Exterior painting cost by home size
These ranges include pressure washing, patching and caulking, primer and two topcoats. They're a starting point for budgeting, not a quote: a painter has to walk the house to price it.
The math for common home sizes
| Home | Band (contractor pricing) | Per sq ft of floor area |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft, one story | $3,500–$6,000+ | $2.33–$4.00+ |
| 2,000 sq ft | $5,500–$9,000+ | $2.75–$4.50+ |
| 2,200 sq ft, two-story | $5,500–$9,000+ | $2.50–$4.09+ |
| 2,500 sq ft, two-story | $8,500–$13,000+ | $3.40–$5.20+ |
Interior painting cost
| Scope | Range (contractor pricing) |
|---|---|
| Per square foot (walls and ceilings) | $8–$12+ per sq ft |
| Single room | $800–$2,500+ |
| Small home, up to 1,500 sq ft | $3,000–$6,000+ |
| Medium home, 1,500–2,500 sq ft | $4,500–$9,000+ |
| Large home, 2,500–4,000 sq ft | $9,000–$16,000+ |
| Estate, 4,000+ sq ft | $16,000–$25,000+ |
The whole-home bands work out lower per foot than the $8–$12+ figure, so use the band for a full interior and the per-foot rate for a room or two. Ask each painter whether "square feet" means floor area or paintable wall area; it changes the math a lot.
Cabinet painting cost
| Kitchen or method | Range (contractor pricing) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small kitchen, 10–18 doors/drawers | $1,500–$2,500+ | Barbour |
| Medium kitchen, 18–28 doors/drawers | $2,500–$3,500+ | Barbour |
| Large kitchen, 28–40 doors/drawers | $3,500–$5,000+ | Barbour |
| Kitchen plus island, two-tone | $4,000–$6,000+ | Barbour |
| Bathroom vanity | $600–$1,200+ | Barbour |
| Brush-and-roll, average kitchen | $1,500–$3,000+ | Endure |
| Spray the doors, brush the boxes | $5,000–$6,000+ | Endure |
| Spray everything | $6,500–$8,000+ | Endure |
The spread is mostly method and labor. More on that on the cabinet painting page.
What moves the price
- Stories and access: two-story walls, steep or downhill sides, and tight side yards add setup time.
- Prep and repair: heavy peeling, failing caulk and dry rot can add days before any paint goes on.
- Siding type: shingles and board-and-batten have more edges to cut in than smooth stucco; cracked stucco needs patching.
- Number of colors and trim detail: each added color, plus window grids, corbels and decorative trim, adds hours.
- Lead-safe practices: pre-1978 homes need containment, cleanup and certified staff.
- Paint line and sheen: premium lines cost more per gallon, though labor is usually the bigger number.
How to compare quotes
Line up bids side by side and check that each one lists the same scope: which surfaces, how much prep, what repairs, which primer, how many coats, which paint line and sheen, and what's excluded. A quote that's thousands lower often skips a coat or most of the prep. The painter checklist covers what to ask.
Related: exterior painting · interior painting · dry rot repair
Questions homeowners ask
How much does it cost to paint a 1,500 sq ft house exterior?
A one-story 1,500 sq ft home sits at the top of Barbour Painting's small band: $3,500–$6,000+, or about $2.33–$4.00+ per square foot of floor area. If it's two stories, or needs significant scraping or rot repair, expect pricing closer to the next band ($5,500–$9,000+).
How much does it cost to paint a 2,000 sq ft house?
Exterior: $5,500–$9,000+ (the 1,500–2,500 sq ft band), about $2.75–$4.50+ per square foot. Interior: Barbour's medium-home band of $4,500–$9,000+ covers 1,500–2,500 sq ft.
How much does it cost to paint a 2,500 sq ft house?
A 2,500 sq ft home is on the line between bands. As a two-story, it usually prices in the 2,500–3,500 sq ft band: $8,500–$13,000+, about $3.40–$5.20+ per square foot of floor area.
How much does it cost to paint a 12×12 room?
A 12×12 room is 144 sq ft of floor. At Barbour's interior rate of $8–$12+ per square foot, that's about $1,150–$1,730+, inside their single-room range of $800–$2,500+. High ceilings, dark-to-light color changes, wall repairs and trim push it up.
Why are Orinda quotes higher?
One Orinda contractor puts most full exteriors at $14,000–$24,000+, citing square footage, hillside access and surface condition. Large homes on wooded, sloped lots need more setup, more mildew and tannin prep, and more time per wall.
Sources
- Barbour Painting (Concord): Bay Area painting prices contractor pricing
- Herrera's Painting: Orinda painter page contractor source
- Endure Painting: cost to paint kitchen cabinets in the Bay Area contractor pricing
Contractor price pages are published pricing from individual painting companies, not quotes. Your price can land below or above these ranges.