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Interior painting price list template
Painters who publish prices usually do it by the room, since customers know their rooms, not their wall area. Bold Coat in Chicago publishes worked examples, materials included: about $770 to paint the walls of a 12 × 14 bedroom and about $1,070 with the ceiling; HomeGuide puts a bedroom at $350–$850 (checked October 2026). Each line needs the room or unit, the surfaces and coats included, whether paint is in the price, and what you quote after seeing the walls.
Print painting prices
Enter price for service 1.
Published examples: check the unit and included work
| Published service | Price | Scope | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painted coverage area; US guide | $1–$3 per square foot of surface | Per square foot of wall or ceiling actually painted. | HomeGuide: interior painting costs · Checked |
| Floor-area budget; US guide | $3–$7 per square foot of floor | Per square foot of the room’s floor; a quick whole-house budget. | HomeGuide: interior painting costs · Checked |
The two HomeGuide rates measure different things: the surface rate is per square foot of wall or ceiling painted, the floor rate per square foot of the room’s floor. Quote with one or the other, and say which.
What should a room price on a painting list include?
Walls in two coats of one color, normal nail-hole filling, and moving and covering the furniture. Then list what’s separate: ceilings, trim, doors, closets and accent walls. A customer who sees “Bedrooms from” with a price assumes the ceiling and trim are in it unless the sheet says otherwise, and that’s an argument you’ll have on the last day of the job.
Should you list painting prices by room size?
Yes, with two or three sizes per room type and a floor-size cap on each: small bedroom, large bedroom, primary suite. Add a line saying rooms with tall ceilings or a stairwell are quoted after a measure, since tall walls and stairwells mean ladders, planks and far more cutting in. One price for every bedroom ends up wrong on the big ones, and the big ones are where you lose a day.
Publishing room prices filters out people whose budget is far below yours before you drive to an estimate. Not publishing keeps you flexible on houses you haven’t seen. “From” prices with the scope spelled out do both: the customer gets a budget number, and you keep the walkthrough for the final price.
How do you show doors, trim and add-ons?
Give each a unit: per door, per room or linear foot for trim, per room for ceilings, per wall for an accent color. HomeGuide prices an interior door at $75–$150, so say if your door price covers both sides and the frame. Cabinets, stairwell walls and wallpaper removal are separate jobs; mark them “quoted on site” rather than pricing them on the sheet.
Frequently asked questions
Should the price list say which paint you use?
Yes, by line and sheen, such as a washable eggshell for walls and semi-gloss for trim. A customer comparing two quotes can’t tell contractor-grade paint from a premium line by the price alone, and naming yours makes your price easier to defend. Say whether paint is included in each price.
Should I offer an off-season price for interior painting?
If your calendar thins out in winter, a dated off-season price on interior rooms can fill it. Put the dates on the sheet and keep the scope identical to your regular rooms, so the discount is about timing, not less work. Don’t extend it to jobs booked for spring; that’s just a lower price.
Do I need a minimum on a painting price list?
Yes. A single accent wall or one door still means drop cloths, masking, setup, cleanup and a trip. Set the minimum at what a short visit costs you from loading the van to washing out the brushes, and put it under the room prices so the one-wall customer sees it first.
Sources
- HomeGuide: interior painting costs · Checked
- Bold Coat: Chicago interior painting pricing · Checked