Ask how many coats are included
Most repaints need two coats. A big color change, a dark color or new drywall may need primer plus two coats, which adds time and paint.
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Interior Walls · Ceilings · Trim · Exterior Siding · Prep & PrimerHouse painting cost calculator
Exterior painting usually runs $1.50 to $4 per square foot of the home, and most jobs land between $1,800 and $4,500. Interior painting is quoted from about $2 to $6 per square foot of floor area, depending on whether ceilings and trim are included. Paint is the small part. Labor, and especially the prep before the first coat, is most of the bill.
Reviewed 25 October 2026 · Written by Mantu Kumar
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Written and maintained byMantu Kumar
Evidence review16 October 2026
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Key facts at a glance
- Exterior painting averages about $3,177, with most jobs between $1,800 and $4,500, or $1.50–$4 per sq ft.
- Interior painting averages about $2,021 and runs $2–$6 per sq ft of floor area depending on what is included.
- Labor is typically 75%–95% of a professional interior paint job.
- Paint costs about $15–$60+ per gallon and primer $20–$60; a gallon of paint covers roughly 350–400 sq ft.
- A second story and harder siding (rough wood, stucco, lots of trim) raise exterior prices.
Sources: NerdWallet 2026 house painting costs (citing Angi data and Lowe’s coverage figures); ReplaceCost 2026 planning ranges.
2026 planning ranges
- 1Patch & sand · prep
- 2Primer on patches & stains
- 3Two finish coats · walls
- 4Ceilings, flat white
- 5Doors & trim in semi-gloss
- 6Exterior: wash, scrape, caulk
- 7Two-story exterior
- 8Paint line + sheen
- 9Moving furniture + covers
Typical installed: Interior $2–$6 / sq ft of floor Exterior $1.50–$4 / sq ft Most exteriors $1,800–$4,500
House painting cost estimator
No email · nothing sentDiagram, part by part
House painting: every numbered part explained
The house painting drawing above has 9 numbered parts, from Patch & sand to Furniture and floor protection. Each card below frames one of them, and after you run the calculator it shows what that part adds to your estimate.
1 Patch & sand
Inside the prep line
Holes, cracks and dents are filled and sanded, and furniture and floors are covered before anything is painted. Good prep is what makes the finish look smooth.
What moves it: The number and size of repairs and the condition of the walls.
On the quote: Ask how much patching is included and what counts as extra.
2 Primer on patches & stains
Added with heavy prep
Primer seals patches so they do not show through, and stain-blocking primer stops water marks and smoke stains from bleeding into the new paint.
What moves it: How many patches and stains there are.
On the quote: Check that stain-blocking primer is used on water marks.
3 Two finish coats
The main painting line
Two finish coats give even color and full hide. Big color changes, especially light over dark or deep reds and yellows, may need a third coat.
What moves it: Wall area, color change and paint quality.
On the quote: Ask for the paint brand, product line and sheen for each room.
4 Ceilings, flat white
Included with the ceilings scope
Ceilings usually get flat white, which hides imperfections. Rolling ceilings is slower than walls, and water-stained ceilings need stain-blocking primer first.
What moves it: Ceiling area, height and stains.
On the quote: Check whether ceilings are included in the price.
5 Doors & trim in semi-gloss
Added with trim and doors
Doors and trim are brushed or sprayed in semi-gloss or satin, which stands up to cleaning. It is detailed work and priced on its own.
What moves it: The number of doors and windows and the amount of trim.
On the quote: Ask whether trim is sprayed or brushed and how many coats it gets.
6 Exterior: wash, scrape, caulk
Part of exterior prep
Exterior painting starts with washing, scraping loose paint, replacing rotten trim and caulking gaps. Homes built before 1978 need lead-safe practices when paint is disturbed.
What moves it: Paint condition, siding type and the age of the house.
On the quote: Ask about lead-safe work practices on older homes and how rotten wood is handled.
7 Two-story exteriors
About 25% more
Second-story walls need tall ladders, staging or a lift, and every move of the ladder takes time. Steep lots and landscaping close to the house add more setup.
What moves it: Wall height, site access and the number of ladder moves.
On the quote: Ask how upper walls will be reached and whether a lift is in the price.
8 Paint quality and sheen
Better paint lasts longer
Premium paint covers better and lasts longer, which can save a coat. Flat hides flaws, eggshell and satin are easier to clean, and semi-gloss suits trim, doors and bathrooms.
What moves it: The product line and the sheen for each surface.
On the quote: Ask for the paint brand and product line in writing, not just the color name.
9 Furniture and floor protection
Usually included
Painters move furniture to the middle of the room, cover floors with drop cloths and mask outlets, fixtures and hardware. Fragile items, art and electronics are usually left to you to move.
What moves it: How full the rooms are and what you move yourself.
On the quote: Ask what you need to move before the crew arrives.
Prep, coats and scope
Separate a $2,000 wall refresh from a $9,000 full repaint
Two painters can quote the same house very differently because one is pricing walls only and the other includes ceilings, trim, doors, repairs and a primer coat. Line the scopes up before you compare the numbers.
The three close-ups below show the wall, the trim line and the floor protection to check before you approve a price. These close-ups are crops of the same AI-generated illustration.
Find out whether trim is in the price
Baseboards, window casings and doors take far longer per foot than open wall. Some quotes include them; many list them separately.
Look at what happens before painting
Moving furniture, covering floors, filling holes and sanding all take time. A quote with no prep listed is usually a quote for less work.
Before you sign a quote or file a claim, verify these three details
- Scope
- Walls, ceilings, trim, doors and closets: which are included
- Coats and primer
- Number of finish coats and whether primer is included
- Paint
- Brand and product line, and whether paint is in the price or bought separately
On this page
- 2026 painting cost by home size
- Interior vs exterior painting
- What moves a painting quote
- Worked example: a 1,500 sq ft interior repaint
- When insurance pays for paint
- House painting cost by region
- What “Interior scope” does to the price
- What “Inside or outside” does to the price
- How age changes the house painting claim payout
- Quote checklist: 7 items to verify
- How long the job takes
- Common mistakes that raise the cost
- Ways to keep the cost down
- Signs it is time to repaint
- Sources
- Frequently asked questions
House painting cost by home size (2026)
These ranges use the home’s square footage. For interiors, the low end is walls only; the high end includes ceilings and trim.
| Home size | Exterior | Interior |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,500 – $4,000 | $2,000 – $6,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $3,000 – $8,000 | $4,000 – $12,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $4,500 – $12,000 | $6,000 – $18,000 |
Interior vs exterior painting
Exterior painting is priced by the size of the home and the surface. Smooth fiber cement and vinyl-ready siding go quickly; rough cedar, stucco and houses with lots of trim take longer. A second story means ladders or staging and more time per square foot. Scraping, caulking and repairing rotted trim are often the difference between a cheap quote and a durable paint job.
Interior painting is quoted by floor area or by room. Walls alone are the cheapest scope. Ceilings, trim, doors and closets each add labor, and a room with lots of cutting-in around cabinets and windows takes longer than an open wall.
What moves a painting quote
- Prep. Washing, scraping, patching, sanding and caulking. Older homes and neglected exteriors need far more.
- Coats and color changes. Going from dark to light or onto new drywall usually needs primer.
- Height and access. Two-story exteriors, stairwells and high ceilings.
- Paint quality. Better paint costs more per gallon but can hide better and last longer, so it is rarely where to save.
- Older homes. Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint, which requires lead-safe work practices from a certified renovator when it is disturbed.
Worked example: interior repaint of a 1,500 sq ft home
These are the calculator’s default inputs: an interior job on 1,500 sq ft of floor area, walls and ceilings, light prep, a similar color, national pricing.
Interior · 1,500 sq ft · walls and ceilings
Worked example| Line item | 2026 planning range |
|---|---|
| Walls and ceilings, two coats (1,500 sq ft) | $3,000 – $7,500 |
| Prep: filling, sanding, covering | $300 – $900 |
| Planning total | $3,300 – $8,400 |
Adding trim and doors would move it toward the top of the range. Painting only the walls in the main rooms can come in well below.
When does insurance pay for painting?
- Fading, peeling and chalking are wear and tear, so a repaint for appearance is not covered.
- Repainting after a covered loss is. If a burst pipe or a fire damages a wall, the policy normally pays to repaint the repaired area, and often the whole wall or room so it matches, subject to the deductible.
- Exterior storm damage such as hail spatter on siding can be part of a claim, but matching rules vary by state. See the matching laws calculator.
House painting cost by region
The calculator's default house painting job, repriced for each of its six regions. At the national average it runs $3,300 – $8,400; South / Lower Midwest is the lowest at $2,871 – $7,308, and West Coast metro is the highest at $4,290 – $10,920, a gap of about $2,516 at the midpoint.
| Region | Planning range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| National average | $3,300 – $8,400 | $5,850 |
| South / Lower Midwest | $2,871 – $7,308 | $5,090 |
| Mountain / Plains | $3,135 – $7,980 | $5,558 |
| Mid-Atlantic / Upper Midwest | $3,696 – $9,408 | $6,552 |
| Northeast metro | $4,158 – $10,584 | $7,371 |
| West Coast metro | $4,290 – $10,920 | $7,605 |
What “Interior scope” does to the price
Every other input stays at its default and only “Interior scope” changes. The cheapest choice, Walls only, comes to $2,550 – $6,900; the most expensive, Walls, ceilings, trim and doors, comes to $4,050 – $9,900.
| Choice | Planning range | Midpoint vs default |
|---|---|---|
| Walls only | $2,550 – $6,900 | −$1,125 |
| Walls and ceilings (default) | $3,300 – $8,400 | — |
| Walls, ceilings, trim and doors | $4,050 – $9,900 | +$1,125 |
What “Inside or outside” does to the price
Every other input stays at its default and only “Inside or outside” changes. The cheapest choice, Exterior, comes to $2,450 – $6,600; the most expensive, Interior, comes to $3,300 – $8,400.
| Choice | Planning range | Midpoint vs default |
|---|---|---|
| Interior (default) | $3,300 – $8,400 | — |
| Exterior | $2,450 – $6,600 | −$1,325 |
How age changes the house painting claim payout
Using the default job, a $1,000 deductible and a 10-year expected life. At 10 years old, about $4,680 is held back as depreciation; a replacement cost policy releases it after the work is finished, while an actual cash value policy keeps it.
| Age | Wear | First check | Held back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 years | 20% | $3,680 | $1,170 |
| 5 years | 50% | $1,925 | $2,925 |
| 10 years | 80% | $170 | $4,680 |
| 15 years | 80% | $170 | $4,680 |
| 20 years | 80% | $170 | $4,680 |
| 30 years | 80% | $170 | $4,680 |
Quote checklist: 7 items to verify
Painting quotes are easiest to compare when the scope is written room by room.
- Scope by room or wall. Walls, ceilings, trim and doors listed for each room.
- Prep. Patching, sanding, caulking and spot priming included.
- Products. Paint brand, product line and sheen for each surface.
- Coats. Number of coats, especially for color changes.
- Protection. Furniture moving, floor covers and masking.
- Lead-safe practices. Required for homes built before 1978 when paint is disturbed.
- Warranty and touch-ups. Workmanship warranty and leftover paint left labeled.
How long the job takes
| Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Color choice and samples | 1 – 7 days | Test patches on the actual walls. |
| Prep | 0.5 – 2 days | Repairs, sanding and masking. |
| Interior painting | 1 – 2 days per few rooms | Two coats with drying time. |
| Exterior painting | 3 – 10 days | Wash, scrape, prime and paint, weather permitting. |
| Walkthrough | 1 hour | Touch-ups before final payment. |
Exterior paint needs dry weather and temperatures within the product's range, so allow extra days in spring and fall.
Common mistakes that raise the cost
- Skipping prep. Paint over dirt, gloss or loose paint peels early.
- Too few coats. Color changes often need a third coat.
- Wrong sheen. Flat paint in kitchens and baths is hard to clean.
- Ignoring lead rules. Pre-1978 homes need lead-safe work practices.
- Painting in bad weather. Cold, damp or very hot days ruin exterior paint.
Ways to keep the cost down
Prep and planning reduce painting costs.
- Move furniture yourself. Less labor.
- Keep the same color. Fewer coats.
- Paint in off-peak months. Interior work in winter.
- Use quality paint. Fewer coats and longer life.
- Group rooms. Less setup.
- Repair small damage first. Less prep.
Signs it is time to repaint
Paint protects as well as looks good.
- Peeling or cracking. Exterior protection lost.
- Fading. Sun damage.
- Stains that will not wash. Interior.
- Exposed wood. Rot risk.
- Chalky surface. Old paint breaking down.
Sources and further reading
- NerdWallet — Cost to paint a house in 2026
- U.S. EPA — Lead renovation, repair and painting program
- NAIC — Actual cash value vs replacement cost coverage
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a house in 2026?
Most exterior paint jobs cost $1,800 to $4,500, with an average around $3,177. By size, expect about $1.50 to $4 per square foot of the home. A second story and rough or detailed siding push the price up.
How much does it cost to paint the inside of a house?
Interior painting averages about $2,021 and typically runs $2 to $6 per square foot of floor area. Walls only sit at the low end; ceilings, trim and doors move it up.
How much paint do I need?
A gallon of paint typically covers about 350 to 400 square feet per coat, and primer about 200 to 300. Most rooms need two coats.
Why is labor such a large part of the price?
Painting is mostly preparation and careful cutting-in. On professional interior jobs, labor is typically 75% to 95% of the total, so the paint itself is rarely the deciding cost.
Do I need to worry about lead paint?
If your home was built before 1978, older layers may contain lead. Work that disturbs it should be done by a contractor certified under the EPA’s lead renovation rules.
Does insurance pay to repaint after water damage?
Usually yes, when the water damage itself is covered. The policy pays to repaint the repaired surfaces, often the whole wall or room, minus the deductible.
Should ceilings be painted first?
Yes. Painters usually paint ceilings, then walls, then trim, so drips land on surfaces not yet finished.
How long does exterior paint last?
Often 5 to 10 years, depending on the siding, sun exposure, prep and paint quality. South- and west-facing walls fade first.
How long should paint dry between coats?
Most latex paints can be recoated in a few hours, but humidity and temperature affect drying.
Is primer always needed?
Primer is needed on new drywall, patches, stains and big color changes. Paint-and-primer products help on sound painted surfaces.
What sheen is best for bathrooms?
Satin or semi-gloss resists moisture and is easier to clean.
Can I paint over wallpaper?
It is possible but often causes bubbles and seams to show. Removing wallpaper is usually better.
How often should interiors be repainted?
Many homes repaint living areas every five to ten years, high-traffic areas sooner.
How many coats does a new color need?
Most color changes need two coats over a primer. Strong colors such as deep reds and yellows, or light colors over dark walls, may need a third coat or a tinted primer to cover evenly.
Is spraying faster than rolling?
Spraying is faster on large exterior walls, fences and trim, but masking windows and plants takes time. Many painters spray and then back-roll so the paint fills the surface evenly.
What temperature is best for exterior painting?
Most exterior latex paints need air and surface temperatures above about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, with no rain expected while the paint cures. Some products are rated for lower temperatures; the can lists the range.
Related planning tools
Next steps for your estimate
The next questions after a house painting estimate usually land on one of these.
Drywall repair calculatorFix holes and cracks before painting.Siding replacement calculatorCompare repainting with new siding.Water damage calculatorPrice repairs before the repaint.Matching laws calculatorSee if a claim pays to paint the whole wall.Flooring replacement calculatorPlan floors and paint together.Window replacement calculatorPaint trim after new windows go in.Popcorn ceiling removal calculatorTest, scrape or abate before you paint a ceiling.
Key topics covered
Popular painting searches answered on this page
Planning topics covered in the calculator and guide above.
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