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Painting FAQ

The four questions that matter most: interior painting runs about $1–$4 per square foot of floor space and exterior about $2.20–$4.40 per square foot in 2026; a properly applied exterior job should last five to 10 years; homes built before 1978 legally require an EPA or state Lead-Safe Certified firm for paid work that disturbs paint; and prep, not paint brand, decides whether the job lasts.

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Most painting disputes trace back to three things: scope that wasn't written down, prep that wasn't specified, and payment made before the punch list was done. Fix those three and you've eliminated most of the risk.

The one non-negotiable is house age. If your home predates 1978, EPA rules require certified firms and lead-safe work practices for paid work that disturbs paint, because sanding and scraping old paint creates lead dust. Verify certification before you sign anything.

How to choose

Write the scope, then get three bids on it
Same surface list to everyone. Otherwise you're comparing different jobs.
Verify certification and insurance independently
Lead-Safe Certification through EPA or your state program; insurance certificate direct from the agent.
Inspect prep before the first finish coat
It's your only chance to see what you paid for.
Hold a final payment for the punch list
Modest, proportionate, and agreed in the contract.
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Painting faq — common questions

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This Old House puts interiors at $1,800–$10,000 for a whole home, or about $1–$4 per square foot of floor space, and exteriors at $4,400–$8,800 for a typical 2,000-square-foot house, or $2.20–$4.40 per square foot.
This Old House puts a properly applied exterior paint job at five to 10 years, depending on paint type, surface material and climate. Interior paint is limited by wear and cleaning rather than weathering.
EPA states that roughly three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint. Intact paint that isn't disturbed is generally lower risk; sanding, scraping and heating it creates the hazard.
A bid that lists coats and paint but says almost nothing about prep, on a house that clearly needs prep. Second red flag: a large deposit demanded before any work starts.
You can, and it sometimes works on well-adhered paper with a proper primer, but seams and edges usually telegraph through and removal later becomes much harder. Removal is the safer default.
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Where these figures come from

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