House Painting Services

Interior and exterior painting are distinct specialties that require different materials, preparation, and techniques:

• Interior painting: Focuses on walls, ceilings, trim, doors, and cabinets. Surface preparation includes patching holes, sanding rough spots, caulking gaps, and priming stains. Quality interior paints are low-VOC or zero-VOC, dry quickly, and resist scuffing and staining. Most interior projects use a combination of rolling walls and brushing trim.
• Exterior painting: Covers siding, trim, soffits, fascia, shutters, and sometimes decks and fences. Preparation is more intensive and includes pressure washing, scraping loose paint, priming bare wood, and caulking joints. Exterior paints must withstand UV radiation, temperature extremes, moisture, and mildew. Proper preparation accounts for 60-80% of a quality exterior paint job.

Professional painters know which products perform best for each application. Using the wrong paint type or skipping preparation steps leads to peeling, cracking, and premature failure that costs more to fix than doing it right the first time.

Painting costs depend on the scope of work, surface condition, paint quality, and local labor rates. Here are typical price ranges:

• Interior painting (per room): $300-$800 for a standard bedroom or living room including walls and ceiling
• Interior painting (whole house): $3,000-$8,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home
• Exterior painting: $3,500-$10,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home depending on stories, surface condition, and material
• Cabinet painting: $3,000-$7,000 for a full kitchen. Requires specialized prep and spray application for a factory-smooth finish.
• Deck staining: $500-$2,000 for a 300-400 sq ft deck
• Trim and accent painting: $500-$2,500 for exterior trim, shutters, and doors

The biggest cost variable is surface preparation. A home with peeling paint, wood rot, or heavy patching needs significantly more prep than a home in good condition. Quality painters will not cut corners on prep because they know it determines how long the paint job lasts.

A quality paint job depends more on preparation and technique than the paint itself. The difference between a professional result and a mediocre one is in the details. When hiring a painter:

• Detailed written estimate: The quote should specify the number of coats, paint brand and product line, surface preparation included, and what is and is not covered. Vague quotes lead to disputes.
• Preparation process: Ask specifically how they prepare surfaces. Quality painters patch all holes and cracks, sand smooth, caulk gaps between trim and walls, prime stains and bare wood, and protect floors and furniture with drop cloths.
• Paint quality: Professional-grade paints from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, or PPG cost more but cover better, last longer, and look superior. Avoid contractors who use builder-grade paint unless you specifically request it.
• Insurance and references: Verify liability insurance. Request references and photos from recent projects similar to your scope. Interior and exterior painting require different skill sets, so ask for references specific to your project type.

Be wary of quotes significantly below the average. Low-cost painters often cut corners on preparation, use cheap paint, apply fewer coats, and skip detail work on trim and edges.