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Cost Estimators

Paint Cost Calculator

This paint cost calculator compares DIY materials with hiring a painter; our house painting guide covers prep work and quotes. Compare doing it yourself with hiring a painter. The DIY estimate counts gallons from the room's wall area and your coats, then adds supplies. The professional estimate multiplies the room's floor area by a per-square-foot rate — national cost data puts interior painting around $2.75 per sq ft, and about $4.69 with trim and ceilings.

Results from this paint cost calculator are planning estimates; confirm quantities and prices with your supplier or contractor before you order.

Enter your project

ft
in
m
ft
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ft
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sq ft
$/gal

Example value — enter the price of the paint you plan to buy.

$

Example value — adjust to your list.

$/sq ft floor
$/sq ft floor

Results

Your results will appear here

Enter your measurements and press Calculate. Defaults show a typical example.

How to use the paint cost calculator

  1. Enter the room dimensions, doors and windows.
  2. Enter coats and the coverage on the can.
  3. Enter your paint price and supplies budget.
  4. Adjust the professional rate to local quotes.

Formula

DIY = ⌈wall area × coats ÷ coverage⌉ × price per gallon + supplies. Professional = floor area × rate per sq ft.

Worked example

A 12 × 12 ft room: 349 sq ft of wall, 2 coats → 2 gallons; at $40/gal plus $30 supplies, $110 DIY. A pro at $2.75–$4.69 per sq ft of floor: $396–$675.

Tips for using the paint cost calculator

  • Include primer, patching compound, tape and rollers in a DIY budget, not just paint.
  • Professional prices rise with high ceilings, heavy repairs and many trim colors.
  • Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint; that changes how prep must be done.
Painter using an extension roller on a gray interior wall with a stepladder nearby

Paint Cost Calculator FAQs

How much does it cost to paint a room?

At typical rates of about $2.75–$4.69 per sq ft of floor, a 12 × 12 ft room is roughly $400–$675 professionally; DIY materials are usually a fraction of that.

Why is the pro rate based on floor area?

Many painters quote interior rooms by floor square footage as a shorthand. Others quote by wall area, by room, or by the hour — compare like with like.

What about lead paint?

In pre-1978 homes, contractors must follow the EPA RRP rule when disturbing painted surfaces, which can add cost.

Estimate before you call a contractor

Run the numbers with our free calculators so you can compare bids with confidence.

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