Painting cost guides
Interior and exterior house painting — labor-driven projects priced by area and prep. Select a project to see 2026 pricing localized for your city.
- Interior House PaintingPainting a home's interior — walls, ceilings and trim — priced mainly by area and prep work (about $2–$6 per sq ft).National range$4,000 – $12,000
- Exterior House PaintingPainting a home's exterior — siding, trim and prep. Sun and weather exposure affect how long the finish lasts.National range$1,800 – $4,500
Often paired with Painting
Cheapest time for painting work
There's a hard weather floor for exterior work (50-85°F), which crowds all that demand into summer. Interior jobs dodge that limit, so winter — when painters are otherwise slow — is when they cost the least.
Painting cost questions
How much do painting projects cost?
Painting costs span $1,800–$12,000 nationally in 2026, depending heavily on project and location. Exterior House Painting sits at the low end, Interior House Painting at the high end — pick a project below to see your city's number.
What affects painting costs the most?
Three factors drive most of the variation: local labor rates, your climate zone and permit fees. Each estimate here accounts for all three, rather than relying on a single national average.
When is the cheapest time for painting work?
The best window is winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior, when demand drops and installers discount — typically 10–20% (interior, off-season) off peak pricing. Avoid mid-summer (exterior peak).