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What Is the Cost to Paint a House?

Jan 13, 2022 | Home Improvement, Painting Contractor

Painting the interior and exterior of your home every few years is just one of the many aspects of being a homeowner and maintaining your home’s curb appeal. While some homeowners choose to complete residential painting jobs themselves, others prefer the convenience and quality of hiring a professional painting company.

If you’re considering enlisting a professional contractor to paint your house, you may be wondering how much the endeavor will or should cost and whether it would be worth the money. While many variables factor into the cost to paint a house, you can determine a rough estimate using the information below. Alternatively, you can call Robinson Painting of Colorado to conduct a free cost estimate for you.

Read on to learn more about the cost to paint a house, then contact our Robinson Painting team for a precise cost estimate.

How Much Is It to Paint a House?

One way to get an idea of the cost to paint a house is to view the average costs for similar projects. We’ve reviewed price statistics from Home Advisor and determined how much homeowners pay on average to paint a house exterior, complete interior, and an individual room.

Average Cost to Paint a House Exterior

According to Home Advisor, the average cost in the U.S. to paint a complete house exterior is $3,048. However, the total cost for most homeowners typically ranges between $1,000 and $6,000, depending upon the size and complexity of the job.

Regional price differences can also affect the exact cost to paint a house.

Average Cost to Paint Interior of House

According to Home Advisor, the average cost to paint the entire house interior in the U.S. is between $4,000 and $11,000. This range is extensive because houses can contain any number of rooms. The more rooms a home has, the more walls a painter will need to paint, increasing material and labor costs.

Average Cost to Paint a Bedroom

According to our research, the average cost to paint a bedroom in the U.S. is between $300 and $750, or about $500. This average is for a standard ten by twelve-foot room. In addition, painting individual rooms requires less prep work than applying a fresh coat throughout the house, making the overall cost more affordable.

Interior Painting Cost

Several cost factors affect the exact cost you will pay to paint the interior of your house. When giving an estimate for your paint project, a company may review the following factors to determine your final cost.

Square Footage of the Walls

Many painters charge per square foot for interior jobs. Therefore, the more wall space your rooms contain, the higher price a company will charge to paint them.

Type of Paint

The type of paint you use also affects your total costs. If you hire a professional to paint your home, you should consider asking them to use professional-quality paint. The best paint can withstand dings, scratches, and years of regular use, preventing chipped paint down the line and lasting longer before the need for a new paint job. Additionally, some high-quality paints negate the need for primer, creating less prep work.

Primer or No Primer?

If the new paint is lighter in color than the old paint on the wall, the painter may need to lay down a coat of primer before applying the rest of the paint. This process will add time and materials to your project, increasing the cost.

Lead Paint?

If your walls currently use lead paint, your painters will need to follow a special process to paint over them, increasing your costs but protecting the painters, you, and your family.

Number of Coats

Applying two coats of paint requires twice as much labor and paint as applying one coat. However, if you are painting a light color over another light color, you may be able to get by with just a single coat of paint.

Exterior Painting Cost

A professional exterior paint job often costs more than an interior job of the same number of square feet. Painting a house exterior requires additional preparation and maintenance steps to ensure that the coverage is as even and thorough as possible and that the paint withstands harsh weather conditions.

As with interior painting, the exact cost to paint a home’s exterior depends on several variables. The most prominent ones include the following.

Size of the House

One of the biggest contributing factors to the cost to paint a house is its size. The bigger and taller the house, the more paint is necessary to cover every square foot of the exterior.

Type of Paint

Your cost of materials also contributes to your overall costs. For example, when painting your house’s exterior, you want to be sure to choose high-quality, durable exterior paint that can hold up to years of extreme precipitation and debris. Your painter should be able to help you determine the right paint type for your home.

Type of Siding

The type of siding on your home plays a significant role in your overall painting costs. Some siding materials absorb paint more easily than others, necessitating several coats to ensure opaque coverage.

Be sure to tell your painter what type of siding you have during the estimate process. The most common sidings included:

  • Vinyl siding
  • Metal siding
  • Wood siding
  • Concrete siding

The cost to paint wood siding, for example, is often less than that of vinyl siding.

Additionally, if your siding is too worn or old, the house painters may need to remove the old covering before proceeding with the paint job, increasing your costs. It may also need sealing and other preparatory acts. Remember that a painting job is about more than adding color: It also protects your home’s siding and creates a sealed barrier between outside elements and your interior.

Trim

Painters must paint trim separately from the rest of the house, as this job requires more precision and attention to detail. Some paint companies charge by the linear foot for trim, while others factor this job into the entire project cost. According to Home Guide, trim painting costs can average “around $1,200, ranging between $900 to $2,500”. Please note that these costs may vary depending on your area.

Windows

The number of windows and the type of windows you have also contribute to your overall costs. Wood windows require more care and precision than vinyl ones, adding more time to the painting project.

Number of Coats

Most painters charge more to apply two coats than one coat. This additional cost covers the price of the extra paint and the additional labor involved.

While applying fewer coats can save you money, it may create an uneven, unprofessional finish. Be sure to talk to the paint company about their recommendation for the number of coats of that particular paint you will need. All paint products are different.

Painting Cost Calculator

Most painting companies charge per square foot for interior and exterior jobs. Some companies also have higher costs for special cases, such as dealing with lead paint or bringing extra equipment.

However, you can calculate the baseline cost of your paint job by determining the number of square feet the company will need to paint.

Exterior Paint Cost Calculator

To determine an accurate estimate of the cost to paint a house exterior, you will need to know the square footage of the paintable area. You can follow these steps to calculate the size of your home’s exterior:

  1. Measure the perimeter of your house exterior: First, measure your house’s perimeter. You may find it easier to measure the width of each exterior wall and then add these measures together.
  2. Measure the height of your house: Next, measure the height from the ground to the roof. If your house is different heights in different areas, be sure to take this into account.
  3. Multiply the perimeter by the height: You can determine the total surface area of your house (minus the roof) by multiplying the perimeter by the height.
  4. Subtract windows and doors: Next, you will need to subtract any areas you do not need to paint, such as windows and doors. Measure the size of these fixtures separately, then subtract them from the total exterior area. If you’d prefer not to measure each fixture separately, you can assume that a standard window is about 12 square feet and a standard door is about 21.

You now have a rough estimate of the number of square feet a painter will need to cover with their services. However, if your house is oddly shaped or difficult to measure, request an estimate from a professional painter for a more accurate prediction.

Interior Painting Cost Calculator

Calculating the number of square feet of an interior job is a bit easier than an exterior one. For example, if you have a floorplan of your home, you can use it to determine the room measurements instead of manually measuring the perimeter and height.

Once you have measurements, multiply the perimeter by the height in each room and subtract any windows and doors from your measurements. This process will give you the paintable area in each room.

After you determine the number of square feet a professional painter will need to cover, you can multiply the measure by the company’s cost per square foot. Using this interior painting cost-per-square-foot calculator will give you a broad estimate of your overall costs.

Robinson Painting of Colorado: Price Per Square Foot

At Robinson Painting of Colorado, we charge $1 per square foot to paint interior walls, with a minimum overall cost of $2,000 per paint job. This rate reflects our professional training and expertise, high-quality painting materials, and superior attention to detail.

DIY Costs vs. Hiring Professionals

Many homeowners opt to paint their homes themselves to save money. However, painting your house yourself can still be an expensive process, especially if you do not have the right tools and supplies on hand.

How Much to Paint a House Yourself?

Of course, the exact cost you will pay to paint your house depends on your precise situation. However, you can expect to at least spend money on the following tools and supplies to paint a home exterior if you do not already have them on hand:

  • Power washer: Power washing the house before you paint is essential to ensure a smooth, even finish. If you do not own a power washer, you will need to buy one, rent one, or hire a power washing company.
  • Sanding supplies: You will also need to remove loose paint, peeling paint, and other debris before beginning the house-painting process.
  • Caulk: If your house’s exterior has any cracks or grooves, you will need to purchase caulk or other materials for filling holes and sealing seams.
  • Primer: If you are painting a light paint color over darker colors, it’s best to lay down one coat of primer before painting with your pigment paint. A good-quality primer costs an average of $20 per gallon and covers around 250 square feet.
  • Paint: High-quality interior paint can cost up to $50 per gallon. One gallon of paint typically covers up to 400 square feet. If you are laying multiple coats, you will need to double your square footage to determine how much paint you need. Keep in mind that oil-based paint is typically more expensive than latex.
  • Paintbrushes and sprayers: You will also need to purchase paintbrushes to paint the trim around your home and a paint sprayer to fill in the remaining area.
  • Ladder: Even if you live in a one-story home, you will also need a ladder to reach higher areas of your house.
  • Additional supplies: You may also need to purchase additional supplies, such as masking tape, drop cloths, and cleaning supplies to complete the project.

In addition to material costs, you should also consider how much your time is worth. Painting your entire house is time-consuming and involves lengthy prep work.

Painting your home yourself can be expensive and, for many people, is more hassle than it is worth. As a result, hiring professional painting companies is an investment worth the cost to many homeowners.

How To Get a Painting Estimate

Even after putting your best calculating and measuring skills to work, you may not come out with an accurate estimate of the cost to paint a house exterior or interior.

The best way to determine how much your paint job will cost is to request a professional estimate from your paint company.

At Robinson Painting of Colorado, we make the estimate process as quick and easy as possible. You can request an estimate by filling out the short estimate form on our site. Please include your name, email, and phone number, and one of our paint professionals will reach out to you as soon as possible to schedule a time.

Contact us at Robinson Paint of Colorado today at 866-529-0276 for more information about our home painting services. Our service area includes the Denver to Boulder area, including the Front Range.

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