Blog

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Cost to Paint Interior of a House

Sometimes the cost to paint interior of a house is money well spent. Not only will you discover craftspeople with new design ideas, but you’ll also alleviate the hassle of the detail work.

Understand your needs before getting paint quotes.

Can You Do It Yourself?

Painting your home’s interior really depends on:

• Your personal skill and patience level
• How many rooms need painting
• Any additional design elements, such as wainscoting and detailed trimwork
• If you want special work done, such as murals, glazing, or texturing
• What condition the walls are in

To prep a house for painting, you’ll first need to:

1. Wash all walls
2. Repair cracks and holes
3. Lightly sand the surfaces, especially where repairs were made
4. Prime the surfaces to accept certain types of paint
5. Tape off windows, doors, baseboards, and trim
6. Paint

Many people don’t mind using a roller to cover large surfaces. It’s the detail of painting the trim that makes their hair stand on end. This is a time-consuming process, one that requires a steady hand. Painting a ceiling is difficult at first, but there are extension rods and trimmers that make this job a lot easier.

Evaluate the value of your time and skill. Add to that the cost of purchasing additional materials to do the job right, and your assessment may sway towards hiring a professional.

You can always prep the walls ahead of time, and call in the experts to get the painting done. The cost to paint interior of a house will be reduced this way.

If you decide you’re the best person for the job, here are some helpful painting tips.

Prepare the Details

Before scheduling site visits from painting contractors, compile the following information:

• Number of rooms to be painted
• Square footage of each room
• Height of walls
• Whether you’ve chosen a brand name or lesser-grade paint
• A color change (lighter or darker) or if it’s a touchup

What will increase your cost to paint interior of a house:

• If ceilings need to be completed
• If heavy furniture needs to be removed from the room
• Painting wainscoting, molding, and other detailed trimwork
• A larger home
• Customized or decorative paint surfaces

Estimating the Cost to Paint Interior of a House

Prices vary by location and the skill of the professional. However, if you’re trying to pull numbers together to apply for a home improvement loan, the following figures will get you started. If you’re painting:

• Plan on buying two gallons of main color paint for a 12-foot by 12-foot room. Quality paint averages $30 to $50 a gallon.
• Paint and supplies will average approximately $300 to $500 if you’re painting the interior of a 1,500 square-foot home.

If you hire a professional:

• You’ll probably still buy the paint.
• Labor to paint a 12-foot by 12-foot room will run approximately $200 to $400.
• Painting a 15-foot by 12-foot room averages $300 to $700.
• The cost for painting all rooms in a 1,500 square-foot home falls in the $1,200 to $2,000 range.

These estimates do not include special work noted above.

You might receive a discount if you:

• Use brand name paints, which often require only one application.
• Ask about off-season rates, such as in slow winter months.
• Ask about fill-in jobs. If you don’t mind the painter leaving a few items in your home, many contractors will slip in when they have time between larger jobs.

Posted on 12/31 at 08:21 AM
Permalink