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Painting a room is one of the quickest and easiest ways to transform a space. The cost to paint a room will vary depending on whether you are planning to DIY paint or hire a professional to get the job done. It costs an average of $1.50 to $3.50 to paint an interior wall. Advertisement THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. Tired Of Looking At Dull, Faded Surfaces? Book painting services and compare quotes form highly rated painters near you. Find local pros on HomeAdvisor that offers both residential & commercial painting services. Explore Options

Tired Of Looking At Dull, Faded Surfaces?

Book painting services and compare quotes form highly rated painters near you. Find local pros on HomeAdvisor that offers both residential & commercial painting services.

The average costs increase to $3 to $4 per square foot if the project includes trim or ceilings. The costs can be affected by the layout of the room, the height of walls, the existing wall colors, your geographic location and more. To prime and paint a standard 400-square foot room, the average cost at $2.5 per square foot is $1,000 total.

When you’re considering painting a room, you should also factor in the preparation work—which includes getting the materials, taping the walls and getting the supplies ready. Although doing the work yourself will undeniably keep the average cost to paint a room down, the expense of hiring a professional painter may be worth it when you factor in the time and effort you can save.

When you are considering painting a room, the best way to assess the average painting costs is to first measure the square footage of the space. One gallon of interior paint can cover up to 400 square feet of space. Based on that, a budget-friendly, DIY painting job in a small room can be completed for less than $20.

However, the average cost to have a room professionally painted is higher than that because you are paying for labor on top of material costs. The least expensive professional painting jobs will be in square rooms with limited trim and low walls. For example, it costs an average of $60 to $400 to paint a bathroom. On the other end of the spectrum, it costs an average of $900 to $1,600 to paint a 330-square foot living room.

When you’re considering the average cost to paint a room, it can be like comparing apples to oranges: The costs will vary depending on a number of factors that are important to consider before making any assumptions about painting costs.

The average cost to paint a room is influenced not only by the size, but also by the shape, height and additional features. If there are built-in elements, a lot of trim to work around, high ceiling or tight spaces, that can all cause the costs to increase.

Beyond the layout, the style of walls can have a significant effect on the costs. If there is wood paneling or heavy texture, it may take more paint and more time to complete the job, which will be reflected by the price.

If you walk into a home improvement store and look at the paint selection, you’ll quickly realize that deciding on color isn’t the only choice you have to make. There are also a number of paint types and qualities.

The two main categories are latex-based and oil-based paints.

There are also different types of paint finishes, which can affect the look and durability.

The cost to paint a room depends on what color you want to paint the space as well as what color it was to begin. As a good rule of thumb, expect to pay more if you want to paint a light color over the top of a dark color. Red and black can be especially hard to cover up, which calls for a heavy-duty primer and/or multiple coats of paint.

You may be able to save money by sticking with one color for painting multiple rooms of the house. This is because the painter can buy a larger, more cost-effective quantity of paint and because the leftover paint from one room can be stretched into the next.

It costs an average of $200 to $300 to DIY paint a standard room. It may also take up to nine hours, so that is important to consider. If you want a more precise calculation of how much it would cost to paint a room, start by measuring the square footage. Keeping in mind that one gallon of paint can cover up to 400 square feet of space with one coat, you should plan to do two or three coats of paint (This depends on the color and quality of paint.)

You should expect to spend between $10 and $100 on additional painting supplies. These include brushes, tape, rollers, trays and drop cloths. Factor in any repairs that should be done to the walls, such as covering nail holes or spackling and texturing damage.

Compare Quotes From Top-rated Local Painters

It is uncommon for professional painters to charge by the hour. Rather, expect to get a quote based on the full project. For an accurate quote, be prepared ahead of time with answers to what type of paint you want to use, what color you want to use and any repairs that you would like to be included.

When you are painting walls, it’s a good opportunity to also repair wall damage, change baseboards or make other cosmetic changes to the walls. Many professional painters will offer assistance with these services for a fee, so be sure to inquire while getting the quote.

There are a few ways to potentially save money while painting a room by yourself. To start, measure and then remeasure the space before ordering paint. Because colors are mixed on-site, paint cannot be returned—so you will want to avoid having an excess leftover. You can save a good amount of money by waiting until there is a sale on paint and painting supplies.

There isn’t necessarily a peak season for interior painting, so costs will not vary much depending on when you do the job. However, you may be able to save more if the professional painter can use the same color and type of paint on multiple spaces in the project. You can also ask if you’ll get a discount for moving furniture, removing curtains or cleaning the walls before the painter arrives.

Emily is a writer specializing in personal finance, real estate and parenting. By demystifying complicated topics ranging from mortgage products to baby stroller options, she hopes to give readers more confidence in their next steps. In addition to Forbes, she works as a copywriter for businesses of all sizes.

Lexie is an assistant editor who is responsible for writing and editing articles over a wide variety of home-related topics. She has almost four years’ experience in the home improvement space and harnessed her expertise while working for companies like HomeAdvisor and Angi (formerly Angie’s List).