Painting Price Estimator
Choose interior or exterior, enter the size, then add ceilings, trim, doors and extras.
Estimated Job Price
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Estimates are for planning only. Actual pricing depends on site conditions.
What you’ll get from this calculator
- Most painting contractors charge $2–$6 per sq ft for interior work and $1.50–$4 per sq ft for exteriors in 2026.
- A single room usually runs $400–$1,200: about $400–$800 for a 10×12 bedroom and $600–$1,500 for a living room.
- Price ceilings and trim on top: $1–$3 per sq ft for ceilings, $1–$3 per linear ft for trim, and $100–$300 per door.
- Set a $250–$500 minimum so small jobs still cover setup, travel and cleanup.
How to Price a Painting Job (5 Steps)
Use the same five inputs this calculator uses, in this order, and every painting quote comes out consistent:
- 1. Measure the floor area of the rooms you're painting, or the home's living area for an exterior. It's the fastest base to get on a walkthrough or over the phone.
- 2. Pick your rate per square foot: $2–$6 inside and $1.50–$4 outside. Start in the middle and move up for tall walls, detailed trim or premium paint.
- 3. Adjust for prep. Patching, peeling paint or a dark-to-light color change all add hours. This calculator adds 25% for heavy prep and takes 10% off a light refresh. Those are starting points, so set your own.
- 4. Add ceilings, trim and doors as their own lines so the customer sees what each one costs and can say yes to each.
- 5. Apply your minimum charge, then check the margin. Most painting businesses aim for a 20–40% profit.
The Painting Pricing Formula
Price = sq ft × rate × prep + ceilings (sq ft × ceiling rate) + trim (linear ft × trim rate) + doors × door rate + add-ons, with your minimum charge as the floor.
Labor is 70–90% of a painting bill, so your rate per square foot is really your labor rate in disguise. Check it against an hourly target: estimate the crew hours, multiply by what you need per painter-hour (Angi reports $25–$100), add paint and supplies, and make sure the square-foot price covers the total.
Every rate is editable under Advanced settings, so the calculator prices jobs the way you do.
2026 Painting Rates (US Contractor Pricing)
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Interior, per sq ft | $2–$6 |
| Exterior, per sq ft | $1.50–$4 |
| Bedroom (10×12) | $400–$800 |
| Living room | $600–$1,500 |
| Kitchen (walls) | $500–$1,200 |
| Whole interior, 1,500–2,000 sq ft home | $3,000–$8,000 |
| Full exterior repaint | $2,500–$10,000+ |
| Ceilings | $1–$3 per sq ft |
| Trim and baseboards | $1–$3 per linear ft |
| Door | $100–$300 each |
| Kitchen cabinets | $3,000–$10,000 |
| Accent wall | $100–$300 |
| Minimum job charge | $250–$500 |
Ranges from Housecall Pro's 2026 painting price guide (which aggregates Angi, HomeAdvisor and Thumbtack) and Angi's 2026 cost data. Your market, ceiling height and finish quality move you within them.
Example: 1,500 Sq Ft Interior Repaint, Standard Prep
| Line | Math | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | 1,500 sq ft × $3.00 | $4,500 |
| Ceilings | 1,500 sq ft × $1.50 | $2,250 |
| Trim and baseboards | 400 linear ft × $1.50 | $600 |
| Doors | 6 × $150 | $900 |
| Walls only | $4,500 | |
| Walls + ceilings + trim + doors | $8,250 |
Walls alone land mid-range for a whole interior. Adding ceilings, trim and doors takes the same home to the top of the range, which is why itemizing matters: the customer can drop the ceilings instead of asking you to cut your rate.
Painting Pricing FAQs
How much should I charge per square foot to paint a house interior?▼
How much do painters charge per room?▼
How much should I charge to paint kitchen cabinets?▼
How much does exterior painting cost per square foot?▼
Should I charge by the hour or per square foot?▼
What profit margin should a painting business make?▼
Turn the Price into a Painting Quote
Save your rates once and turn any estimate into an itemized painting quote your customer can approve. Creating quotes is free; downloading or sending one takes a $4.99 Invoice Pass.
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