Interior Painting Cost

If you are thinking of doing a painting job on the interiors of your house, you most crucially need to consider the cost. For getting a rough evaluation of the overall cost of the project, it is better if you calculate the cost per square foot. Many times, people decide on a rough estimate, and then end up paying an additional amount for the job, just because they did not think over the cost minutely. Moreover, you can save a substantial amount by doing the job yourself.

Depending on a few factors, the cost of interior painting can differ. The two most important factors that decide the cost are, of course, if you plan to get it done professionally or you plan to do it yourself. If you are adventurous and have free time to paint the house yourself, then the DIY method will definitely save you money. On the other hand, professional interior painting, though more expensive than the DIY method, leaves you hassle free and ensures that a good job will be done.

Professional Interior Painting Costs

If you want to get the interior painting job done on a contract basis, you need to understand that professionals fix their costs on several different determinants; like size of the room, how much trim is to be painted, and how much preparation the surfaces would require prior to painting, etc. Other price determinants include the type and quality of paint to be used, how many coats of paint are to be put on, and how many furniture items need to be moved, covered, or worked around.

The costs may even differ from job to job, contractor to contractor, and location to location. So for getting the best affordable prices, you need to conduct an exhaustive survey of quotations in your neighborhood. Typically, a better method to shop for home improvement is to ask three separate contractors to assess your project. After they are done with the evaluation, ask them for written quotations, including the scope of work to be carried out, and the particular materials and items to be used. This is the most efficacious technique to get your project researched, determine the approximate cost, and find out which contractor would be most suitable for the job. Even if you avail the services of the contractor, you still have to buy the paint. Getting a 12 by 12 foot room painted would cost you somewhere around $200-$400, and for a 15 by 12 foot room, the cost would be about $300-$700. If you want all rooms painted in a 1,500 square foot house, you would need to pay approximately between $1,200 and $2,000.

DIY Interior Painting Costs

If you are planning to take the job as a DIY task, you need to pay attention to few simple things that relate to the overall cost. The best results come from employing quality tools and equipment, so you have the option of hiring or buying similar tools which a professional crew would work with. Moreover, you also need to get information pertaining to the various kinds of colors, shades, and brands of paint which you think would work best according to your personal preferences. Few of the cheaper paints may need multiple coats, and some colors may need a primer coat. Alternatives to these can cost a bit extra at first, but have the advantage of looking good just after a single coat. You also would need to pay heed to the durability level.

After totaling up the expenses of equipment hire, the time it would take to ready the room and surface for painting, the time it would require to research and decide on the best interior house paint, and the amount of energy needed in the job; the professional costs, though slightly on the higher side, may seem to be the best option. The DIY cost includes buying two gallons of primary color paint for a 12 by 12 foot room. Here, you may have to pay $30 to $50 for a gallon of paint. For a typical 1500 square foot house, the supplies may take $250-$350 for average paint, and $400-600 for paint of higher quality. Also be ready to spend $10-$50 for other essential accessories like primer, brushes, rollers, drop clothes, etc. Including other knick-knacks, the total cost for a DIY interior painting job for a 1500 square foot house should be around $700-$800.

These are just some of the determinants of interior painting costs. However, you also need to be ready for some other miscellaneous expenses that you may come across.