Often, homeowners attempt to tackle house painting projects alone and run into the issue of unforeseen costs.
What Goes into Painting a House?
In order to fix, prospective clients approach a paint specialist company, like Colorado Painting, and are surprised by additional costs that require quick solutions. Sometimes, it is because they do not realize the amount of repair and replacement that is necessary to cover up a DIY job. Additionally, there are many variables to account for that novices often don’t take into account. So, what is a typical cost to paint a house?
In reality, a lot goes into painting a house. There are many preparatory measures to consider. Below we’re explaining typical costs associated with residential painting, both internal and external.
Interior Painting
First, painting the interior of your home requires careful estimation for required time and materials. Professional painters need to measure the width and height of each wall to calculate the painting area. They also have to allow for windows and doors to determine the coverage area so they can calculate the number of gallons of paint required for the job.
Plus, depending on color changes and wall conditions, they need to factor in:
- stain removal
- wall repairs
- primer
- topcoats
Professional painters are trained to advise their clients about the best type of paint for each job and what needs to be done in preparation for painting.
If ceilings are also to be painted and they are specialties in texture or design, this too must be factored into material and labor costs.
Exterior Painting
Before professional painters begin the actual painting of the exterior of your home, they have to wash the existing exterior to remove dirt, grime, and other residues.
Then, they need to scrape the exterior surface and let it dry. Next, they need to apply caulking wherever there are cracks, in addition to sealants around windows and doors. Other repairs may also need to be done before the painting occurs.
It takes time to do these checks. Bushes and nearby plants may need to be trimmed or removed before the painting begins. Homeowners may choose to do this themselves in order to save time and cut costs. Often they choose to let the painter use his professional judgment about what needs to be done in order to ensure a pleasing finished exterior to their home.
Once the painter and homeowner have decided upon the paint type, color, and the quantity of paint required, the painter is ready to start painting the primer coat.
After the primer coat has dried, the painter will apply the final coat. This may require more than one application.
Labor
Nationally, painters charge between $20 and $50 per hour. Painting professionals must factor in the time to get supplies, prepare the area for painting and complete the job as well as clean up. These costs for interior painting will depend on the size of the room, preparation and painting time required, and the cost of cleanup. A rough estimate may run somewhere between $950 and $2800.
National averages to hire a painter are between $200 and $6,000. Jobs like painting a kitchen or bathroom cabinets are anywhere from $200 to $2000. The cost of painting a home’s exterior varies widely depending on the size and number of stories. This cost averages between $1,000 and $6,000. A quick estimate is to calculate two to six dollars per square foot.
Paint Supply Costs
Besides paint and primer, other painting supply costs must also be considered. These may include any or all of:
- Stir sticks
- Paint rollers and roller covers
- Small paintbrushes, for detail and touch-ups
- Paint trays and sturdy tray holders
- Painters tape
- Rags
- Drop cloths
- Sandpaper
- Cloths for removing sanding dust
- Painters putty and putty knife
- Scaffolding
- Repair and replacement materials
- Ladders
National Averages Paint Cost
National averages for paint for a room range from $300 to $1000. The costs for painting vary widely depending on the size of the area, how many coats are required, and the type of paint selected and the detail of the work. The cost of painting the entire interior of a home may run between $1000 and $3000. The national average is just under $2000. Single rooms run anywhere from $200 to $1000.
Types of Paint
If you’ve recently visited the paint section of a building store, you will know that the choices are endless and confusing. Professional painters know the best paints to use for each job. They will work with you to make choices that will make you happy. The surface you want to be painted and whether it is interior or exterior are important factors. How long you want the paint to last is also important.
Paints are divided into water-based and solvent-based.
Latex and acrylic paints are water-based. Solvent-based paints use a mineral spirit.
Water-based paints are easier to clean up and to dispose of. Solvent-based paints have special regulations for disposal. Spills are also harder to clean up.
Base or primer coats should be used on walls that have not been painted before. They provide a smooth, uniform, flat surface for the final coat.
Finish or topcoats come in different types. Latex-based paints are often used on ceilings and exterior siding. They are available in coarse or smooth textures depending on the look you desire.
An eggshell finish is more durable and often more aesthetically pleasing than a flat finish on interior wood surfaces. It may also be used on exterior surfaces.
Gloss and satin finishes are more durable than eggshells. They are available in both water-based and solvent-based paints. They also usually require only one coat on a primer base.
How Can We Help?
Painting is among the fastest and simplest methods of giving your home’s interior and exterior a dramatic new look.
Realtors will tell you that exterior painting improves the curb appeal of your house and contributes to a quick sale. Interior painting gives a home a fresh look. Prospective buyers respond to this with offers that are higher by as much as 20%. Whether you are aiming for a house sale or you want to update your home’s appearance, we are here to help our Colorado customers.
Example Projects
At Colorado Painting, our experienced painters are eager to help you improve the look of both residential and commercial properties. Our knowledgeable professionals prepare and paint both home and business exterior. Regardless of the complexity of the building, its age, the size or the condition of the existing structure and surface, we can make repairs, supply replacement items and paint your building’s exterior to look as good as new. No building is too large or small for our painters.
When it comes to painting the interior of your home, business or multi-family structure, we are a full-service painting company. We work with drywall to texture, wall repair, stain removal, and apply specialty coats of all kinds. Our experienced professionals do trim, ceilings, cabinets and offer popcorn removal and a free consultation about paint types and coloration.
We also supply roof coatings to all types of buildings including office complexes, multi-family buildings, and individual homes. We specialize in both flat and peaked roof surfaces.
