← Back to Blog·Trade Guides·10 min read·February 18, 2026

How to Price a Painting Job: A Contractor's Complete Guide [2026]

Pricing a painting job accurately is the difference between making money and losing it. Price too high and you don't get the job. Price too low and you're working for free by the end of it.

Most painting contractors learn pricing through trial and error — which usually means a few painful jobs where the numbers didn't work out. This guide gives you a systematic approach so you can price with confidence every time.

The Two Methods: Square Footage vs. Hourly

Square Footage Method

Most professional painters price by square footage of paintable surface area (not floor area). This is the standard in the industry because it accounts for what you're actually painting.

Typical rates per square foot of paintable surface:

•Interior walls (repaint): $2.00 - $4.00/sq ft

•Interior walls (new construction): $1.50 - $3.00/sq ft

•Interior trim and doors: $3.00 - $6.00/linear ft or per door

•Exterior siding (repaint): $3.00 - $6.00/sq ft

•Exterior trim: $3.00 - $5.00/linear ft

•Ceilings: $1.50 - $3.50/sq ft

These rates include labor, materials, and profit. They vary significantly by region, paint quality, and prep work required.

Hourly Method

Some painters prefer to estimate hours and multiply by their hourly rate. This works well for smaller jobs or when the scope is hard to define upfront.

Typical production rates:

•A skilled painter covers 200-400 sq ft per hour on walls (depending on conditions)

•Trim work: 50-100 linear ft per hour

•Prep work (scraping, sanding, caulking): roughly half the speed of painting

Hourly rates for painting contractors typically range from $50-85/hour depending on market and experience. This should cover your labor cost, overhead, and profit.

How to Calculate Your Price: Step by Step

Step 1: Measure the Paintable Surface

For interior rooms, measure wall area: (perimeter × wall height) - windows and doors. A typical 12×14 room with 8-foot ceilings has about 350 sq ft of wall space after subtracting openings.

For exterior, measure each side of the house and subtract windows and doors. Don't forget soffits, fascia, and trim.

Step 2: Assess Prep Work

Prep work is where most painters underestimate. Walk the job and note:

•Holes and cracks to fill (minor vs. major patching)

•Peeling or flaking paint that needs scraping

•Wallpaper removal (adds significant time)

•Caulking around trim, windows, doors

•Sanding for smooth finish

•Priming requirements (stain blocking, bare wood, color change)

•Masking/protection of floors, fixtures, and furniture

A heavy-prep job can take as long to prep as it does to paint. Factor this in or you'll lose money every time.

Step 3: Calculate Material Costs

Paint: One gallon covers approximately 350-400 sq ft per coat. Most jobs require 2 coats. For a 2,000 sq ft interior (walls), you'd need about 10-12 gallons.

Paint cost per gallon:

•Builder grade: $20-30

•Mid-range (Benjamin Moore Ben, SW ProMar): $35-50

•Premium (BM Regal, SW Duration, Emerald): $55-80

Other materials: Primer, caulk, tape, drop cloths, sandpaper, rollers, brushes. Budget $100-300 per job depending on size.

Step 4: Calculate Labor

Estimate total hours based on:

•Prep hours

•Priming hours (if needed)

•Painting hours (based on production rates)

•Cleanup hours

Multiply by your hourly labor cost (not rate — include employer costs, insurance, etc.).

Step 5: Add Overhead and Profit

Your price isn't just materials and labor. Include:

•Overhead (insurance, vehicle, tools, marketing): typically 15-25% of job cost

•Profit margin: typically 10-20%

Many painters use a simple multiplier: Total labor + materials × 1.4 to 1.5 gives you a price that covers overhead and profit.

Room-by-Room Pricing Worksheet

Here's a practical pricing reference you can use for common residential painting jobs. These are total prices including labor, materials, overhead, and profit.

Bedrooms:

•Small bedroom (10×10, walls only): $300 - $600

•Standard bedroom (12×14, walls only): $400 - $800

•Master bedroom (16×18, walls + ceiling): $700 - $1,400

•Add $50-$100 per room for closet interiors

Bathrooms:

•Half bath (walls only): $200 - $400

•Full bathroom (walls + ceiling): $350 - $700

•Note: Bathrooms take longer per square foot due to cutting in around fixtures, mirrors, and tile

Kitchen:

•Walls only (average kitchen): $400 - $900

•Kitchen cabinets (paint, not stain): $1,500 - $4,000

•Cabinet painting is a specialty job — price it separately and don't underestimate the prep

Living Areas:

•Living room (average, walls only): $500 - $1,000

•Great room with vaulted ceilings: $800 - $2,000 (add ladder/scaffold time)

•Dining room: $350 - $700

•Hallways and stairwells: $300 - $800 (awkward access increases time)

Whole House Interior Estimates:

•1,200 sq ft home (2 bed/1 bath): $2,500 - $5,000

•2,000 sq ft home (3 bed/2 bath): $4,000 - $8,000

•3,000 sq ft home (4 bed/3 bath): $6,000 - $12,000

Exterior:

•Small home (under 1,500 sq ft): $2,500 - $5,000

•Average home (1,500-2,500 sq ft): $4,000 - $8,000

•Large home (2,500+ sq ft): $7,000 - $15,000

•Add 20-40% for homes with heavy prep, lead paint, or 3+ stories

Use these as starting points and adjust for your local market, paint quality, and prep requirements.

Interior vs. Exterior Pricing Differences

Interior painting is generally more predictable. Rooms have standard sizes, walls are usually in decent condition, and weather isn't a factor. The main variables are prep work, paint quality, and ceiling height.

Exterior painting has more variables: surface condition (wood vs. vinyl vs. stucco), height (ladders, scaffolding, lifts), weather delays, lead paint considerations on older homes, and more extensive prep work. Price exterior work 20-40% higher than comparable interior work.

5 Pricing Mistakes That Kill Profit

1. Underestimating prep time. This is the number one pricing mistake. If you bid 2 days and spend 3, your profit just disappeared.

2. Not specifying paint quality. If you bid with premium paint prices but the client expects builder grade, you have a problem. Always specify brand and product in your proposal.

3. Forgetting travel time. If the job site is 45 minutes away, that's 1.5 hours per day of unpaid driving. Factor it into your price.

4. Not accounting for coats. One coat rarely provides full coverage, especially on color changes. Always bid 2 coats minimum and charge accordingly.

5. Lump sum bids with no breakdown. When you just say "$5,000 for the house interior," the client has no idea what they're getting. Itemize your proposal to show the value.

Put Your Pricing Into a Professional Proposal

Once you've calculated your price, put it into a proposal that wins the job. BidSnap generates professional painting proposals in 60 seconds — just describe the job and your price, and get a branded PDF with scope of work, itemized pricing, timeline, and terms.

Try the free painting proposal generator — no signup required.