How much does Ceiling & wall painting cost?

Every room looks better with a fresh coat of paint. Whether you’re creating an accent wall, covering up a kid’s crayon drawings, or just looking for a color change, painting is an affordable way to get a fresh, new look. Not only does an inside paint job improve your home’s aesthetics, it also protects interior walls from moisture or wear-and-tear. 

While it may be tempting to try painting walls yourself, hiring a professional painter is often worth the investment. Not only will a pro make sure you have the right type, color, and amount of paint for the space, they’ll also pay attention to corners, seams, doorways, and fixtures, ensuring clean, crisp lines and uniform coverage. 

Best of all, they’ll come with all the supplies needed—drop cloths, paint brushes, rollers, and ladders—and clean up the mess afterward.

This guide will help you estimate the professional cost of painting a single wall, entire room, or your whole home interior. 

A professional paint job costs $2 per square foot, on average. Painting a single wall can cost as little as $80, and up to $250 for textured surfaces. The cost of painting a standard 12×12-foot room ranges from $250–$1,000, while painting the total interior of a 2,500-square-foot house can top $7,000. 

For ceilings, trim, and baseboards, plan to pay $3 per square foot, because these areas require more equipment, preparation, and attention to detail. High-quality stenciling, artwork, or murals also require more time and skill, and can cost more than $100 per square foot. 

In general, wall painting cost will be affected by room layout, wall height, existing wall colors, and geographic location. The quoted price will also include the costs of primer, paint, tools, painter’s tape, drywall repair (if needed), and labor. 

Some room types have more square footage than others, even in a small home. These spaces will cost more to paint. The type of residence you live in can also affect the overall cost.

Wall painting costs range from $200–1,600, based on size and type of room.

A bathroom with mostly tiled walls, or a kitchen with a lot of cabinets and backsplashes, would require less paint. Basements, on the other hand, are typically more expensive, because walls often must be repaired—and sealed and treated for moisture—prior to painting.

Here are some average costs by room type: 

Your type of home—single-family house, apartment, or condo—and it’s square footage, also determines costs. While painting the interior of an entire house is relatively expensive, many homeowners consider it a worthwhile investment in raised appeal and value.

Here are some average costs by residence type: 

Surface area is another major cost factor to consider when prepping for this home-improvement project. Measuring the room will determine how much paint to purchase.

As a yardstick, a single gallon of paint will cover approximately 400 square feet, depending on surface condition and number of coats needed. You can generally paint a small 400-square-foot room with 2 coats using 1 gallon of paint, but will need 2–3 gallons (or paint cans) for an average 1,200-square-foot room. 

More paint is required for textured or porous wall surfaces, doors, trim, and ceilings. You can reduce that amount by using primer and high-quality paint. 

Paint comes in a range of finishes, including flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss. While flat or eggshell paint is ideal for a living room, the bathroom may benefit from moisture-resistant, high-gloss paint. 

On average, interior paint costs $30 per gallon, depending on the color, finish, and brand. High gloss paints and paint with primer tend to be more expensive than simple paint with a flat or eggshell finish. Primer, which ensures that paint adheres evenly to the wall surface, generally costs $12–30 per gallon. 

Average prices per gallon by type of paint:

Among paint brands, Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore are at the high end of the cost range; brands like Glidden are on the lower end. Prices for color and finish also vary. Expect to pay more for specially mixed and custom paint colors as well as for higher quality. 

Labor accounts for approximately 80% of the painting cost. Contractors calculate the price of an interior paint project in one of three ways:

In addition to painting, contractors do a lot of prep work—patching holes, sanding surfaces, removing wallpaper, taping, and priming surfaces. They typically apply 2 coats of paint and touch-ups, with time to dry in between. Contractors also mark up the cost of paint by approximately 30%, in order to cover time and cost of procuring paint and paint supplies. 

Other elements that affect the cost of painting include: 

There are several ways to reduce your expenses for an interior painting project:

How much does it cost to paint a wall?

For a single wall, painters typically charge about $2 per square foot. Rates are higher for textured surfaces, ceilings, baseboards, trim, and doors.

How much do painters charge to paint a 12×12-foot room?

A 12×12-foot room, which is about the size of a small bedroom, will typically cost $400–1,000 for professional painting. This price includes labor, approximately 3 gallons of paint, and preparation work. Plan to pay more for texture, ceilings, doors, and baseboards. 

How much does it cost to hire someone to paint?

On average, interior painting contractors charge $25–55 per hour, or $1–3 per square foot of wall surface. Specialty painting such as textures, stenciling, or murals can exceed $100 per hour. 

How much does it cost to paint a 1,600-square-foot house?

The average cost of painting the interior of a 1,600-square-foot house is about $3,000. Expect to pay more for doors, trim, baseboards, ceilings, and custom features.

Find a painting professional in your area. 

Need other painting services? These guides and articles can help you make the right purchasing decisions: