House painting cost

Treat any national average as a sanity check, not a quote. This Old House puts interior painting at $1–$4 per square foot of floor space and $1,800–$10,000 for a full interior (updated April 2026). Room-level figures from the same source: bathrooms $50–$650, bedrooms $300–$1,500, kitchens $200–$750, living rooms $600–$2,000. Improovy, a painting contractor, publishes a higher walls-only figure of about $3.75 per square foot and about $6.75 per square foot when trim and ceilings are included, and $4,400–$6,600 for a three-bedroom interior.

Those two sources disagree, and that is the useful part. "Per square foot" can mean floor area or painted-surface area, and it may or may not include ceilings and trim. When a contractor gives you a per-square-foot number, ask which one they mean before you compare it to anything.

For exteriors, This Old House puts the range at $2.20–$4.40 per square foot, about $4,400–$8,800 on a typical 2,000-square-foot home (updated March 2026). Exterior prices swing hard on siding material, story height, how much wood needs repair, and how much failed paint has to come off.

The biggest cost variable nobody quotes upfront is condition. Peeling, chalking, rotted trim, failed caulk and previous bad paint jobs all add labor hours. A contractor who walks the house slowly and asks about past problems is usually the one whose number will hold.

How to choose

Get three bids, and read the prep section first

Price differences of 40% or more between bids are usually prep differences, not markup. Compare scope before you compare totals.

Be suspicious of a same-day price on an old exterior

Nobody can price scraping and wood repair from the driveway. Expect a written allowance for carpentry or a change-order rate.

Ask for the price broken into prep, materials and coats

It makes bids comparable and it tells you what gets cut if you ask to reduce the price.

Beware deposits over a reasonable share of the job

Some states cap contractor deposits. Check your state's rules; large upfront payments are the most common way homeowners lose money on painting.

Price the whole surface list

Ceilings, trim, doors, closets and stair rails are frequently excluded. Ask what is not included and get that written down.