Painting · United States
How much does painting cost nationally?
$9,440typical · fair range $8,640 to $11,428
That is the modeled cost to deliver plus a fair contractor margin for painting in the United States, not a sales quote. Built from BLS wage data, Craftsman bills of materials, and verified permit fees. 2026-07-08
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How $9,440 is built
Labor$4,056
Materials$2,364
Direct cost$6,420
Overhead (17% of revenue)$1,579
Cost to deliver (break even)$7,999
Contractor margin (18%)$1,441
Typical fair price$9,440
The margin is the gap between break even and a typical quote, not a markup we invent. Margins float by trade and city, with most fair jobs settling between 18 and 28 percent over cost to deliver. Nobody works for free. Full methodology.
How this number is calculated
TheFatBook models painting from Craftsman labor hours, BLS regional wages, burden, PPI-adjusted materials, permit data where available, and contractor overhead benchmarks. Cost index version: 2026-07-08. Updated Jul 2026.
See costs near you
Enter your ZIP code for the closest tracked metro.
We route your ZIP to the nearest tracked city and show city-level bid fairness, true cost, margin, and lowest realistic price data.
Atlanta $8,939Austin $8,706Chicago $12,076Dallas $8,449Denver $10,133Houston $8,419Kansas City $9,205Los Angeles $11,079Atlanta $8,939Austin $8,706Chicago $12,076Dallas $8,449Denver $10,133Houston $8,419Kansas City $9,205Los Angeles $11,079
Updated Monthly
Federal labor and material data, refreshed on a monthly release cycle
Expert Reviewed
Reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired)
Proprietary benchmarks · BLS · FRED · Census · Craftsman
Estimate Scope
What the painting benchmark includes.
Included in the benchmark
- Whole House Painting as the headline cost-index scope
- labor-hour assumptions, regional wage inputs, materials, overhead, and permit data where available
- low, average, high, lowest realistic price, margin, and savings benchmarks from the FatBook cost index
Not included automatically
- hidden damage, change orders, emergency service premiums, or unusual site access conditions
- contractor financing approval, warranties, provider recommendations, or guaranteed final quotes
- permit rulings for a specific address unless the city permit panel lists verified local data
True Cost Data
National benchmarks.
Embed this chart on your site (free, with attribution)
| Service | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior House Painting | $3,950 | $4,315 | $5,225 |
| Partial Interior Painting | $958 | $1,047 | $1,267 |
| Full Interior Painting | $4,606 | $5,033 | $6,093 |
| Room Painting | $464 | $507 | $618 |
| Whole House Painting | $8,640 | $9,440 | $11,428 |
| Paint Stripping | $1,133 | $1,238 | $1,507 |
| Exterior Wash and Prep | $566 | $618 | $753 |
| Window Painting | $230 | $251 | $307 |
Specialty tool
Paint gallons calculator
Estimate gallons of paint and primer, DIY material cost, plus what a local painter charges for installed work.
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Top Markets
Cost by city.
Additional Markets
Guides
Latest research.
Cost Guide
Whole House Painting Cost in 2026: What Sets the Price
Whole house painting averages $9,440 for a 2,500 sq ft interior and exterior job in 2026. See the labor, paint, and prep
Cost Guide
Interior Painting Cost in 2026: Labor, Paint, and Prep
Interior painting averages $2,615 in 2026 for a standard 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft layout. See the labor, materials, and prep
Cost Guide
Deck Staining Cost in 2026: The Stain Does the Work
Deck staining cost runs $1 to $4 per square foot installed in most markets. See the labor, materials, and prep numbers b
Cost Guide
Exterior Painting Cost in 2026: You Are Paying for Prep, Not Paint
Exterior painting averages $4,315, and labor is 43.7% of it. See why you are paying for prep not paint, plus the pre-197
Common Questions
Questions homeowners ask about painting.
Note: dollar figures below are national averages from our v3 cost index (Craftsman labor hours x BLS regional wages + PPI-adjusted materials + verified permit fees + NAHB overhead). Where an answer references general industry estimates instead (timing, lifespan, resale recoup percentages, scope items outside our index), it says so explicitly. For metro-specific numbers, see the cost-index pages.
How much does it cost to paint a house?+
Our cost index national averages: Whole House Painting $9,440 (range $8,640 to $11,428), Full Interior Painting $5,033 ($4,606 to $6,093), Partial Interior Painting, a refresh or a few rooms, $1,047 ($958 to $1,267), Exterior House Painting $4,315 ($3,950 to $5,225), Room Painting $507. Numbers come from BLS painter wages times Craftsman labor hours plus PPI-adjusted paint and supplies plus overhead. A full interior plus the exterior lands at about the whole-house figure, which is how you can sanity-check any bid.
How much does interior painting cost per sqft?+
Interior painting is roughly $2 to $6 per sq ft of wall area, including prep, two coats, and trim. High ceilings and detailed trim push it up another 20 to 40%.
How often should you repaint a house?+
Exterior every 5 to 10 years depending on climate and exposure. Interior every 5 to 7 years for high-traffic areas, 10+ years for bedrooms and ceilings.
Does paint quality matter?+
Premium paint ($50 to $70 a gallon) covers better, lasts longer, and usually skips a coat. Budget paint ($25 to $35 a gallon) often needs three coats to match the same coverage, so labor costs eat any savings.
Should I paint or hire a painter?+
DIY saves 50 to 70% on cost but takes 3 to 5x longer. Hire pros for exterior work, anything on a ladder above one story, and any house built before 1978 (lead paint). Simple interior rooms are reasonable DIY.
What affects painting cost most?+
Square footage and surface condition dominate. After that: number of colors, paint grade, ceiling height, and what painters charge in your metro. Prep work is 60 to 80% of the labor on most jobs.
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Cost index built by David Olson, Creator of the Cost Index & Permit Dataset · Methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · 2026-07-08