We all know house painting is an expensive affair but how much is not common knowledge. While painting boost the curb appeal of a property and make the interiors look fresh, it also affects your finances significantly. Hence, having a thorough idea of how much a house painting project cost is important.
Experts at Dallas Paints state that they receive many queries from property owners every day. From cost to paint a 12×12 room to painting an entire house, property owners ask for estimates and sound shock when offered the quote. Professional painters say that it is important to know what affects the painting cost, to have a fair idea of how much will it cost.
Average cost to paint a house:
The trade organization Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) offers the following ballpark figures to the property owners for painting different types and sizes of properties.
- 1-story 1,000 square feet: $2,500-$6,000
- 2-story 2,500 square feet: $6,750-$12,500
- 3-4-story 4,000 square feet: $10,000-$19,000
Factors that affect the cost of painting a house:
- Paint:
The type of paint you choose is a key determiner of the painting cost for a house. The most common types of paints include Latex Paints and Oil-based Paints. While Latex paint would cost you $30 to $ 80 per gallon, the cost of oil-based paints is a tad but higher $35 to $80 per gallon.
- Paint finish:
The paint finish also determines the cost of the painting project. There are a total of five key paint finishes including flat/matte, matte enamel, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. The cost of paint finishes depends on the brand widely but in general, Flat/ Matte finish is the cheapest and other finishes are $1 to $5 more than the flat finish rate.
- Paint primer:
Experts suggest that priming is very important part of the painting process and it is crucial to invest in a high quality primer. There are three different kinds of primers available in the market namely Oil-based primers, Latex-based primers, and Shellac primers. Oil and Latex based primers cost you the same, approx. $20 to 4 80 per gallon but Shellac based primer would cost you anywhere between $40 and $63 per gallon.
- Labor:
Yu can also term it as the cost of hiring professional painters. Depending upon the type of services you want, the cost of engage professional painters would differ. Moreover, each company will offer you a different painting estimate. It is important that you get painting estimate from more than 3 companies, compare them and choose the most cost-effective services.
Make sure you know how to differentiate between cheap and reasonable painting quotes as low costs not always means high quality.
- Services:
Besides painting, you will need a range of additional services depending upon the condition of the property. The painting contractor would guide you about these services after they inspect your property. Some of such services include:
- Drywall repair
- Repairing the plaster
- Mold remediation
- Patching holes
- Sanding
- Paint supplies:
If you have chosen too DIY, you must also include the cost of painting supplies I your estimate. However, when you avail services from a painting company, these costs are included in the package. Key painting supplies you will need to paint a house include:
- Drop cloth
- Painter’s Tape
- Ladders
- Brushes and Rollers
On the basis of all these factors you can calculate how much it will cost to paint your house and arrange the finances accordingly.