Painting your home is one of the creative ways you can make a drastic change and transform your room in a way that is wallet-friendly. Whether you’re painting the interior or exterior of your home, nothing brightens up your home quite like a fresh coat of paint.
But before you get started, there are a number of things you should determine like the scope of the painting project i.e. whether it is an interior or exterior paint job, if you are painting the whole house or just a room and the type of paint to be used. Another important decision is whether you plan to hire professional painters for the job or do it yourself.
Painting is a lot more involved than many people realize, so many homeowners opt to hire an interior painter to do the job for them.
There are some things you want to know upfront when you’re considering hiring a painting company. Ask them what the cost will be per square foot and what their hourly rate is so you can get an estimate for the entire job.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House?
Calculating the cost of painting a house requires the consideration of a number of factors. This is especially important if you are going to hire a painting company to do the job for you. While some of these factors may seem obvious, there are a few that may not immediately come to mind when planning your project. For example, how much furniture you have. This is important because when professional painters come to your home, they will need to move things around as they prepare to paint the inside of your home. This adds to the amount of work so it will be reflected in the cost.
Another factor is the condition of your walls. If they’re not in the best shape, there may be a need for additional prep work like drywall repair or sanding, filling, caulking or conducting some plaster repair. Since this prep work is time-consuming and laborious, it will add to your paint cost.
The type of paint on your walls is also an important factor. If the quality of the previous paint was of a low grade, there may be a need for additional coats of paint to completely cover it up.
Another thing that will determine the number of coats of paint needed is the colour of the paint. If you are painting over dark paint with a light colour, more work needs to be done to prep the wall for a lighter colour. Other factors that may increase the paint job cost are whether you need the ceiling painted need to remove any stains on any of the walls or ceiling, or need to have wallpaper removed.
Typically, you can expect to pay $3-$4 per square foot for an interior paint job. HST will be an additional cost. So the painting estimate for a 1,200-square-foot house would be anywhere from $3,000-$5,000 plus HST. This is interior painting costs. Ceilings can cost between $1,000 to $1,300, making the painting prices in Toronto about $4,000 – $6,500, for an average home.
Cost of Painting an Average Room
You may be interested in only painting a room in your home and not necessarily your entire home. So knowing a breakdown of what the cost may be for specific areas of your home is important. This is especially beneficial if you have a tight budget and need to make an informed decision about which rooms to prioritize for your paint job. Remember, you don’t have to get your whole house painted all at once. Even if the goal is to eventually paint the entire house you can begin with one or two areas in your home. Then, as more funds become available, you can complete the rest of the house.
Bedrooms
Like other rooms in your home, the size of the bedroom plays a huge role in determining how much the paint job will cost. On average, $400-$600 is about how much it will cost to paint a small bedroom. For master bedrooms, the painting cost can increase to about $700-$900.
Hallways
In Toronto, the average size of a home is about 1,500 ft.². If your hallway is larger, extends well into the home and has extensive trim work, your painting estimate will be higher. But on average, the cost would be between $3,000 and $4,000.
Living Rooms, Dining Rooms, Dance and Kitchen Area
These rooms in your home are relatively smaller in size than open spaces like hallways. Therefore, the average cost of painting these rooms is about $400-$600. But this depends on the size and shape of the room. If you have a larger living room, kitchen or dining room area, expect to pay about $800-$900, on average.
The Cost of Painting Bathrooms and Laundry Rooms
Painting a small bathroom will cost about $250-$300 since there isn’t much wall space in these rooms. For larger bathrooms, the cost can go up to about $400-$500. You can expect to pay about the same to paint a laundry room.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Door?
Painting a door can make it stand out and give you a whole new experience when you enter a room. Typically, if you are going to have a room or your entire home interior painted, painting doors is not usually part of the job because it requires a different type of paint and additional care. The paint used on doors is more durable and takes longer to apply. Since painting around trim, door handles, and door frames require more time, the cost of painting doors is higher than it is for painting walls.
Flat Doors
Flat doors are easier to paint than other types of doors. It requires the use of a brush to paint around the hinges, door handles, and frame. Often, the painter will remove the door handles before painting or may simply mask them. On average, painting these types of doors is about $70-$80.
Raised Panel Doors
Raised panel doors have multi panels. This means they take more skill and considerably more time to paint. The panels must be painted individually before the door is rolled with a roller. There is a technology that may help this process go faster, however, the cost of painting these doors is about $90-$100.
French Doors
Painting French doors requires a higher level of precision than other types of doors and takes longer to finish. Since these doors contain glass, it’s important to protect the glass in addition to the hinges and doorknobs of these doors. You can expect to pay on average about $200 to paint French doors.
How Much Does the Paint Cost?
Estimating how much paint you will need and how much to set aside for it can be a little tricky, however, it is safe to go with estimating about 15 to 25% of the cost for the paint job. How much you will spend on the paint depends heavily on the type and grade of paint you are using.
For mid-grade paint, you can expect to pay about $50 per gallon. There are other types of paint that are good quality but cost less.
While spending less on paint may seem like a good way to keep your costs down, spending anything less than $25 per gallon will be problematic. Cheap paint is hard to apply and deteriorates quicker over time. On the more expensive end, high-grade paint can cost you about $120 per gallon. If you are painting your home before you put it up for sale, you may choose to go with a less expensive type of paint. So keeping in mind what your reason for painting is can help you determine the paint that’s best for you.
Latex Paint
This is by far the most popular type of paint used for interior painting. It lays on smoothly and also dries very quickly. This is important particularly when you need to apply several coats of paint in a large room. Another benefit to latex paint – and probably one of the main reasons it has become increasingly popular – is that it is more eco-friendly. Latex paint can cost anywhere from $35-$80 per gallon.
Oil Based Paint
Oil-based paints are not as popular and can be more difficult to find in Canada because they contain more VOCs. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds and high levels of this have proven to be damaging to the environment. Oil-based paints, however, are a good choice for interior painting because they hold up well in areas that are prone to moisture and humidity like bathrooms, kitchens and basements.
This type of paint is also a better choice when it comes to high-traffic areas in the home, like trims and baseboards. The downside is that oil-based paint takes a longer time to dry. Typically, oil-based paints will cost between $25-$70 per gallon.
Factors that Would Bring the Paint Price Higher
- Increased Amount of Prep Work to Repair the Surface
- The Quality of The Previous Paint Job
- The Quality of Paint that You Will Be Using
- The Presence of Water Stains on The Ceiling
- Whether the Ceiling Will Be Painted, and If So, Whether It Is a Textured or Popcorn Ceiling
- If Any Special Trim Will Be Painted Like Wainscoting, Crown Molding
- Having a Lot of Furniture that Needs to Be Moved Around and Protected Before Paint Begins
- How Long It Will Take to Complete the Project
Call Prestige Painting & Contracting for some great painting services and products for your home!