Painting Cost Per Room Calculator
Painting cost = (wall + ceiling) ft² × $/ft² labor & materials. Interior or exterior.
Result
Estimated cost
$1,548
516 ft² × $3/ft².
- Wall area396 ft²
- Ceiling area120 ft²
- Total surface516 ft²
- Rate$3/ft²
- Total$1,548
Step-by-step
- Walls = 2 × (12 + 10) × 9 = 396 ft².
- Ceiling = 12 × 10 = 120 ft².
- Cost = 516 × $3 = $1,548.
How to use this calculator
- Measure room length, width, and ceiling height.
- Toggle ceiling on/off.
- Pick interior or exterior rate.
- Use as a sanity check on contractor quotes.
About this calculator
Pro painters quote $2-4/ft² for interior walls and $3.50-6/ft² for exterior, including paint, prep, and labor. Higher rates for: dark-to-light color changes (extra coats), repairs, popcorn ceilings, or trim-heavy rooms. The room dimensions here approximate wall area as perimeter × height; this slightly overstates because it doesn't subtract doors/windows. For tight quotes use the wall-area-for-paint calculator with door/window subtraction.
Frequently asked
More prep (scraping, priming), more setup (ladders, scaffolding), more weather risk, and rougher surfaces that absorb more paint.
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