Cost of Painting a Room or Entire House

Whether you're refreshing your home's appearance or preparing to sell, a new coat of paint can make the room feel more polished, brighter, and more open. Although you can paint the interior yourself, it’s a time-consuming task that might not deliver the best results.

If you're uncertain about tackling the job, the most reliable choice is to hire a pro. For a clearer picture of what it typically costs to paint a room across different states, we consulted HomeAdvisor's experts. Additionally, a painting professional shares their advice on how to choose a painter and stay within budget.

Estimated Painter Hiring Costs for 2024

Before hiring a professional, it's wise to estimate the likely cost of the project and understand the factors that will impact the final price. Elements like high or vaulted ceilings, intricate trims or moldings, room size, and local labor costs will all play a role in determining the overall expense.

Painting One Room

Generally, the cost of painting a single room in 2024 can vary between $150 and $2,000, depending on room size. This estimate excludes ceilings, trim work, or paint expenses. According to the True Cost Guide, here's what you might pay for different rooms:

• Bathroom: $150–$300
• Bedroom and kitchen: $300–$750
• Living room: $900–$2,000

Cost to Paint a Home's Interior

To estimate the cost of painting the entire interior of a home, HomeAdvisor has provided a detailed, state-specific breakdown below. These 2024 estimates reflect the amounts reported by HomeAdvisor member homeowners regarding what they spent to paint their homes' interiors.

National Average: $1,997

• Alabama: $1,988
• Alaska: $2,762
• Arizona: $2,075
• Arkansas: $1,644
• California: $1,990
• Colorado: $1,873
• Connecticut: $2,173
• Delaware: $1,107
• Florida: $1,718
• Georgia: $2,000
• Hawaii: $3,614
• Idaho: $2,250
• Illinois: $1,476
• Indiana: $1,635
• Iowa: $1,719
• Kansas: $2,196
• Kentucky: $2,008
• Louisiana: $1,836
• Maine: $1,488
• Maryland: $2,183
• Massachusetts: $2,144
• Michigan: $2,054
• Minnesota: $1,632
• Mississippi: $2,110
• Missouri: $1,392
• Montana: $1,720
• Nebraska: $1,626
• Nevada: $1,456
• New Hampshire: $1,780
• New Jersey: $2,595
• New Mexico: $2,800
• New York: $1,693
• North Carolina: $1,911
• North Dakota: $871
• Ohio: $1,714
• Oklahoma: $2,218
• Oregon: $1,669
• Pennsylvania: $1,777
• Rhode Island: $1,838
• South Carolina: $2,143
• South Dakota: $2,500
• Tennessee: $1,779
• Texas: $2,440
• Utah: $2,077
• Vermont: $2,925
• Virginia: $1,965
• Washington: $2,716
• West Virginia: $1,154
• Wisconsin: $1,698
• Wyoming: $1,712*

*HomeAdvisor is still gathering data on this location for its True Cost Guide. This number serves as an average and is based on costs provided by painting services in each state's capital city zip code.

Factors Influencing the Cost of Painting a Room

Several elements can influence the overall price of having a room professionally painted, including the location, room size, job complexity, and even the type of paint chosen. Below, we dive into these factors so you have a clearer idea of what to expect.

Room Size and Type

It might seem obvious, but the size of the room plays a significant role in determining the cost. Larger rooms with high ceilings, like your master bedroom or living room, usually cost more to paint than smaller rooms due to the need for more paint, supplies, and labor hours.

HomeAdvisor reports that the average cost for interior painting is between $2 and $6 per square foot. Additionally, painting a kitchen may be less expensive than painting a living room because cabinets occupy much of the wall space (unless you decide to paint the cabinets as well).

Paint Type and Quality

Choosing the right color for your space is tough enough, but you also need to decide on the appropriate paint type and finish. There are two primary types of paint: latex-based and oil-based.

• Latex-based paint is durable, long-lasting, and ideal for high-traffic areas like living rooms and hallways.
• Oil-based paint works best in humid environments, such as bathrooms or kitchens, as it withstands moisture more effectively over time.

HomeAdvisor states that the average price for a gallon of paint ranges from $20 to $30, but premium designer brands can cost up to $100 per gallon.

Additionally, you must choose the right finish: matte or glossy. Glossy finishes are about $2 more per gallon than matte, according to HomeAdvisor. The shinier the finish, the higher the price.

Your Location

Your location can significantly influence the cost of painting the interior of your home. Areas with a higher cost of living tend to have more expensive professional painting services. It's a good idea to compare different professionals in your area and select the one that best fits your budget.

Color Selection

Indeed, the color you choose can impact the final cost, particularly if you opt for an accent wall. HomeAdvisor notes that accent walls may increase the price by 20% to 30% due to the additional paint and materials required. Using one color throughout your entire home will be the most affordable option.

Another factor contributing to higher costs is if you’re changing from a darker to a lighter shade. This will require more coats of paint and primer to fully cover the original color.

Materials Required

A variety of materials are necessary to complete a painting project, such as brushes, rollers, trays, painter's tape, and drop cloths. Higher-quality brushes and rollers come at a higher price but yield better results, so you'll need to consider what's most important to you when selecting a painting service.

When you're evaluating painting companies, inquire about the materials they use to understand what will work best for you. Professionals may also need extra materials for more complicated jobs, like larger homes, detailed cabinet or trim painting, or when multiple colors are involved.

Reasons to Hire a Professional Painter

While anyone can paint a wall, painting is a popular DIY project, the best results for a living room, foyer, or other high-visibility spaces come from hiring a professional. Here are a few more reasons why:

• They’ll know exactly which paint is best for each project—flat finish for a formal dining room, eggshell for a high-traffic kitchen, and durable semi-gloss for trim, among others.
• They’ll handle all of the necessary prep work, such as sanding rough spots and filling holes with spackling compound.
• They’ll apply the paint skillfully, ensuring smooth edges, eliminating streaks, and preventing drips, which is particularly important for bold paint colors.

HomeAdvisor suggests that if the job involves hard-to-reach areas like stairwells or cathedral ceilings, it's wise to hire a pro. The extra costs and safety risks associated with scaffolding or tall ladders are too high to handle on your own.

Drawbacks

Although hiring a professional painter has many advantages, there are some disadvantages as well. Consider these key cons before making a decision.

• Hiring a professional painter can be more expensive than doing the job yourself. Painters charge by the hour, so larger spaces can lead to higher costs quickly. Plus, you’ll need to pay for materials.
• Having a professional come in may disrupt your daily routine. With workers entering and exiting your home, along with potential messes and noise, it can be bothersome.
• When you hire a professional, you may need to accommodate their schedule, meaning you could have to adjust your plans. If you opt for DIY, you have the freedom to paint whenever you want without needing to change your schedule.

Advice for Hiring a Professional and Keeping Costs Low

Here are DiClerico’s best recommendations for hiring a pro painter while ensuring your paint job stays within budget.

Schedule the Project in the Off-Season

For those on a budget, it’s a smart move to schedule your painting project during the winter months when many contractors reduce their rates. The larger the project, the greater your bargaining power, so if you're planning several projects, consider bundling them together and negotiating for the best possible deal.

Choose an Option That Fits Your Budget

Depending on the nature of the project, professionals may present you with different levels of service: good, better, and best. For instance, if your house is old and has plaster walls layered with multiple coats of paint, achieving a perfectly smooth finish may require the contractor to remove all of the layers with a heavy-duty grinding tool, starting from scratch. This process can be both time-consuming and costly.

However, if you're okay with some minor imperfections, the painter might be able to get by with just a light sanding of the top layers, which would greatly reduce the labor costs. It’s important to address this early on so that you and your contractor are aligned on the expectations.

Get Multiple Estimates

Shortlist a few contractors and obtain bids from each to ensure they are offering comparable prices. If one estimate seems unusually high or low, don’t hesitate to ask for further clarification on why their price is different.

Be Thorough in the Interview

Here are a few important questions you should ask when interviewing potential painters:

• How many years have you been operating in the business?
• Are you licensed and insured to perform the work?
• Do you handle the painting work personally, or do you subcontract it?
• Can you provide references from clients you've worked with before?
• Do you offer a work guarantee, and if so, for how long?

Review Their Credentials

It’s essential to confirm that the painters you consider are properly licensed and insured to avoid any financial or repair issues after the job is done. A contractor who offers a low bid may end up costing you more if they make costly mistakes due to lack of qualifications.

Check for Lead

If your house was constructed prior to 1978, the older layers of paint may contain lead. In this case, your painter will need to adhere to the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule to safely manage the hazard.

Set Up a Payment Plan

Typically, a small deposit is expected, but avoid paying more than one-third of the total cost upfront. Be cautious if a contractor demands cash—it's often a warning sign (checks are the preferred method). Also, ensure you're fully satisfied with the work before making the final payment.