How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $300 - $2,800
The cost to paint a room averages around $1,100. You might pay anywhere from $150 to $4,800, though, depending on the room size, ceiling height, and more.
The average cost to paint a room is $1,100, although you can expect to pay between $300 and $2,800. Your exact cost depends on the room size, the paint you choose, the number of paint coats, who you hire, and more. Pros charge about $2 to $6 per square foot of space.
Our expert guide shares all the factors affecting the cost of painting a room so you can update your space and stay within your budget.
- Average
- $1,100
- Low end
- $150
- high end
- $4,800
Factors Affecting the Cost to Paint a Room
For most homeowners, painting the interior of a home costs anywhere from $975 to $3,100, but a single room is much more affordable. It depends on factors like the size of the room to the quality and type of paint. Even something as seemingly inconsequential as a finish can add a few extra bucks to the budget. Here’s how the costs break down.
Size of the Room
Professional interior paint jobs are priced at $2 to $6 per square foot. The larger the room, the higher the cost—especially if you have tall ceilings that are difficult to reach. Bathrooms are the smallest room in the house and the least expensive to paint, while painting living rooms are the largest and most costly.
| Room Size (Feet) | Average Cost to Paint |
|---|---|
| 10X10 | $200–$600 |
| 10X12 | $240–$720 |
| 12X12 | $290–$870 |
| 14X16 | $450–$1,350 |
| 16X16 | $515–$1,540 |
Height of the Room
Another cost factor to consider when painting a room is its ceiling height. If you have high or difficult-to-reach ceilings, you can expect to pay an additional fee for labor and materials. Painting a ceiling costs an extra $1 to $6 per square foot, depending on the ceiling type and the painter’s rates.
Room Type
The price of your painting project depends on the type of room in question. Check out the average cost range of painting everything from a bedroom to a stairway.
| Type of Room | Average Cost to Paint |
|---|---|
| Bathroom | $150–$300 |
| Kitchen | $300–$750 |
| Stairway | $350–$450 |
| Bedroom | $300–$750 |
| Living Room | $900–$2,000 |
Baseboard and Trim
Want to refresh your trim and baseboard paint? Giving home accents like trim, baseboards, crown molding, and windows a fresh coat of paint will cost about $1 to $3 per linear foot. Keep in mind that professional painters may charge extra for hard-to-reach accents, up to $6 per linear foot.
Paint Type and Finishes
Paint costs depend on brand, makeup, and finish. On average, you’ll pay $20 to $70 per gallon, and each gallon covers around 350 square feet. You can get a budget-friendly option from a big box retailer for as little as $10 per gallon or spend more than $100 per gallon on a designer brand or rare pigment.
| Latex-Based Paint | Oil-Based Paint |
|---|---|
| $15–$60 per gallon | $20–$70 per gallon |
| Best for bedrooms, living rooms, and hallways | Best for bathrooms, kitchens, doors, and trim |
| More difficult to clean | Easy to clean and holds up well to moisture |
| Dries faster | Prone to chipping and requires good ventilation |
Overall, oil-based paints cost slightly more than latex-based paints (though latex is by far the most popular for indoor use). On top of that, you’ll pay more the glossier the finish gets.
| Paint Type | Cost per Gallon |
|---|---|
| Primer | $10–$20 |
| Flat or matte | $10–$70 |
| Eggshell or satin | $10–$70 |
| Semi-gloss | $10–$70 |
| High-gloss | $20–$80 |
Color Choice
Believe it or not, your chosen color can affect the overall cost. Choosing a lighter or darker color will impact the number of coats you apply, which can increase the amount of paint you need.
Very dark paints often require an extra coat or two to get that fully saturated look you want. If you don’t apply enough coats, you can see streaks where the lighter wall color underneath peeks through. Similarly, the dark paint can show through if you’re covering a dark wall with a lighter paint color.
If you’re hiring a painter, the extra coats of paint will increase labor costs. A primer coat can help by giving you a more neutral base, but purchasing primer will add to material costs.
Labor
If you decide to pay a house painter to paint your room, you’ll spend $20 to $50 per hour. Most contractors quote this job as a per-square-foot price. You’ll spend less on a handyperson than on a professional painter.
Moving Furniture
You may need to move furniture out of the room you want to paint. In this case, your contractor will spend some extra time on prep, so it can slightly increase costs. If you have oversized furniture (think: a grand piano or grandfather clock), it might take an additional worker to move. Expect to spend $25 to $50 per hour on additional labor (though the cost will likely be wrapped into your per-square-foot estimate).
Accent or Textured Walls
Wall texture can transform the feeling of a room—whether it’s a combed texture, sand swirl, or orange peel. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, though some homeowners love it. Expect to spend a couple of dollars extra per square foot if you want to add or remove wall texture before the painting process:
The cost of texturing your walls is $1 to $3 per square foot.
The cost of skim coating drywall to remove texture is $1.10 to $1.30 per square foot.
Wall Repairs
You may need to repair your walls before you can paint them. The cost of drywall repair is between $300 and $900, but the average homeowner pays around $600. Alternatively, you can DIY small repairs with a $10 to $30 drywall repair kit.
Time of Year
Fall and winter are the slowest months for painting companies because there are fewer exterior paint jobs. You can save money by booking your contractor for an interior paint job during the offseason.
Lead or Asbestos Testing
Lead paint and asbestos were commonly used in homes built before 1980, and they require special care to remove. If testing finds lead or asbestos, you’ll spend more on abatement. If your contractor needs to remove paint or alter the drywall, you might need to test it first for lead or asbestos:
A lead inspection costs $200 to $400, though a lead risk assessment can cost up to $2,000.
An asbestos survey costs $230 to $780.
Location
| Location | Average Cost to Paint a Room |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $1,300–$3,700 |
| Fargo, North Dakota | $640–$2,100 |
It’s no secret that the cost to paint a room varies with where you live. If you live in an area with a higher cost of living, such as New York City, you’ll most likely pay more for room-painting services than in an area with a lower cost of living, such as Columbus, Ohio.
Let’s look at a few examples. If you need to paint a room in Los Angeles, it will likely cost $1,300 to $3,700, whereas the cost to paint a room in Fargo, North Dakota is much lower, ranging from $640 to $2,100. However, keep in mind that these are price estimates based on location, so it’s essential to get multiple quotes from painters in your area to determine an accurate price range.
How to Calculate the Cost to Paint a Room
You’re ready to breathe new life into your room, and the next step is figuring out how to calculate the cost of painting a home interior.
1. To start, use a tape measure and write down the length of all four sides of the room.
2. Then, measure the height of the walls from the floor to the ceiling.
3. Next, add up the lengths of the room and multiply it by the height. That gives you the total square footage you need to paint.
4. On average, one gallon of paint can cover 350 square feet. So divide the total square footage of your room by 350 to find out how many gallons of paint you need for one coat.
5. In most cases, you’ll apply two coats of paint, so multiply that number by two.
If you plan on hiring a pro to do the job, expect to pay $20 to $50 per hour for labor. Some painters will quote you by the square footage, so doing this math can help you get the most accurate quote.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room Myself?
Here's the million-dollar—or hundred-dollar—question: Can you paint a room yourself? In most cases, yes, you can paint your room with time and patience. Just make sure you paint the walls, ceiling, and trim in the right order.
However, we'd leave this to interior painters near you if your ceilings are particularly high, if you have sloped walls, or if you're renting. Paint can drip on wooden floors and carpets, which can be costly to clean up.
Here's what you can expect from painting a bedroom yourself:
| Painting Materials | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Paint | $20–$100 |
| Paint supplies | Up to $100 |
| Ladder | $60–$200 |
| Paintbrushes | $3–$20 each |
| Paint rollers | $10–$100 each |
| Paint tray | $2–$5 each |
| Drop cloth | $5–$30 each |
| Painter’s tape | $3–$10 per roll |
The highest cost of painting a room yourself isn’t cash but time. While the process should take between four and six hours, be sure to add in the time to buy paint and supplies, move furniture, prep your room, and wait for the proper time between layers.
Shaken Not Stirred...
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
With an average cost of $1,100 to paint a room, it’s tempting to DIY the project to save money, especially if you already have the materials on hand. However, as much money as you can save by painting your own home, without the skills and experience, you’ll spend more time doing it than a professional. A seasoned DIYer can paint a single room over the weekend without too much trouble, but large rooms with high ceilings or multiple rooms in a house might make it worth the cost to hire a local painter.
How to Save Money Painting a Room
Want to tighten your budget and cut on the cost to paint rooms? Saving on a painting job doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself—though if you’ve got a passion for DIY projects, go for it! Here are some ways to shed a few dollars off your total painting costs:
Skip the trim refresh: If the paint on your trim, baseboards, and ceiling is in good condition and you simply want to change the look of your room, only paint the walls. This exclusion will slash the price of the job in half.
Purchase paint through your pro painter: If you’re using a contractor to paint your home, let them purchase the paint. Contractors can buy paint for around 50% less than a homeowner. The total cost should be what you expect from your painting estimate.
Skip the designer materials: Like clothes, designer paints cost much more, but you’re paying for quality and vibrancy. These paints use natural coloring agents that look more vibrant than synthetic pigments. Nonetheless, you can still get some great colors by choosing a high-quality paint without the luxury label.
Frequently Asked Questions
A painting project can take a few days or a couple of hours. It depends on the size of the room, the prep work required, and your experience. Those with painting experience will take less time than novice painters who are refining their techniques. You can expect to spend around four to six hours per room on the painting process alone.
Most professional interior painters can paint 120 square feet per hour for a smooth wall and 80 to 100 square feet per hour for painting a textured wall. The best way to get an accurate time estimate for your painting project is to consult your professional painter after they’ve evaluated the room.
With plenty of preparation, painting a room in one day is possible, especially if you work with a professional interior painter. If you’re DIY painting, you can make the process run smoother by choosing your paint shade, swatching it, calculating how much paint you need, and rearranging the room ahead of time. Don’t forget to clear the room of any furniture or personal belongings and cover the floor with drop cloths before painting your room.