How Much Does it Cost to Paint the Interior of a House?

Posted on: October 20th, 2020

There are several aspects that contribute to determining the cost to paint the interior of a house. Obviously, factors such as square footage, quality of paint, ceiling height, and ease of access need to be considered. But the biggest factor when it comes to determining interior painting cost will be if you decide to tackle the project yourself or decide to hire a professional painting company. In this post, we’ll give you an idea of interior painting costs for different types of residences as well as how to save money during the process.

If you need the interior of your home painted and would like a professional to do it for you in Sacramento, we’ll give you a free estimate! We serve the entire Sacramento area including Folsom, Dixon, Stockton, and El Dorado County.

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Do You Paint Walls or Trim First?

Interior Painting Cost per square foot

In general, the cost to paint a home’s interior is based on the size and layout of your home. On average, the cost to paint the interior of a home is between $1 to $3 per square foot. The cost goes up to around $4.50 per square foot if you’re including walls, ceilings, and trim. If your home has walls taller than 10 feet, the cost per square foot can increase by $0.57 to $1.05. However, keep in mind that this is the price estimate when hiring a professional. The cost will be substantially lower if you are planning on a DIY project.

The cost to paint the interior of a house in Sacramento, CA is typically in the range of $2-$4.70 per square foot. That doesn’t include materials. For a 12 x 14 foot room, it’ll cost you somewhere between $1,200 and $2,900.

Cost of DIY Compared to Hiring a Professional

If you’re planning on DIY interior house painting there are a few things to know beforehand to ensure a successful outcome. You will most definitely pay more when hiring out the job. However, a professional will do the job right. Painting projects also take up quite a bit of time. So while hiring a painting company may cost more, it may be well worth it in the long run. Below is a list of things to consider if you are planning a DIY project.

Find the square footage of the actual surface you’ll be painting. This is done by measuring each individual wall. Multiply the length of the surface by the height of the wall. Once you get your total, divide that number by 350 to determine how many gallons you’ll need.
Calculate the paint product cost. When calculating paint costs, it’s always best to factor in two coats of paint. This is especially true if you’re making a drastic color change.
Take the number of gallons and multiply it by 1.7 for the second coat. Applying a second coat typically requires 30% less paint than was used for the first coat.

Multiply the number of paint gallons calculated by the price per gallon of paint for your project. Remember that you can expect to pay around $30 to $50 per gallon if you’re buying your paint from a local Sacramento big box store like Home Depot. You’ll pay closer to $50 to $75 per gallon for the higher-quality paints from Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams.
Factor in the cost of materials. DIY projects require you to purchase all the necessary paint supplies out of your own pocket. While a variety of materials can be reused, they still add a considerable amount of cost to your project.

Materials & Tools Needed:

Drop Sheets
Painter’s Tape
Buckets
Paint Brushes
Paint Rollers
Masking Paper
Sanding Pads
Scrapers
Drywall Compound
Extension Poles
Ladders

Cost to Paint a 1500 Square Foot Interior

The cost to paint an average home that is approximately 1500 square feet will roughly cost around $1500 to $2500. This is based on calculating that the average cost to paint the interior of a home runs between $1 to $3 per square foot.

Painting Labor Cost for Interior

Interior painting labor costs tend to vary depending on what part of the United States you live in. Local painting companies set the standard for each individual area. For example, it may cost substantially more to hire a painting company in an area where the housing market is booming and contractors can charge a higher rate due to demand.

Interior Painting Costs by Housing Type

While the majority of U.S. citizens live in single-family homes, about a quarter of households live in multifamily housing such as condominiums and apartments, With that said, let’s discuss the specific painting costs for the different types of housing:

Interior Apartment Painting

On average, the cost to paint the interior of an apartment will be much lower than a home because the square footage is normally much lower. Painting an apartment can cost you somewhere between $1900 and $4500 on the high end. It’s always a good idea to check with your apartment management to be aware of any building requirements that are recommended before you start painting.

Interior Condo Painting

Your typical condominium usually has more square footage than an apartment which means you can expect to pay more to have one painted. The vaulted ceilings and taller walls will also increase the cost. Again, be sure to cut through all the red tape and check with building procedures before starting any interior work.

Interior House Painting

In addition to any patchwork or prep of walls that needs to be addressed, ease of access to the painted surface and wall height are the next biggest contributors to cost. Total square footage is also a dominant factor. So, let’s break down your typical home, room by room so you know what to expect before hiring a painting contractor.

Painting Cost by Type of Room

Bedrooms

Because of the basic box shape of a bedroom, they are considered one of the easiest rooms to paint. Easy usually means it isn’t as hard on your pocketbook either. If your room has extensive detailed trim or crown molding and is on the larger size, plan on paying more. Typically, you’ll pay somewhere between $350 and $650 to have a bedroom painted.

Kitchens

While painting your kitchen can be time-consuming because of all the edges and appliances to paint around, they are on the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to cost. Most of the wall space is taken up by your backsplash and cabinets, meaning you won’t use much in the way of paint.

The average cost to paint a kitchen island is somewhere between $400 – $800.

Dining and Living Rooms

Most dining and living rooms aren’t too expensive when it comes to painting costs. They usually have furniture that is easy to move and not a lot of intricacies to paint around. These medium-sized rooms will generally cost you anywhere from $450-$850 to have painted by a professional.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are similar to kitchens when it comes to painting. Much of their wall space is already taken up with tile, your shower, or large mirrors. Trim is easy to access and smaller square footage will always make bathroom paint jobs less expensive. Because bathrooms are usually one of the easiest painting jobs to do, it will run you somewhere around $250-$600.

How to Save Money on Interior Painting

Hire a Professional Painter in the Winter Months

Many people aren’t aware that the time of year you choose to paint the interior of your home can greatly impact the overall cost of the job. Hiring a professional painting company in the off-season can save you quite a bit of money. During the colder months in California when business is slow and fewer exterior paint jobs are available, companies are more competitive with their prices. If you can wait to book your interior painting work between November and February, you’ll save a considerable amount on your upgrade.

What is the Cost to Paint the Interior of a House Conclusion

In a nutshell, hiring a painting contractor will always cost you more than doing the job yourself. But professionals are experts at what they do and know all the tricks of the trade. If you are looking for an experienced painting company in the Sacramento, Elk Grove area, contact PaintRite Pros. Our skilled team of painters have an excellent reputation with interior, exterior, and commercial painting services. Spend your precious time during the holidays with your family and friends and let us take care of your interior painting needs.

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How Often Should You Repaint Interior Walls?

How to Hire A Painter

Posted on: October 12th, 2020

Sometimes it can seem to be a totally overwhelming and even daunting process when you are in the market to hire a painter. Is there really any way to guarantee that you have hired a painter you can trust to do the job you need at a fair price? While not always fool-proof, there are some tell-tail signs of a reputable company and certain steps that you as the homeowner can follow to hire a painter you can be more than satisfied with. If you’d like to speak with an expert or hire a painter, we have offices in Las Vegas and Sacramento. Click here to get a free quote or give us a call.

Hiring a painter: where to start

It is always a good place to start by asking a family member or a trusted friend for a recommendation. Sometimes you can luck out and the referred company does an excellent job. But oftentimes disaster can still strike. That is why even with a recommendation, it’s a very good idea to do some online research. Find out if other people agree with the recommendations you were given or if they have a not so good track record.

Search for online reviews

Start by looking at reviews from multiple sites. If the reviews remain consistent from site to site then that’s a good indicator that the reviews haven’t been manipulated and can be trusted. Both Google and Yelp list reviews from real customers which means authentic reviews.
Also, it’s important to pay attention to how detailed the reviews are. More detail is a great indicator of experience obtained from working with a company. Plus, more thorough descriptions will give you the knowledge and insight into a company’s performance.
The manner in which the owner of a company replies to negative feedback is another detail you should pay attention to. Look at the explanation for a bad review and decide on its validity. But even just a quick “thank you” on a good review speaks volumes about their customer service.

Ask about insurance

No one likes dealing with insurance! It’s confusing and complicated. But as a consumer, you should never consider working with a contractor that doesn’t already have two certain types of insurance in place.

Comprehensive Business Liability, which simply protects your property from any damage caused by the contractor. A painting contractor should have no less than a million-dollar limit on liability coverage.
Workman’s Compensation which protects you and the workers while working on your property. This insurance can be very expensive so many contractors will try to work without it.
Request the contact information and name of their insurer. Call the insurer yourself to make sure their insurance is current and up to date.

What kind of materials will be used?

There is a very large difference in quality between paints and stains. Obviously, the better quality products that contain higher quality ingredients will look nicer and last longer. Along with coatings, the quality of other materials being used on your home will greatly impact the longevity of the paint job. It is important you find out about the products that will be used on your project. Many contractors are vague in their description and details about what products they are using and will use the cheapest supplies available. This saves the contractor money and leaves you with a sub-par outcome. Get them to specify all the details in writing.

Visit the company’s website

You can educate yourself quite a bit from a contractor’s website. Look for the following:

Look for photos of past projects. There should be several. Also, look for images with close-ups of their detailed work. Keep an eye out for photos indicating the crew follows safety protocol and uses proper equipment.
You should also be able to find a page containing bios of the crew as well as pictures of them on the job. This will help you gauge the workers’ level of experience and help you know who will be showing up at your home. Sadly, there have been several documented cases where employees of a hired contractor have burglarized or injured a homeowner. In learning about who will be performing work on your home, look into their hiring policy, and whether or not they do criminal background checks.

Employees or subcontractors?

Many contractors will use subcontractors instead of hiring employees because it is the cheaper route to go. They are not required to pay social security taxes or employee benefits. However, you may be putting yourself at risk.

Subcontractors are typically paid a flat fee for a job which takes away their motivation to do their best work and they may be tempted to cut corners.
The contractor may not know the people on the crew, which makes it very likely that no background checks have been performed.
Using subcontractors increases the chances of them not having workmen’s compensation insurance.

Request a detailed proposal

Big jobs can tend to vary by thousands of dollars. Lower bids may mean less prep and the use of cheaper materials. On the other hand, some painters may jack up the price based on what neighborhood your home is in or because they simply don’t want or need your business.

In order to truly understand what you are paying for, you need to ask for a detailed proposal from your contractor.
Getting your bid, which contains all the ins and outs of your expectations, can likely protect you in the future should there be any discrepancies once the project is finished.

Find out about their warranty

This is a big one! Some companies, knowing the importance of warranties, will give unrealistically long warranties and have no proof to back it up. Sadly, most of these companies will be out of business long before their warranties expire. So what is a realistic warranty you can trust?

A decent warranty by the contractor will provide both labor and materials for a covered defect.
Most warranties will have exclusions so it is good to protect yourself and find out exactly what those are.
1-year warranties are pretty common and are alright as long as the work is well done. If a job has been poorly done, most signs will show up within the first year. 2-3 year warranties are also fairly common. Anything above this timeframe and you will want to look very closely at the fine print before moving forward.
Always get the warranty in writing

Conclusion: How to hire a painter

Following these basic tips and guidelines should help hire a painter. With painting, like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. So save yourself some money and grief and do your homework before trusting someone with such an important job. If you have any questions about projects you are starting, contact the professionals at PaintRite Pros. We have locations in Sacramento and Las Vegas and would love to offer our professional services.

Do I Need to Prime Walls Before I Paint Them?

Posted on: October 6th, 2020

One question many homeowners ask is “do I need to prime walls before I paint them?” Years ago, many painting professionals would have recommended primer nearly every time you painted. But today, there are many more high-quality and effective paints on the market so there isn’t always the need to prime.

The answer can be a bit complicated. If you use a primer in certain interior situations, it might be a waste of money and be unnecessary. On the other hand, not using a primer can sometimes cost you more in the long run because you may need to apply multiple coats to achieve the coverage and desired look you were envisioning.

How Long Should you Wait Between Coats of Paint

What is primer?

Paint primer is a preparatory undercoat put on materials such as wood, furniture, or walls before painting.

Primer is a lot like paint but has a higher concentration of solids plus an adhesive binder in it. In some ways, it is more like glue or a sealant than paint. It seals the surface you are working with and provides a clean and smooth area for the paint to stick to.

But since not all jobs or projects need primer, it is helpful to know which factors contribute to using it or not.

When to use primer?

1. Color contrast from dark to light

Picture yourself trying to brush a pale lavender paint over a dark green shade and you will realize very quickly that priming over the dark color is necessary when making a dark to light transition. In some instances, when covering a dark coat of paint, you may need a tinted primer to help the new color look truer to the color swatch you have chosen.

2. Walls that have stains or odor

Scuffed or stained walls can greatly benefit from a coat or two of priming before painting. Some stains, such as crayon scribbles or grease spots, will show through new paint. Surface blemishes may also easily show through a lighter shade of paint so it is worth your time to use a primer if your walls have a few things to hide.

Do not, however, use a primer to cover up mold or mildew on your walls. It will only grow. First, deal with the cause of the mold and remove it. Then you are free to go ahead to prime and paint.

Cigarette smoke and other strong odors can still be left lingering after repainting. Special primers can be used to truly cover the unwanted smells and block them permanently.

3. The surface is porous

It is always a smart idea to prime before you paint a porous surface such as unstained or untreated wood. The surface is porous when it absorbs water, moisture, oil, odors, or stains. Newly installed drywall is highly porous as well but in two ways: the bare facing paper on drywall and the dried joint compound covering the seams. These porous materials will literally absorb your paint right into the wood or drywall if you don’t prime first.

Also, if you have patched or repaired drywall, you will likely have patches of spackle or joint compound on the surface. If these patches are small, there is no need to buy separate primer. You can take a small amount of your regular paint and lightly brush it on the areas you just repaired. When the spots are fully dry, you can paint the wall normally and the spots you worked on won’t show through.

4. When painting over a glossy surface

Glossy surfaces are very hard for paint to stick to. If your wall has been shellacked or been covered in a high gloss or enamel paint, you can try coat after coat of paint and it will never stick

Along with primer, these surfaces may also need some light sanding or buffing beforehand. Doing this will ensure the surface of your walls has enough texture so both the primer and paint can adhere nicely.

5. When you have wallpaper

Whether your wall has some blemishes from the removal of wallpaper or you plan to paint over existing wallpaper, you should definitely plan on using a primer. Each of these surfaces is on the rough side and will benefit from primer.

6. You’re painting over metal or plastic

You can actually find primer that is specifically made for metal. It will help protect from rust and serves as a strong foundation for any future coats of paint.

You definitely need a primer specifically designed for plastic as well. Apply the primer in even amounts to the completely sanded, clean, and dry plastic area.

The Best Sunroom Paint Colors

When you can skip the primer

Your walls are in good shape

If your walls are clean and in good condition, you might be able to eliminate the need for primer. Giving your walls a quick but thorough cleaning is very simple. Create a thin mixture of tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) and water and wipe down the walls with a soft cloth or sponge. Now you are ready to paint.

Your new paint nearly matches the old

When your previous color and the new color you have chosen are the same or even similar, the need for primer is greatly reduced or even eliminated. The base color is not different enough to change or modify the outcome of the topcoat.

The paint you’ve picked already has primer

The new generation of self-priming paints are a thicker paint with primer added. Most of these paints do a great job and provide excellent

coverage. However, these paint primers can’t tackle every job, as we talked about earlier. If you are in doubt before starting a project, you’re far better off taking the time to prime the surface correctly. Your beautiful and satisfying end result will make you glad you did.

Conclusion: Do I need to prime my walls before I paint them?

Hopefully, we’ve answered your question on “do I need to prime my walls before I paint them,” and any other questions you have. If you are considering starting a painting project, and still aren’t sure where or how to start, contact our professionals at PaintRite Pros. We serve the entire Sacramento area including Elk Grove, El Dorado Hills, Stockton, and more! We’ll give you a free estimate. If you or a friend need Spanish speakers, we have various employees who speak it fluently.

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