How much does it cost to paint a room?

A 12×12 bedroom’s walls (about 330 sq ft) run roughly $600–$1,000 with mid-grade paint; add the ceiling and baseboards and it’s closer to $800–$1,550. Two painting companies’ published prices for a 10×12 room’s walls are $400 (Indianapolis area) and $550–$650 (Cleveland).

How much paint do I need?

A gallon covers about 350–400 sq ft per coat (Sherwin-Williams). For two coats on 330 sq ft of wall, buy 2 gallons. Primer covers less, about 200–300 sq ft per gallon.

Does painting the ceiling cost extra?

Yes. Published painter prices work out to about $0.70–$2.40 per sq ft of ceiling, with small rooms costing more per foot, and more again for tall rooms.

Do painters move furniture?

Most push light furniture to the middle of the room and cover it at no charge. One Chicago painter says heavy or fragile pieces can add $75–$150 per room.

Is there a minimum charge for small painting jobs?

Some painters have one. A Cleveland company’s published interior minimum is $750, paint included, so one small wall can cost as much as a room. Ask before you book.

Interior Painting Cost by Room and Wall Area

Where these numbers come from

Every price above comes from the sources below, checked Nov 2026. Where they disagree we show the wider range and say why. With the starting inputs and national prices, the estimate is $1,550–$2,500. The calculator above updates for your choices and ZIP code.

Sources and the figures we used
Source	What we used	Checked
Prodigy Pro Painters (Zionsville, IN)Interior pricing, room-by-room	Walls $300-$725 for 190-560 sq ft (about $1.15-$1.60 per sq ft); ceilings $75-$205 for 36-300 sq ft; door and casing $50 per side; baseboard $35-$90 for 24-70 ft; +25% for 10 ft ceilings, +50% for 12 ft. Includes paint and minor repairs	2026-11-09
Desirable Painting & Floors (Cleveland, OH)Interior Painting Cost Breakdown	Walls $350-$1,000 for 190-560 sq ft (about $1.50-$2.10 per sq ft); ceilings $85-$450 for 36-300 sq ft; door and trim $90-$115 per side; baseboards $3.05 per ft; +20%-25% for 10 ft ceilings, +40%-50% for 12 ft	2026-11-09
SuparateHow to Estimate Interior Room Painting	Interior painting labor $1.50-$3.50 per sq ft of painted surface; trim $2-$5 per linear ft; primer and prep priced separately; 350-400 sq ft per gallonWe split the labor range by finish level: Basic $1.00-$1.75, Standard $1.50-$2.50, Premium $2.00-$3.50 per sq ft of wall. The low end follows the two contractors’ published prices, which include paint.	2026-11-09
Expressions Painting UniversityHow to Estimate a Painting Project	Production: about 200 sq ft an hour to cut and roll; a second coat takes about 60% of the first coat’s timeSo two coats take about 1.6 times one coat. We derive a primer coat as 37.5%-62.5% of the two-coat labor (like a second coat, up to like a first coat), and a single refresh coat as 62.5% of it.	2026-11-09
Sherwin-WilliamsPaint Calculator FAQ	A gallon covers about 350-400 sq ft	2026-11-09
This Old HousePaint Calculator: How Much Paint Do I Need? (citing Lowe’s)	Primer covers about 200-300 sq ft per gallon; paint 350-400	2026-11-09
CalculatorSoupPaint Calculator	Deduct 21 sq ft per 3x7 ft door and 15 sq ft per 3x5 ft window	2026-11-09
The Home DepotBEHR PREMIUM PLUS 1 gal. Eggshell Interior Paint & Primer	$37.98 per gallon; covers up to 400 sq ftBasic paint: $35-$45 per gallon.	2026-11-09
Benjamin MooreRegal Select Interior Paint	$34.99-$84.99 (quart to gallon)Standard paint: $60-$85 per gallon.	2026-11-09
Benjamin MooreAura Interior Paint	$46.99-$108.99 (quart to gallon)	2026-11-09
Sherwin-WilliamsInterior Paint (list prices)	Interior paint list prices about $64-$132 per gallonPremium paint: $85-$130 per gallon.	2026-11-09
The Home DepotKILZ 2 ALL PURPOSE 1 gal. Primer	$22.98 per gallonPrimer: $20-$30 per gallon.	2026-11-09
Fenelon Handyman Services (Tampa, FL)Drywall repair pricing	Small hole $125-$225; medium patch (1-4 sq ft) $225-$425We price "some patches" as $125-$425 per room.	2026-11-09
Concord Drywall Repair & Finishing (CA)Drywall repair and finishing pricing	Small ding $95-$175, medium patch $150-$325 per repair; Level 5 skim coat $2.00-$3.50 per sq ftThe only published skim-coat price we found from a contractor; we use $2.00-$3.50 per sq ft.	2026-11-09
Z&Z Painting (Chicago)Do Painters Move Furniture?	Light furniture is usually included; heavy or fragile pieces may add $75-$150 per roomThe only published figure we found; one contractor.	2026-11-09
Pinpoint Painting (Cleveland, OH)Options for Estimate	Minimum interior project $750, paint and supplies includedNot every painter has a minimum, so we mention it instead of adding it to your total.	2026-11-09

Your project

Your rooms

Wall area = room perimeter × height, minus 21 sq ft per door and 15 per window. Rooms 10 ft and taller cost more per sq ft.

Measure my roomsI know my wall sq ft

Living room
Room name489 sq ft of wall
Length (ft)
Width (ft)
Ceiling height
Doors
Windows
Bedroom
Room name333 sq ft of wall
Length (ft)
Width (ft)
Ceiling height
Doors
Windows

Finish level

Paint grade and how much prep the crew does before the first coat.

BasicContractor-grade paint, nail holes filled, clean coverageStandardMid-grade eggshell, patch and sand, sharp cut linesPremiumTop-line scrubbable paint, caulked trim, primed where needed

What gets painted

Walls get two coats. Ceilings, baseboards and doors are priced separately.

WallsCeilingsBaseboards and trimDoors

Color change

Covering a dark color needs a coat of primer first.

Same colorA refresh; one coat can be enoughNew light colorTwo coatsDark to lightPrimer, then two coats

Wall condition

Filling nail holes is part of every job. Bigger damage is extra.

GoodNail holes and small dings onlySome patchesCracks, dents or a hole or two per roomHeavy repairPeeling, stains or rough texture: skim coat

Move heavy furniture for me

Pushing light furniture to the middle and covering it is usually included.

Your ZIP code

Adjusts labor to local wages. Leave it empty for national prices.

Your estimate

$1,550–$2,500

Typical $2,000 · 822 sq ft of wall

What moves your price

Finish level: Standard+$650
Color change: New light color+$300

Compared with the cheapest choice for each, all else the same.

Labor 82% · Materials 18%

What you’re paying for

Covering floors and furniture, masking trim and outlets
Filling nail holes and small dings
Two finish coats with clean cut lines
Cleanup and touch-ups at the walkthrough

Every line in this estimate

Estimate lines
Wall painting labor (prep and two coats)822 sq ft × $1.50–$2.50	$1,250–$2,050
Wall paint5 gal at $60–$90 a gallon	$300–$430

Shopping list if you buy the paint

Wall paint (2 coats at about 350 sq ft per gallon; a 5-gallon bucket costs less per gallon)5 gallons

Prices checked Nov 2026 against 13 sources. Where these numbers come from

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Pros near you who do this work

How we pick these

We rank by rating weighted by review count (a 5.0 from one review doesn't beat a 4.8 from 200), then project photos, a license checked against a state board, and distance. Businesses can't pay for a spot.

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Your estimate ($1,550–$2,500) goes with the request, so pros start from the same numbers.

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Interior Painting cost

What’s included

Not included

How painters price a room

Where our $1.80–$3.00 per sq ft comes from

What a dark color or damaged wall adds

Before you sign: questions to ask

Interior Painting photo examples

Frequently asked questions

Where these numbers come from

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Interior Painting Costs by State

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