vary based on the size of the job.

Popular Areas to Find Painters: