How much will my Interior Painting Project really cost me?

How to measure the walls a house

Our measurement process for houses is very simple. During the measurement, we measure both the length and height of each wall that’s to be painted. The process is repeated in every room of the house. For example, if the height of one wall is 10 feet and the length is 16 feet, the surface area of that wall would be 160 square feet (10 x 16 = 120). If you add the walls pictured below you would end up with 304sf.

What do I need to know about wall paint?

Wall paint, commonly known as interior paint, is specifically designed for use on the walls of a room. There are a variety of features that make wall paint different from other types of paint:

1. Color: Wall paint comes in a vast range of colors, from neutrals to bold hues. The color can be customized to suit the desired look and style of the room.
2. Finish: Wall paint comes in a variety of finishes, including flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss. The finish affects the look and durability of the paint, with high gloss offering the highest level of durability and shine, while flat paint provides a non-reflective finish
3. Coverage: Wall paint is designed to provide excellent coverage over a large area with minimal coats, which saves time and money. The opacity of the paint, which refers to how much it hides the underlying surface, can vary depending on the type of paint and color sheen.
4. Durability: Wall paint is formulated to be durable enough to withstand everyday wear and tear, as well as repeated cleaning. This is especially important in high-traffic areas such as hallways and living rooms.
5. Application: Wall paint is formulated to be easy to apply with a brush, roller, or sprayer, and to dry quickly for fast and efficient painting. It is also important that the paint has low odor and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) for safe and comfortable application.
6. Compatibility: Wall paint is designed to be compatible with a range of surfaces, including drywall, plaster, masonry, and wood. There are also specialty paints available for specific surfaces, such as bathroom and kitchen paints that are designed to resist moisture and humidity.

How to measure the trim and count the 'items'

When calculating trim, we measure baseboards, chair rail, crown molding, and wall stringers (that piece against the wall that the stair treads touch) by the lineal feet. Each type of trim ends up with its own line item so you can track the cost easily.

We measure common sized items by quantity. Things like window and door frames are counted and priced the same. Interior doors and closet doors are also counted individually. Occasionally someone will want to paint the actual window sashes and those are counted individually as each.

What about the paint used for the trim?

Interior trim paint is specifically designed for use on surfaces such as baseboards, window and door frames, crown moldings, which are commonly referred to as “trim” in interior design. Unlike standard wall paint, interior trim paint is formulated to provide a more durable and glossy finish that can withstand wear and tear, frequent cleaning, and exposure to moisture and humidity.

One of the key features of interior trim paint is its ability to dry to a hard, smooth, and non-porous surface that resists scuffs, scratches, and stains. This is achieved using high-quality resins and binders that form a tight bond with the surface, creating a protective barrier that is resistant to damage.

How to measure the ceiling

Our typical process to come up with the measurements of a ceiling is to calculate the surface area being painted. The surface area is then used to determine the amount of paint and labor needed to cover the ceiling.

To calculate the surface area of a ceiling, we need to measure the length and width of each section of the ceiling and multiply the two measurements together. For example, if the length of one section of the ceiling is 10 feet and the width is 12 feet, the surface area of that section would be 120 square feet (10 x 12 = 120).

If the ceiling has a simple rectangular shape, the painter can simply measure the length and width of the entire ceiling and multiply the two measurements together to get the total surface area. However, if the ceiling has a more complex shape or includes multiple levels, we may need to break it down into smaller sections and measure each section separately to get an accurate surface area measurement.

Once the surface area of the ceiling is calculated, we can use this measurement to determine the amount of paint needed for the job. Most paint manufacturers provide coverage estimates on the products, which can be used to determine the amount of paint required for a given surface area.

Is there a different paint for ceilings?

Interior ceiling paint is specially designed for use on the ceiling of a room, and there are several key features that make it different from other types of paint:

1. Consistency: Ceiling paint has a thicker consistency than standard wall paint, which helps prevent drips and splatters during application.
2. Coverage: Ceiling paint is formulated to provide excellent coverage with minimal coats. This is important, as the ceiling is often one of the largest surfaces in a room, and it can be difficult and time-consuming to paint multiple coats.
3. Opacity: Ceiling paint is typically formulated with a high level of opacity, which means it hides imperfections and stains on the ceiling better than standard wall paint.
4. Reflectivity: Ceiling paint is often formulated with a low level of reflectivity, which helps reduce glare and provides soft, even light in a room.
5. Drying time: Ceiling paint is designed to dry quickly, which is important for avoiding drips and making the painting process more efficient.
6. Sheen: Ceiling paint typically has a flat or matte finish, which helps hide imperfections and reduces the appearance of ceiling texture.

Overall, interior ceiling paint offers a variety of features that make it an ideal choice for painting the ceiling of a room. With its thick consistency, excellent coverage, and low reflectivity, it can help create a beautiful and even finish that enhances the overall look of a room.

How much does it cost to paint the walls?

In 2023, the cost of painting the walls of the house ranges from $0.70 to $1.00 per square foot for 2 coats of paint. Using the picture from the section above as an example, imagine that the total square footage comes out 304 square feet. This means that painting those walls will run from $213 to $304.

Wall painting on a full interior house painting project, with 3000 square feet of wall surface, would run between $2100 to $3000.

Other Costs:

Supplies - We consider supplies such as masking tape, masking plastic, masking paper, shields, tarps, garbage bags, and primers. There is good adhesive orange tape and standard yellow tape. There’s good masking plastic and there’s cheap masking plastic. Over the years, we've learned that buying cheap things doesn't pay off. For that reason, we don’t skimp on supplies.

The more surfaces we need to mask off (windows, decks, patios, roofs, etc.) the more supplies we will need. To simplify things, we typically charge $0.10 per square foot (unless the project is on the small side). Taking a 3400 square foot home as an example, the total amount would be $340.

Caulking - Painting the interior trim requires caulking to make things look smooth. Skimp on the quality of the caulk and it may eventually crack. We use the 2nd best residential caulking which has great expansion range. We include this in the trim paint pricing.

Heights - Painting walls that are 18ft high is much more complicated than painting from a height of 8 feet. Painting from tall heights forces the painters to work slower and take more precautions. For this reason, we must add a small fee to account for this extra requirement. Typically, we just charge a flat $150 for the entire project.

How much does it cost to paint the trim and items?

The unit price to paint the baseboards, crown molding, and chair rails will range from $2.30 to $2.60 per square foot. If the total lineal footage of a house comes out 300 lineal feet, then that makes the total range $690 to $780. 

The price for wainscotting, fireplace mantles, and other wall coverings will range from $2.60 to $4.00 per square foot. For 100 square feet, the price would come out to $260 to $400.

Interior doors are priced individually starting from $55 and can run up to $65. We count them all up and add them to the list of items to be painted. If the doors are to be removed from the hinges, to be sprayed out, then add another $20-$25 each.

Window casings are priced from $45 to $55 each, provided they are a standard size. In the event the windows are larger than standard, a higher price will be calculated.

Door casings are usually 17 lineal feet on each side of the door. We charge from $25 to $30 for each casing. 

Closet bi-fold doors (or similar) run from $100 to $120. These types of doors

usually must be removed to be painted properly. 

The interior side of entry doors are commonly painted to match the trim in that room. These are usually the front entry and back entry doors. The price for these doors runs from $85 to $110. 

How much does it cost to paint the ceiling?

The cost of painting the ceilings of a house ranges from $0.90 to $1.25 per square foot for 1 coat of paint. If the ceilings have a popcorn texture, then the paint has to be applied with a sprayer. If the texture is flat or knockdown, then they can be brushed and rolled.

Using the picture from the above section as a reference, imagine that the total square footage for that bedroom comes out 120 square feet. This means that painting that ceiling will run from $108 to $150 for that room. Now imagine that a full interior house could easily have 1800 square feet of ceiling to be painted. That means a full interior ceiling paint project could run between $1600 to $2250.