Plan your project and hire with confidence
- Know what a job should cost before you book.
- Compare bids that cover the same scope.
- Decide when it is worth hiring a pro.
Painting costs, colors, and hiring
Plain-language guides to cost, color, prep, and hiring — for homeowners and the painting companies they hire.

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Homeowners · Costs
Interior painting cost per square foot: floor vs wall area rates, estimated totals by home size, what's included, and how to convert any quote.
Homeowners · Costs
Cabinet painting cost in 2026: sourced price ranges, what pros include, DIY material costs, and how painting compares with refacing or replacing.
Contractors · For Painters
How to price painting jobs with markup vs margin: formulas, a conversion table, overhead math, and worked examples so every quote hits your profit target.
The journal
Homeowners · Tools
How much paint do I need? Use our 4-step formula, real coverage numbers, and worked examples for rooms, ceilings, trim, and exteriors…
Homeowners · Costs
Exterior house painting cost in 2026: sourced ranges by siding, height, and region, what prep a good quote includes, and how to…
Contractors · For Painters
How to estimate a painting job step by step: scope, measuring, production rates, labor, materials, overhead, and profit, with worked examples for…
Homeowners · Costs
Cost to paint a room in 2026: sourced price ranges by room size, how to measure your walls, and the questions to…