Painting Guides
Research & guides.
Expert-reviewed articles on painting costs, materials, and best practices.
Cost Guide
Interior Painting Cost Breakdown (2026): The Full Split
Labor runs 70%+ of a repaint. See the labor, materials, and prep split for a 2,500 sq ft house, then check your painter's quote against the
Cost Guide
Deck Staining Cost in 2026: The Stain Does the Work
The stain does the work, the prep decides how long it holds. See what labor, prep, and product each run per square foot before you sign a st
Cost Guide
Whole House Painting Cost (2026): Full Job Pricing
Interior and exterior, same crew or separate bids. See the full cost by square footage and metro, then check your painter's quote against th
Cost Guide
Exterior Painting Cost (2026): Prep, Paint, Labor Split
Prep runs most of the labor on an exterior repaint. See the full cost split plus the pre-1978 lead rule, then check your painter's number.
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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) · 2026-08-19