Average Cost to Paint a House: Interior and Exterior

Whether you are painting your new home or repainting an old one, it is good to know how much it costs to paint a house outside or inside. Homes differ based on their structures and sizes.

Thus, the overall cost of it will vary depending on certain factors.

Painting a home with 1000 square feet will cost around $2,000 on the exterior and another $2,250 on the interior. Giving you a total of Painting a home for the entire house painting.

This is only an average cost to paint a house. Still, it can be cheaper or more expensive.

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Average Cost for House Painting

There are a lot of things to consider when you are planning to paint your house. Are you just painting the interior or will you include the exterior of the house? Planning to paint your home’s exterior or interior, or both, is one great factor affecting the cost.

Another factor that will significantly impact your budget is the number of stories your house has. Painting a two-story home with an area of 2,500 square feet will range from $6,750 to $12,750, inclusive of the interior and exterior.

How much does it cost to paint your house interior?

The interior of the house is more complex than the exterior. Since the interior consists of rooms, doors, stairways, kitchen cabinets, hallways, ceilings, living room, bedrooms, garage, and even the trims and headboard can be a little complicated.

All these parts require varying works and thus will add to the budget. Different areas, at times, need different colors. But on average, the interior painting is from $750 to $3,000, covering 500 to 1,000 square feet.

So, if your question is, “how often should you paint your house interior?” Then completing the job right would be an excellent factor to consider, so you stay within the budget and save money in the long run.

How much does it cost to paint a house outside?

The outside or exterior of the house needs to be repainted more frequently than the house interior. The paint outside fades faster due to varying weather conditions and damage from heat, sunlight, rain, and dust.

The exterior part of the house is more exposed to sunlight, encountered rain, and could accumulate dust. These factors will be considered during the preparation and will affect the exterior painting cost.

An exterior with an area of 500 square feet will cost around $1,250. An area or surface measuring 4000 square feet is priced between $4,000 and $7,000. Thus, the average cost to paint outside of the house would be around this estimated figure.

Main Factors Affecting the Total Cost to Paint a House

Different factors affect the total cost of painting a house. Some of these factors that mainly contribute to the actual expense are labor, paint, and preparations.

Labor

Aside from that, the surface area to be painted is also being considered. Some professionals are charging by the square foot.

The surface area of your house is not the same as the floor area. It can be larger than the floor area. Surface area refers to the actual surface to be painted.

However, it is essential to note that some painting services use the floor area as a reference because it is easier to estimate.

Paint

Paint is an essential part of this job. Although some of them are budget-friendly, paints have certain ingredients that can improve the output quality and are suitable to apply to specific surfaces.

For example, the paints used outside the house need a specific formulation to withstand extreme weather conditions. There is also indoor paint that seems to dry faster than the others, which is perfect for homeowners who asked how long are paint fumes harmful?

These are usually more expensive.

There is also price variation among paint colors. Additionally, you need to multiply it by the amount of paint used.

And it is important to remember that walls need to be coated at least twice for better results.

Preparations

Apart from paint, there are materials to be purchased for the surface preparations—for example, primer and caulk. Choosing high-grade materials for the preparations will ensure you that the paint will last longer.

Also, the time consumed for the preparation eats up the labor cost. This is because preparation may involve scraping, priming, and caulking, especially if you are preparing the exterior part of the house where accumulated dirt has to be removed entirely.

How Much Does it Cost to Paint a House if DIY?

Do-it-yourself projects are known for being inexpensive. It requires most of your time but little of your money.

You have control over the cost. That is why most people prefer to do it by themselves.

As for house painting, people would prefer to buy the materials and then do the painting themselves instead of hiring painting contractors.

However, if you are not used to painting, there is a greater possibility of failure. You may end up with unfinished projects, or you need more paints to cover the unproportioned area.

As a result, you’ll spend more instead of sticking within the budget.

When it comes to DIY home painting, there are pros and cons that you need to look into:

Pros

• You do not have to pay for labor. Since you will be working on your own, there is no need to hire people. And, you can have your friends and family come over and help.
  
• You can work at your own pace. The actual length of the project will solely depend on you. It can be shorter, or it may take a while.

Cons

• It may not last longer than expected. Depending on the materials to use and the application, it may or may not reach the average lifespan of house painting.
  
• Lack of expert opinion. Paint jobs are not an everyday task that anyone can do. You need experts in residential painting to select the best paint that will best suit your home.

On the other hand, professional painting companies have been around for decades. Their goal is to aid homeowners in bringing their houses to life.

When you put your trust in the professionals to paint your house, you can enjoy these benefits:

1. Well-prepared surfaces. Before painting, they will ensure that everything is all set and ready by having a 21-step preparation.
2. Good quality paint. They will make sure to apply the correct type of paint to the specific surfaces.  
3. Professionally made and well trained. You will be hiring professionals with licenses and insurance.
4. Long-lasting. Rest assured that it will last for a minimum of 6 years.

 DIY home painting is a lot cheaper, but you need to consider the results.  There is a chance of repainting after a few years if not done correctly.

Given the benefits of hiring painting companies, it is thus reasonable to charge higher prices. And if you are going to repaint twice in 6 years, then maybe hiring a professional painter is a better option.

Cost Saving Tips When House Painting

1. Choose the best offer. 
   • Consult different painting companies and compare their quotations. A lower price doesn’t always mean a better option.
2. Make a deal.
   • Have a written agreement with the painters. State the timeframe of the painting job and what it covers.
   • It will give you an exact estimate of the labor cost without additional hours.
3. Take part in the preparations.
   • Having things ready beforehand can take out a few hours from the painter’s working time. The same thing goes with cleaning up.
4. Touch up paints.
   • Instead of changing colors, you may want to maintain the existing ones or choose similar colors.
5. Go premium.
   • The number of coatings depends on the color and type of paint to be used. If you are thinking of bold colors, you need good quality paint to avoid having multiple layers.

Finding the Best Value for Your Money

When you think about the total cost to paint a house, the first thing that comes to your mind is money. But it is more than that. It may also refer to other things that you might lose along the way.

What will it cost you if you will be doing DIY or if you are going to pick cheaper paints and skip the preparations? Is hiring a professional painting company worth it?

Are you planning to paint a new house or repaint an old one but you have a limited budget?

You can get a quotation from El Gato Painting Services and discuss it with them. They can provide you with the best service that will fit your budget.