Interior painting costs $2–$5 per square foot and exterior painting costs $2–$6 per square foot for professional work in 2026. A full interior repaint for a typical 1,500 sq ft home runs $4,000–$8,000, while a full exterior job costs $3,500–$10,000 depending on siding type, home height, and prep work needed.
Labour makes up 70–80% of the total cost. The paint itself is usually 15–25% of the bill. The rest goes to prep materials, tape, drop cloths, and equipment. If your walls are in good shape and only need a fresh coat, you'll pay less. If there's peeling, patching, wallpaper removal, or lead paint, costs climb fast.
Use the paint calculator to estimate how much paint you'll need for your project.
| Room | Typical Cost (Pro) |
|---|---|
| Small bedroom (10×12) | $400–$700 |
| Master bedroom | $700–$1,200 |
| Bathroom | $300–$600 |
| Kitchen (walls only) | $400–$800 |
| Living room | $600–$1,500 |
| Hallway / stairwell | $400–$1,000 |
| Ceiling (per room) | $200–$500 |
| Trim and baseboards | $1.50–$4 per linear foot |
| Doors | $75–$200 per door |
| Home Size | Full (walls, ceilings, trim, doors) |
|---|---|
| 800–1,000 sq ft (condo/apt) | $3,500–$5,500 |
| 1,200–1,500 sq ft | $5,500–$8,500 |
| 1,800–2,000 sq ft | $7,500–$11,000 |
| 2,500–3,000 sq ft | $10,000–$16,000 |
| 3,500+ sq ft | $14,000–$22,000 |
These ranges assume standard 8-foot ceilings and walls in decent condition. High ceilings, extensive repair work, or premium paint push toward the top end.
Paint quality makes a bigger difference than most people realize. Budget paint ($25–$40/gallon) needs more coats, doesn't cover as well, and wears faster. Mid-range paint ($40–$60/gallon) from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, or Dulux is what most professional painters use — it covers in two coats, cleans well, and lasts 7–10 years. Premium paint ($60–$100+/gallon) is worth it for high-traffic areas, kitchens, and bathrooms where washability matters.
Prep work is where costs sneak up. Good prep is 70% of a good paint job. Patching nail holes and minor scuffs is included in most quotes. But drywall repair ($40–$60/hour), wallpaper removal ($1–$3/sq ft), lead paint testing ($300–$500 for a whole house), or major surface prep adds significantly. If your walls are in rough shape, ask the painter to itemize the prep separately so you know what you're paying for.
Paint finish affects both material and labour cost. Flat and matte finishes hide imperfections but show scuffs. Eggshell and satin are the go-to for most rooms — easy to clean, hide minor flaws, mid-price. Semi-gloss and high-gloss are used on trim, doors, and bathrooms — they cost more per gallon and show every surface imperfection, which means more prep time.
Number of coats. Most repaints need two coats for even coverage. Dramatic colour changes (dark to light or vice versa) may need a separate primer coat plus two finish coats — add 30–50% to the cost. Going from white to white? One coat may be enough for a refresh.
Ceiling height. Standard 8-foot ceilings are priced into normal quotes. 9-foot ceilings add 10–15% more wall area and paint. 10-foot or vaulted ceilings require ladders or scaffolding and add 20–40% to labour.
| Home Size | 1 Storey | 2 Storey |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $2,000–$4,000 | $3,500–$6,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $3,000–$5,500 | $4,500–$8,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $4,000–$7,000 | $6,000–$10,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $5,000–$8,500 | $7,500–$12,000 |
| 3,000+ sq ft | $6,000–$10,000 | $9,000–$15,000 |
Every additional storey adds roughly 40–50% to the cost due to scaffolding, ladder time, and safety requirements.
| Siding Material | Cost per Sq Ft |
|---|---|
| Vinyl | $1.50–$4.00 |
| Wood (clapboard, shingles) | $2.00–$5.00 |
| Stucco | $2.50–$5.50 |
| Brick | $2.50–$5.50 |
| Aluminum / metal | $2.00–$4.50 |
| Fibre cement (Hardie board) | $2.00–$5.00 |
| Concrete / block | $2.00–$4.50 |
Prep work is an even bigger deal on exteriors. Power washing ($0.15–$0.50/sq ft), scraping loose paint, sanding, caulking gaps around windows and doors, and priming bare wood are all standard. If your paint is peeling extensively, add $1–$3/sq ft for stripping. Wood rot repair adds $200–$1,000+ depending on extent.
Height and accessibility. Single-storey homes are straightforward ladder work. Two-storey homes need extension ladders and more setup time. Three-storey homes or homes with steep lots, dormers, or complex rooflines often need scaffolding rental ($500–$2,000+) or boom lifts.
Trim, fascia, soffits, and gutters. These are often quoted separately at $1.50–$4 per linear foot. A typical home has 200–400 linear feet of trim. Painting shutters adds $25–$75 per pair. Garage doors run $200–$500 each. If you're painting the whole exterior, bundle these — most painters give a better rate when it's all one job.
Weather and season. Exterior painting requires dry weather above 10°C (50°F). In most of Canada, the painting season runs May through October. Late spring and early fall are often cheaper because it's off-peak. Summer is busiest and most expensive. If you can wait until September, you'll likely get a better quote.
Paint type matters for longevity. 100% acrylic latex is the standard for most exterior surfaces. It expands and contracts with temperature changes better than cheaper alternatives. For stucco, elastomeric paint ($50–$100/gallon) lasts 10–15 years vs 5–7 for standard paint. The extra cost per gallon usually pays for itself in repaint cycles.
| Factor | DIY | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Interior cost (1,500 sq ft home) | $500–$1,200 | $4,000–$8,000 |
| Exterior cost (1,500 sq ft home) | $500–$1,500 | $3,500–$7,000 |
| Time (interior, full house) | 3–7 days | 2–4 days |
| Time (exterior, full house) | 5–14 days | 3–5 days |
| Equipment needed | Rollers, brushes, tape, drop cloths, ladder | All supplied |
| Finish quality | Depends on skill | Clean lines, even coverage |
| Ceiling/trim quality | Hardest part for DIY | Where pros earn their money |
When to DIY: Single room, walls only, good condition surfaces, standard height ceilings, and you're comfortable on a ladder. Interior walls are the most forgiving DIY painting job. One accent wall is a weekend project.
When to hire a pro: Full house interior or any exterior work. Multi-storey exteriors are genuinely dangerous without proper equipment. Pros are also worth it for trim work, cabinets, stairwells, and any surface that needs extensive prep. The labour cost buys you speed, safety, and clean results — especially on cut-in work around trim and windows that's hard to get right without experience.
The hybrid approach: Do the prep yourself (move furniture, tape edges, fill nail holes, clean walls) and hire the painter for the actual painting. This can save 10–20% on the total quote since prep is time-intensive labour.
| City / Region | Interior / sq ft | Exterior / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver / Lower Mainland | $3.00–$5.50 | $3.00–$6.00 |
| Victoria | $2.75–$5.00 | $2.75–$5.50 |
| Calgary / Edmonton | $2.50–$4.50 | $2.50–$5.00 |
| Toronto / GTA | $2.50–$5.00 | $3.00–$6.00 |
| Ottawa | $2.50–$4.50 | $2.50–$5.00 |
| Montreal | $2.00–$4.00 | $2.50–$5.00 |
| Winnipeg / Saskatoon / Regina | $2.00–$3.50 | $2.00–$4.00 |
| Halifax / Atlantic Canada | $2.00–$3.50 | $2.00–$4.50 |
| Rural / small town Canada | $1.50–$3.00 | $1.50–$3.50 |
All prices are CAD. Add HST/GST/PST as applicable in your province.
| Area | Repaint Frequency |
|---|---|
| Hallways, kids' rooms, kitchens | 3–5 years |
| Living rooms, dining rooms | 5–7 years |
| Bedrooms (adults) | 7–10 years |
| Ceilings | 10–15 years |
| Bathrooms | 4–6 years |
| Trim and baseboards | 4–7 years |
| Exterior (wood siding) | 5–7 years |
| Exterior (vinyl, fibre cement) | 7–12 years |
| Exterior (stucco, brick) | 7–15 years |
Using premium paint and doing proper prep extends every one of these timelines. Cutting corners on prep or using cheap paint shortens them.
Expect to pay $4,000–$8,000 for a professional interior paint job on a 1,500 sq ft home. Walls only runs $2,500–$4,000. Adding ceilings, trim, doors, and closets pushes it to $6,000–$8,500. The price depends on ceiling height, number of rooms, wall condition, and paint quality. Budget another $500–$1,500 if walls need significant patching or repair.
A typical single-storey home costs $3,000–$6,000 for a full exterior repaint. Two-storey homes run $5,000–$10,000. Cost depends on siding type (vinyl is cheapest, brick and stucco cost more), surface condition, and accessibility. Extensive scraping, priming, or wood repair can add $1,000–$3,000 to the total.
DIY interior painting costs $500–$1,200 for a full 1,500 sq ft home (paint and supplies only), compared to $4,000–$8,000 for professional work. You save 70–80% but it takes 2–3× as long and the finish quality depends entirely on your skill, especially for trim and ceiling work. Single-room wall painting is the easiest DIY project. Full house interiors with trim and ceilings are where pros really earn their fee.
For exterior work, late spring (May–June) and early fall (September–October) offer the best combination of good weather and lower demand — painters are busiest in July and August. Interior painting can be done year-round. Booking interior work in winter or early spring often gets you better pricing since it's off-peak for most painting companies.
Most repaints need two coats for even coverage and colour depth. Going from a similar colour to a similar colour may only need one coat with high-quality paint. Dramatic colour changes (especially dark to light) often need a primer coat plus two finish coats — that's three total. Always do at least two coats on exteriors for weather protection.
If your siding is structurally sound and the paint is just faded or peeling, painting is far cheaper ($3,000–$10,000 vs $15,000–$40,000+ for new siding). But if the wood is rotting, the vinyl is cracked and warped, or the siding is past its lifespan, painting is a band-aid. A good paint job lasts 5–10 years on a solid surface. On a failing surface, it might peel within 2–3 years.