Painting · Comparisons

Painting comparisons

DIY makes sense for single interior rooms in a modern home with sound walls. It stops making sense for exteriors, two-story access, cabinets, and any pre-1978 home where paint will be disturbed — that last one is a legal and health line, not a skill line. Spraying is faster and smoother but needs far more masking; brush and roll is slower but more forgiving.

Get my free quote

DIY vs pro (interior). A bedroom with good walls is a reasonable weekend project. Your real costs are your time, ladders, drop cloths, tape and the risk of a finish you look at every day. Where DIY reliably goes wrong is ceilings, stairwells, and any big color change that needs three coats to cover.

DIY vs pro (exterior). Skip it. Height, weather windows, wood repair, and the prep volume make exteriors a poor DIY trade. This Old House puts a professional exterior repaint at roughly $4,400–$8,800 for a 2,000-square-foot home, and a properly applied job should last five to 10 years. A rushed DIY job that fails in two years is not a saving.

Spray vs brush and roll. Spraying lays down the smoothest film and is the standard for cabinets, doors and large exterior surfaces. It also requires extensive masking, and overspray damage is a real risk. Brush and roll is standard for occupied interiors. Some contractors "back-roll" sprayed exterior coats to push paint into the surface — ask which method they'll use and why.

Repaint vs replace. If siding or trim is widely rotted, repainting is money on top of a problem. Get a carpenter or siding contractor's opinion before you pay for a paint job over failing substrate. Painting is a coating, not a repair.

How to choose

Use house age as the first filter: Pre-1978 plus any scraping or sanding means a certified firm. That removes the DIY-vs-pro question entirely for those surfaces.
Count coats, not gallons: Ask every bidder for the same coat count on the same surfaces or the comparison is meaningless.
Judge spraying by the masking plan: Good sprayers spend more time masking than spraying. If the plan sounds casual, expect overspray on your windows, roof and car.
Compare cost per year, not cost: An exterior job that lasts five to 10 years should be priced against that horizon, not against the cheapest bid on the table.
Get a second trade's opinion on substrate: Painters are not carpenters or roofers. If rot or leaks are involved, price the repair separately before committing.

0 of 5 live

All painting comparisons

Latex vs Oil Based Paint

Paint vs Siding Replacement

Spray vs Brush and Roll

One Coat vs Two Coats

Diy vs Professional Painting

FAQ

Painting comparisons — common questions

Still have a question? Talk to our team →

Is spraying cabinets really better than brushing?

For finish quality, yes — sprayed cabinets have no brush marks. But it requires removal, degreasing, deglossing, bonding primer and a controlled space. A cheap sprayed job with no prep chips faster than a careful brushed one.

Can I paint over vinyl or aluminum siding?

Often yes, with the right preparation and products, but it's a real decision — some vinyl can warp with dark colors, and a painted surface needs maintenance a bare one didn't. Get a contractor who has done it repeatedly on your siding type.

Is one coat ever enough?

Only on a same-color refresh over a sound, clean surface. Two coats is the professional default. If a bid quotes one coat on a color change, expect patchiness.

Is a painting franchise better than a local crew?

Neither is inherently better. Franchises tend to have clearer paperwork and insurance; independents often have more experienced hands. Judge on prep scope, references on the same kind of job, and written warranty terms.

Sources

Where these figures come from

This Old House — Cost to Paint House Exterior (updated 03/06/2026) · retrieved 2026-07-25
EPA — RRP Program: Contractors · retrieved 2026-07-25