How Much Does It Cost to Paint Interior and Exterior Trim on a House? [2026 Data]

Touching up your home's interior and exterior trim with a fresh coat of paint is a subtle improvement that can make a huge difference. But, this home improvement project does come with a cost.

For a 1,500-square-foot home, expect to pay between $700 and $2,500, with the higher end for exterior trim. Painting interior and exterior trim per linear foot can range in cost from $1 to $6 per linear foot. Read on to learn all the factors that impact the cost of painting trim on your home and ways to save money during the process.

Painting Trim on a House Cost Breakdown

The exact price you’ll pay to paint trim on your home depends on several factors, including the type of trim, the location of your trim, materials, labor, and more. Here’s the cost breakdown for painting trim on a house.

Exterior Trim

You can paint the trim of exterior areas of your home, such as eaves, fascia, soffit, doors, windows, dormers, and gables. Painting such areas will require a more expensive type of paint, access to hard-to-reach areas, and more extensive prep. For this reason, it typically costs more to paint exterior trim than interior trim.

You’ll also have to pay higher labor costs for exterior trim since professional painters must work longer and more cautiously. On average, the cost to paint exterior trim will range from $1,000 to $2,500, or $1 to $4 per linear foot.

Interior Trim

Interior areas of your home with trim may include baseboards, crown molding, doors, windows, and window frames. Painting the interior trim of an average-sized home will cost between $500 and $2,000 or $1 to $4 per linear foot. This figure can increase significantly based on the size of your home and the quality and type of paint you use.

Size

Another determining cost factor is the size of your home. The bigger your home, the more you’ll have to paint, which also drives up the final price. A bigger home also likely means increased labor costs, more materials used, and a lengthier project. A smaller, 1,500-square-foot home costs between $500 and $2,500 on average. For a larger, 2,500-square-foot home, you can expect to pay $1,500 to $7,500 or even more.

Materials

Don’t forget to budget for materials, particularly exterior and interior paint. Exterior paint costs between $20 and $80 per gallon, while interior paint runs anywhere from $15 to $40 per gallon.

Expect to pay the higher end of these ranges for high-quality paint and upscale brands. You’ll also need other materials like primer, painter’s tape, paintbrushes, drop cloths, and more. Also, make sure to budget for the correct amount of paint. You’ll need enough to paint your desired spaces with multiple coats of paint.

Labor

If you hire professional painters, they’ll usually charge anywhere between $20 and $50 per hour. When you receive a quote from your painting pro, labor costs will be included in the total project cost.

Location

The cost to paint trim on your house will also depend on the area you’re painting. Painting trim on areas of your home that are difficult to access (and thus take more time and skill to paint) will cost you more.

Below are cost estimates for typical interior and exterior trim paint projects.

Additional Costs to Consider

While the cost factors above are significant, you’ll also want to prepare for additional expenses that can raise the total cost of your painting project.

Prep Work

You may need to power wash the exterior of your home before painting. Power washing costs $0.15 to $0.75 per square foot. For interior painting, you may need to do some light cleaning and sanding to ensure you paint on a clean and smooth surface. Older homes may also require lead paint removal, which costs $8 to $17 per square foot on average.

Repairs

When budgeting for your trim paint project, account for any necessary repairs. For example, replacing soffit and fascia boards costs an average of $1,300 to $6,000. You may also need a pro to repair your gutters and eaves or caulk your window frames and trim.

Why You Should Hire a Trim Painting Pro

Painting the trim on a home is one of those smaller finishing touches that can make all the difference for the house’s overall look and curb appeal. And considering painting pros only charge about $25 to $50 per hour, investing in professional help on this project is a worthwhile investment for the finished look of your home. This, plus the assurances offered by an expert, means hiring a local painter is the best move for both interior and exterior trim painting.

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a trim painting pro

There are many benefits to working with an expert when having the trim on your home painted, such as:

• Ensuring clean lines and a great-looking end result

• Precision paint that will hold up over time

• Safety while working on elevated parts of the home

• Access to higher-quality brushes, tools, and paint

• Lower material costs

Cost of Common Add-Ons

Once you have a painting pro at your home to paint trim, you should take advantage of other services they offer. Most painters are skilled at a variety of home painting projects. Consider budgeting for the following add-ons:

• Cost to paint garage door: $120-$500

• Cost to paint a fence: $750-$4,250

• Cost to paint baseboards: $500-$2,000

• Cost to paint a deck: $500-$2,000

• Cost to paint shutters: $125-$600

Tips to Save Money While Painting Trim on a House

Whether hiring a pro or doing it DIY, there are many ways to save on the cost of painting trim. Here are some of our best money-saving tips and tricks.

• Get multiple quotes for the best price.

• Handle prep work and cleanup on your own.

• Invest in high-quality paint for quicker and long-lasting results.

• Paint easily accessible trim areas as a fun DIY project.

• Shop around for deals on tools and supplies.

• Borrow a ladder and other painting equipment from family or friends.