If you are looking to give a quick face lift to your house interior or even a single room, doing the painting yourself can save you hundreds of dollars.
You can spend as little as $300-500 to paint a single room, including all the supplies.
To compare how much you would spend on a professional painter, contact your local painting pros for FREE ESTIMATES!
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Room Yourself?
Homeowners who are into DIY painting report spending $1.25 – 2 per sq.ft. depending on the brand and quality of paint they use.
Thus, painting a 250 sq.ft. room DIY costs $315-500. By comparison, hiring a pro to paint the same size room, using similar materials will cost $650 – 1,000.
An experienced DIY painter can paint a single room in about 36-48 hours.
You can use our Interior Painting Cost Calculator to get a better estimate of professional vs DIY painting costs for your house.
Cost Of Painting Supplies
If you choose to work with a professional, you won’t have to worry about getting the right tools and materials for the job.
Your basic supplies will cost at least $150. Depending on the height of your ceilings, you may need a small stepladder. For taller rooms, though, you’ll most likely need a taller ladder.
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Cost Of Painting Tools And Materials
Patching Paste by UGL ($12.97): a fast-drying compound for patching large holes and cracks in plaster, drywall, wood, etc.
5 in 1 Tool by Hyde ($9): will help you scrape paint off the roller, pull nails, get old caulk out of joints.
No-Bleed Tape (Frog Tape) ($6): will prevent paint from seeping underneath.
Paint Can Opener ($1-2): use this tool instead of a screwdriver to avoid damaging the lid.
Flat Paint Brush Set (Pack of 2) ($5.50): if you are using latex based paint, it is best to select nylon or synthetic bristle brushes.
Paint Roller: $2-8
Paint Roller Flexible Extension Pole (2 – 4 ft): $20-40
Paint Roller Tray: $4-9
Roller Covers (4 pack): $4-5
Plastic Drop Cloth by Husky (Pack of 3): $4.97
Eye Protection Safety Glasses: $4-30
Protection Gloves: $1/pair
2-Step Ladder: $12
Ladder (4-6 ft): $30-50
How Long Does It Take To Paint A Room?
Once you get a professional painting estimate, you may start to consider getting the job done yourself. While your savings will be significant, remember that you still need to invest in high-quality materials and tools to closely replicate the results of a professional paint job.
Moreover, you need to be prepared to spend several days on this endeavor, which can be a challenge if you work full time. Painting on weekends and during the evening, it could take weeks to get every room in your home painted.
If you need to complete the renovation quickly and with minimal disruption, it may be justified to spend the money on a painting contractor. In a single day, a crew can finish a space that would take you several days or even weeks.
If you have never painted a room before, you may make mistakes when it comes to the finer details, such as lines between walls and ceiling, trim, etc. A DIY job may look sloppy upon close examination, and will ultimately not be satisfying.
Moreover, if you are planning to sell your house and painting it to prepare it for viewing and sale, realtors recommend to hire a pro.
Preparing The Space To Be Painted
Proper preparation can have as much of an impact on the finished project as the quality of paint and application. It’s important to prep all spaces very well before you paint.
First, you will need to remove all furniture from the room to make sure paint drips do not ruin it. Having an empty space is also essential to quickly move around the room.
Next, you should clean all the walls and trim that will be painted, so that there is no surface dirt. You can use a water and detergent mixture for this purpose. Finally, remove all outlet covers and light switch covers, and fill any nail holes with painter’s putty.
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How Much Does Interior Paint Cost?
When it comes to interior paint, there is a huge selection to consider, ranging from as little as about $20 per gallon to as much as about $98 and up.
The reason for this drastic difference in price is the density and quality of base pigments. A bargain brand, such as Glidden, might only be made up of about 30% ground minerals for color.
On the other hand, premium brands can boast a pigment content of up to 70%. While more expensive, this paint will require fewer coats, while offering a more lasting, saturated color.
High-end paint, such as Farrow & Ball costs much more up front, but is usually more durable and provides better results. While you may initially save with a budget brand, you may find yourself repainting a lot sooner.
Here’s a price chart comparing different types of paint
Flat and Matte Interior Paint
| BUDGET | MID-RANGE | HIGH-END |
|---|---|---|
| Glidden High Endurance Plus - $24/gallon | Valspar Signature Matte - $32/gallon | Sherwin-Williams Super Paint - $51/gallon |
| Ace Royal Interiors - $27/gallon | Behr Premium Plus Ultra Flat - $32/gallon | Benjamin Moore Aura Matte - $68/gallon |
| Valspar Ultra - $29/gallon | Benjamin Moore Regal Classic - $40/gallon | Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion-$97/gallon |
Eggshell and Satin Paint
| BUDGET | MID-RANGE | HIGH-END |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Interior Eggshell Paint - $24/gallon | Behr Premium Plus Ultra - $34/gallon | Benjamin Moor Aura Satin - $68/gallon |
| Glidden Premium Eggshell Paint - $23/gallon | Valspar Signature - $34/gallon | Farrow&Ball -$97/gallon |
| Kilz Casual Colors Satin - $30/gallon | Benjamin Moore Regal Select - $ 39/gallon | Fine Paints of Europe Interior Satin - $230/gallon |
| Clark+Kensington Enamel - $32/gallon | Sherwin -Williams Cashmere - $ 38/gallon |
Semi-Gloss Paint
| BUDGET | MID-RANGE | HIGH-END |
|---|---|---|
| Valspar Medallion Semi - Gloss - $20/gallon | Valspar Signature Semi-Gloss - $35/gallon | Benjamin Moore Regal Select - $65 |
| Behr Premium Plus Ultra Semi-Gloss Enamel - $34/gallon | Zinsser Semi-Gloss - $46/gallon | Farrow & Ball - $87/gallon |
| Clark+Kensington Semi-Gloss - $33/gallon | Sherwin-Williams Semi-Gloss - $56/gallon | Fine Paints of Europe - $300/gallon |
Which Type Of Interior Paint Should I Use?
One of the areas where you can control your spending, especially if you are on the budget, is the type of paint you use, as well as the brand.
Pros recommend using mid-range quality paint such as Behr, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams. These brands have an extensive color selection, great finished look and the color will not fade for many years to come. Very few people would notice the difference between these paint brands and a premium paint like Farrow and Ball.
Keep in mind that within each of these brands, there are different paint grades, that are more or less expensive. For example, within the Behr brand, you have 3 quality tiers: 1. Behr Premium Plus (least expensive) 2. Behr Ultra (more expensive, better quality) 3. Behr Marquee (best quality, more expensive).
There is really no reason to overspend on expensive paint, unless you are looking for a very particular color and you found it with a high-end paint.
Also, keep in mind that your local Home Depot or Lowe’s can mix paint colors for you, so you can get a custom shade that you like. You can also mix paint yourself. Just be sure to test a little amount first, to see that you like the combination.
If you are painting your living room or bedroom, you can use flat/matte interior paint. It looks nice, not too shiny and is the most budget friendly paint type.
Flat paint is also great at covering any imperfections in a wall. For a kitchen or bathroom its best to use semi-gloss paint. Its more shiny and washes better if there is any staining.
There is usually a 2.5 – 3 times price difference between matte and semi-gloss paint.
Pros And Cons Of DIY Interior Painting
As with any remodeling project there are both pros and cons to taking the DIY route. Here are the main points to consider with regard to interior painting.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| cost savings up to 60% | Annoying clean up and set up |
| Avoid dealing with contractors | Need to move furniture by yourself |
| Do everything on your own time and terms | Time consuming: days or weeks for a DIY job |
| Can be a fun family project if you have older kids | Risk of abandoning a job that proved to be too hard |
| Not using a space for a long time, while its being painted | |
| Visible imperfections on challenging areas such as connection of wall and ceiling | |
| Dissatisfaction with the overall look of the room due to imperfections | |
| You may still need to hire a pro if the finial paint job is very low quality |
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