Cost guides › Interior painting
United States
Interior painting cost
Repainting the walls and ceilings of a home with 861 sq ft of floor space typically costs $3,000, with most quotes between $2,350 and $3,900. A quick flat-paint job with minimal prep runs about $1,700, while a full skim coat for a smooth, high-end finish brings it to around $6,450.
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Cost by region
| Location | Basic | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $2,400 | $4,300 | $9,300 |
| New Jersey | $2,100 | $3,700 | $8,000 |
| Illinois | $2,100 | $3,650 | $7,950 |
| Massachusetts | $2,050 | $3,650 | $7,850 |
| Alaska | $2,050 | $3,600 | $7,800 |
| California | $2,050 | $3,600 | $7,800 |
| Connecticut | $2,000 | $3,550 | $7,650 |
| Minnesota | $2,000 | $3,550 | $7,650 |
| Washington | $2,000 | $3,550 | $7,700 |
| New York | $2,000 | $3,500 | $7,600 |
Show all regions
| Missouri | $1,950 | $3,450 | $7,500 |
| District of Columbia | $1,900 | $3,350 | $7,300 |
| Montana | $1,900 | $3,300 | $7,200 |
| Maine | $1,900 | $3,250 | $7,050 |
| Nevada | $1,850 | $3,250 | $7,000 |
| Ohio | $1,800 | $3,250 | $6,900 |
| Wisconsin | $1,850 | $3,250 | $6,950 |
| Delaware | $1,850 | $3,200 | $7,000 |
| North Dakota | $1,850 | $3,200 | $6,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,800 | $3,150 | $6,750 |
| Vermont | $1,800 | $3,150 | $6,750 |
| Colorado | $1,800 | $3,100 | $6,700 |
| Indiana | $1,750 | $3,100 | $6,650 |
| Michigan | $1,750 | $3,100 | $6,650 |
| New Hampshire | $1,750 | $3,100 | $6,600 |
| Oregon | $1,750 | $3,100 | $6,600 |
| Iowa | $1,750 | $3,050 | $6,500 |
| Rhode Island | $1,700 | $3,050 | $6,400 |
| Maryland | $1,700 | $3,000 | $6,400 |
| Arizona | $1,700 | $2,950 | $6,300 |
| Nebraska | $1,650 | $2,950 | $6,300 |
| Kentucky | $1,650 | $2,900 | $6,250 |
| South Dakota | $1,650 | $2,900 | $6,250 |
| Utah | $1,650 | $2,900 | $6,150 |
| Wyoming | $1,650 | $2,900 | $6,200 |
| Florida | $1,650 | $2,850 | $6,150 |
| Idaho | $1,600 | $2,850 | $6,100 |
| Kansas | $1,600 | $2,850 | $6,050 |
| Virginia | $1,650 | $2,850 | $6,100 |
| North Carolina | $1,600 | $2,800 | $5,950 |
| Georgia | $1,600 | $2,750 | $5,900 |
| Tennessee | $1,550 | $2,750 | $5,900 |
| West Virginia | $1,550 | $2,750 | $5,850 |
| Louisiana | $1,550 | $2,700 | $5,750 |
| New Mexico | $1,550 | $2,700 | $5,750 |
| Texas | $1,550 | $2,700 | $5,800 |
| Oklahoma | $1,550 | $2,650 | $5,700 |
| South Carolina | $1,500 | $2,650 | $5,600 |
| Alabama | $1,500 | $2,600 | $5,500 |
| Mississippi | $1,500 | $2,600 | $5,600 |
| Arkansas | $1,450 | $2,500 | $5,300 |
What's included
Mid-range
- Walls and ceilings in every room, with ceilings up to about 10 ft
- Prep on about half the surface: scraping loose paint, sanding and patching small dents and holes
- One coat of primer/sealer
- Two finish coats of washable interior paint
- Labor and materials for rooms in ordinary, sound condition
What affects the cost
Wall condition
Prep is often more of the bill than the paint itself. Walls with peeling paint, nail pops, cracks or old wallpaper glue need much more scraping and patching than walls that were painted well a few years ago.
Paint grade and sheen
A washable eggshell or satin costs more than flat ceiling paint but holds up in hallways, kids' rooms and kitchens. Going from white to a deep color, or the other way, can need an extra coat.
Ceiling height and access
Standard 8–9 ft ceilings are done from a stepladder. Two-story foyers and vaulted ceilings need taller ladders or scaffolding and slow the work down.
Trim, doors and windows
Baseboards, door and window casings, doors and radiators are not in this estimate. Painting trim is detailed brush work and can add a significant amount if every room is included.
Furnished or empty
An empty house goes fast. In a lived-in home the painters move and cover furniture, mask floors and work around daily life, which takes more hours.
How to save
- Move furniture, take down pictures and remove outlet covers yourself before the crew starts.
- Keep ceilings and most rooms in one light color so fewer coats and less cutting in are needed.
- Paint only the rooms that need it now and leave closets and low-traffic rooms for later.
- Schedule the work in the painter's slower months, often late fall and winter, and ask for a package price for the whole house.
Grants, tax and rules
Sales tax
Sales tax on materials varies by state, and labor is often not taxed but rules vary. Our figures are before sales tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint the interior of a house?
For a home with 861 sq ft of floor space, painting all walls and ceilings costs about $3,000. The paintable surface is roughly three and a half times the floor area once walls and ceilings are counted.
Does the price include trim and doors?
No. The estimate covers walls and ceilings only. Baseboards, casings, doors and window frames are usually quoted separately.
How many coats of paint do walls need?
A primer or sealer plus two finish coats is the standard for a durable result, and it is what this estimate assumes. A same-color refresh on well-kept walls can sometimes get by with one finish coat.
How long does it take to paint a house interior?
A crew of two or three typically needs about a week for a whole average home, depending on prep and how much furniture is in the way. Individual rooms can often be done in a day.
Should I choose flat or eggshell paint?
Flat hides wall flaws and suits ceilings and bedrooms but marks easily. Eggshell or satin can be wiped down, which makes it the better choice for hallways, kitchens and kids' rooms.
How this estimate is calculated
Work hours: 95.1 · Labour: $2,567 · Materials: $427
Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics; Regione Toscana, Prezzario dei Lavori 2026 (CC BY 4.0); ECB exchange rates.