Interior Painting - Reasonable Rates?

y00ycdz

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2001
1,313
0
71
I need to get some interior painting done, but i've never really hired painters before, thus, i'm looking for guidance on what type of rates for painting services are reasonable.

I will be providing the paint only. The paint is a flat finish. The trim and ceilings will not be painted; just walls.

I understand it would vary depending on difficulty and/or shapes of the walls.

We do want to get the living room done which has 20 foot high ceilings... so I imagine that'll cost a bit more.

Basically, curious if anyone is willing to share the price they paid for whatever size room(s) they got painted.

How is $225 for a 16' x 14' room with 10' ceilings ?

Thanks!
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
0
0
If you hire a legitimate contractor, then $1.10 per square foot is reasonable. I am in TX, rates in your area may change. Contact a local trade association and ask them what they think reasonable rates for your area are.
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,367
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Originally posted by: wyvrn
If you hire a legitimate contractor, then $1.10 per square foot is reasonable. I am in TX, rates in your area may change. Contact a local trade association and ask them what they think reasonable rates for your area are.

IMHO he should probably be paying less than that. That's about what I pay for commercial work, including the material. I would expect him to pay closer to $0.35-.40/sf for the labor only residential.
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
0
0
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Originally posted by: wyvrn
If you hire a legitimate contractor, then $1.10 per square foot is reasonable. I am in TX, rates in your area may change. Contact a local trade association and ask them what they think reasonable rates for your area are.

IMHO he should probably be paying less than that. That's about what I pay for commercial work, including the material. I would expect him to pay closer to $0.35-.40/sf for the labor only residential.

True I was quoting paint and labor. I would generally let the contractor buy the paint because they will get discount rates and get the same quality because they buy bulk. But if you already have the paint, then the rate should be cheaper than what I quoted.
 

y00ycdz

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2001
1,313
0
71
Originally posted by: amdskip
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.

We're still debating. We may go with eg-shel, which is equivalent or the same as satin? I think... Flat seems to hide imperfections easier and can be touched up easier. Kids and the dogs are always dinging the walls and such, so it appears it would be easier for me to touch up a flat finish if need be.
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,367
3
0
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Originally posted by: wyvrn
If you hire a legitimate contractor, then $1.10 per square foot is reasonable. I am in TX, rates in your area may change. Contact a local trade association and ask them what they think reasonable rates for your area are.

IMHO he should probably be paying less than that. That's about what I pay for commercial work, including the material. I would expect him to pay closer to $0.35-.40/sf for the labor only residential.

True I was quoting paint and labor. I would generally let the contractor buy the paint because they will get discount rates and get the same quality because they buy bulk. But if you already have the paint, then the rate should be cheaper than what I quoted.

I would agree with this as well. As a contractor, we never warranty anything provided by someone else, and there are other issues that may arise (you bought cheap paint and it covers poorly and needs a third coat, for example) that make it a hassle.
 

y00ycdz

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2001
1,313
0
71
wyvrn - I haven't bought it yet, so i'll deffinetely get quotes based on me providing paint or the painters providing paint.

Mikey - Thanks for the ballpark figure. I like it. :)

I guess to both of you, the typical gallon of paint -- such as the flat finish paint -- covers approx 300 sq ft? Is that correct?

EDIT - Based on your comments, it appears to be better to let the painters take care of providing the paint.

Thanks again guys.
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
0
0
Originally posted by: y00ycdz
wyvrn - I haven't bought it yet, so i'll deffinetely get quotes based on me providing paint or the painters providing paint.

Mikey - Thanks for the ballpark figure. I like it. :)

I guess to both of you, the typical gallon of paint -- such as the flat finish paint -- covers approx 300 sq ft? Is that correct?

EDIT - Based on your comments, it appears to be better to let the painters take care of providing the paint.

Thanks again guys.

If you buy quality mid-grade paint, such as Olympic, Valspar, or the best Glidden, then you will get 250 to 300 square foot of coverage, in my experience. Don't buy the cheap stuff, it will cost you more in the long run to put on more coats. I have also learned that when changing from light to dark or vice versa, to use a good primer coat. If you plan on living here for a while, you could splurge for a higher quality paint but they generally don't pay for themselves on application, they just look better.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,207
66
91
Originally posted by: y00ycdz
Originally posted by: amdskip
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.

We're still debating. We may go with eg-shel, which is equivalent or the same as satin? I think... Flat seems to hide imperfections easier and can be touched up easier. Kids and the dogs are always dinging the walls and such, so it appears it would be easier for me to touch up a flat finish if need be.

You are correct, as you move from gloss to flat imperfections are more easily hidden. However as you move more to flat durability and ease of cleaning get worse.

Gloss
Semi-gloss
Satin
Eggshell
Flat
Super flat

Because, I don't have little kids I go with eggshell on the walls and flat on the ceilings, for trim I usually stick with Satin (doors, door jams, baseboards, and window sills get a lot of abuse).
If I had little kids I'd probably move everything up one notch.

btw-why don't you paint it yourself?


 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,456
854
126
Originally posted by: y00ycdz
I need to get some interior painting done, but i've never really hired painters before, thus, i'm looking for guidance on what type of rates for painting services are reasonable.

I will be providing the paint only. The paint is a flat finish. The trim and ceilings will not be painted; just walls.

I understand it would vary depending on difficulty and/or shapes of the walls.

We do want to get the living room done which has 20 foot high ceilings... so I imagine that'll cost a bit more.

Basically, curious if anyone is willing to share the price they paid for whatever size room(s) they got painted.

How is $225 for a 16' x 14' room with 10' ceilings?

Thanks!

I'd say that would barely even cover materials.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,967
19
81
Originally posted by: amdskip
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.

Do Cars still take leaded gas too?

New Flats are scrubbable even, depends on the paint though. Many of the problems people encounter is with builder paint which usually is low quality and very thin.

 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,456
854
126
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: amdskip
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.

Do Cars still take leaded gas too?

New Flats are scrubbable even, depends on the paint though. Many of the problems people encounter is with builder paint which usually is low quality and very thin.

Agreed. I have flat paint throughout the interior of my house and it cleans easily.
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
0
0
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: amdskip
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.

Do Cars still take leaded gas too?

New Flats are scrubbable even, depends on the paint though. Many of the problems people encounter is with builder paint which usually is low quality and very thin.

Agreed. I have flat paint throughout the interior of my house and it cleans easily.

Another thing to consider is washing versus touching up. If you are talking dust, skid marks, etc.. then you can wash. If you have markers on the wall and bad stains, you are looking at repainting/touching up that spot with the same paint. If you have kids, you will likely have to repaint before selling your house to someone else or take a slight discount to have the buyer do it. A lot depends on how long you live there as well.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,456
854
126
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: amdskip
Not trying to detour your thread but why flat paint? Why not satin? You can't clean flat walls.

Do Cars still take leaded gas too?

New Flats are scrubbable even, depends on the paint though. Many of the problems people encounter is with builder paint which usually is low quality and very thin.

Agreed. I have flat paint throughout the interior of my house and it cleans easily.

Another thing to consider is washing versus touching up. If you are talking dust, skid marks, etc.. then you can wash. If you have markers on the wall and bad stains, you are looking at repainting/touching up that spot with the same paint. If you have kids, you will likely have to repaint before selling your house to someone else or take a slight discount to have the buyer do it. A lot depends on how long you live there as well.

How about you just tell your kids not to write on the walls? I have a 5 year old and he knows better than to write on the walls in our house.
 

MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
9,011
558
126
Let me just say, you get what you pay for.

Most of the time a cheap paint job will look just like that: cheap.
 

y00ycdz

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2001
1,313
0
71
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: y00ycdz
I need to get some interior painting done, but i've never really hired painters before, thus, i'm looking for guidance on what type of rates for painting services are reasonable.

I will be providing the paint only. The paint is a flat finish. The trim and ceilings will not be painted; just walls.

I understand it would vary depending on difficulty and/or shapes of the walls.

We do want to get the living room done which has 20 foot high ceilings... so I imagine that'll cost a bit more.

Basically, curious if anyone is willing to share the price they paid for whatever size room(s) they got painted.

How is $225 for a 16' x 14' room with 10' ceilings?

Thanks!

I'd say that would barely even cover materials.


Sorry, I forgot to mention that was with me providing the paint. It comes out to around 0.375/sqft by my calculations for labor only. Not bad!