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Painting Cost Calculator — Interior & Exterior House Painting
Calculate total painting costs for a single room, a whole interior, or an exterior repaint. See your total cost range, cost per square foot, and a full itemized breakdown.
Educational calculators — always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
This is the biggest driver of your total cost.
Full interior repaint for an average 2,000 sq ft home. $3,000–$8,000 typical.
Premium paint costs more upfront but lasts longer and covers better.
Good quality, mid-range paint. The baseline most painters quote by default.
For a single room, use floor area (a typical room is 100–200 sq ft). For a whole house or exterior, use total home square footage.
These are commonly bundled with a paint job.
No add-ons — just the base paint job.
Total project cost
$4,000 – $8,000
Interior — Whole House including all selected add-ons
Cost Breakdown
Estimates reflect national averages for educational purposes only. Local labor rates, surface condition, and paint brand vary. Always get 2–3 quotes before proceeding.
Your Saved Scenarios
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What you'll need
- ·Project type (a single interior room, a whole interior, or an exterior repaint)
- ·Paint quality tier (budget/builder-grade, standard, or premium/designer)
- ·Approximate square footage of the space being painted
What you'll get
- ✓Total cost range — Full project estimate including add-ons
- ✓Cost per square foot — Blended rate across the whole job
- ✓Itemized breakdown — Base painting, ceiling, trim, primer, and prep
Painting cost overview
Looking to paint kitchen cabinets specifically? Try our Cabinet Painting Estimate Calculator instead — it's tuned for cabinet-specific pricing.
How it works
Choose your project type
Interior single room, whole-house interior, or exterior siding and trim.
Pick a paint quality tier
Budget, standard, or premium/designer paint changes the cost per square foot.
Add extras
Ceiling paint, trim & molding, a primer coat, or exterior pressure washing prep.
Painting Cost by Project Type
| Project Type | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Interior — single room | $300 – $800 |
| Interior — whole house (~2,000 sq ft) | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| Exterior — siding & trim (~2,000 sq ft) | $2,500 – $8,000 |
Premium paint adds roughly 30% versus standard; budget/builder-grade paint runs about 15% less.
About this calculator
How much does it cost to paint a house?+
Painting the interior of an average 2,000 sq ft house costs $3,000–$8,000, while a full exterior repaint runs $2,500–$8,000 depending on siding material, home size, and paint quality. Total cost scales with square footage, number of stories, and how much trim and prep work is involved.
How much does it cost to paint one room?+
Painting a single average-sized room (about 12×12 feet) typically costs $300–$800, including walls, paint, and labor. Adding the ceiling, trim, or a primer coat for a major color change can add several hundred dollars more.
Is it cheaper to paint a house yourself?+
DIY painting can cut costs by 50–70% since labor is typically the largest share of a professional quote. A DIY interior room might cost $100–$250 in paint and supplies versus $300–$800 professionally. However, exterior and multi-story jobs often require scaffolding, ladders, and experience that make hiring a pro worth the added cost.
How much does exterior painting cost per square foot?+
Exterior painting typically costs $1.50–$4.00 per square foot of exterior wall area, depending on siding material, home height, paint quality, and how much surface prep (scraping, patching, pressure washing) is needed.
How often should you repaint your house exterior?+
Most exteriors need repainting every 5–10 years. Wood siding typically needs repainting every 3–7 years, vinyl and fiber cement every 8–10 years, and stucco every 5–6 years. Harsh climates, direct sun exposure, and coastal salt air shorten the interval.
What's the difference between budget and premium paint?+
Budget or builder-grade paint costs less upfront but typically needs more coats, offers less durability, and fades or wears faster — often needing a repaint in 3–5 years. Premium or designer paint costs about 30% more but provides richer color, better coverage in fewer coats, and can last 8–10+ years, often making it the better long-term value.
Want to try different numbers?
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Painting Cost Calculator is built and maintained by the RealCostIQ editorial team. Cost ranges and rates are checked against published industry data and contractor quotes, and revised when the underlying figures move. Read our data methodology or more about who builds this. Every calculation runs in your browser — no account, and none of your inputs are stored.
Cost ranges and rates here are checked against contractor quotes and published industry data. If a number still looks off, email Support@RealCostIQ.com and we'll review and fix it.