Are you in search of a ballpark figure of how much it cost to paint a room? Sometimes, the whole house doesn’t need to be repainted. We get homeowners all of the time that ask us if we can paint a single room — examples include the kitchen, bathroom or a bedroom.
In this article, we’re talking about how much it costs to paint a room. We’ll dive into specific rooms — bedroom, bathroom, and the kitchen — and provide some ballpark pricing.
This way, you have an idea of how much your particular project will cost. We’re also going to discuss some of the elements in the room and among painting contractors that cause prices to vary.
I’m sharing some of the industry secrets, rules of thumbs, and general knowledge that we have as painters.
Let’s get started.
Cost To Paint A Bathroom
Since bathrooms are typically the smallest room in a home, they are usually the cheapest painting project. Of course, bathroom size and style create large variances in pricing and costs.
For example, it costs more to paint a master bathroom than it does to paint a half bathroom.
Let’s break these bathroom sizes down, so you have a more concrete idea of the cost to paint a bathroom.
As a general rule of thumb, painting contractors rely on the square footage of a room — either the floor or the walls — to set their pricing for a painting job. Therefore, the larger the bathroom, the more expensive it is to paint the room.
Cost to Paint Half Bathroom
The average half bathroom, according to the web, is between 15 and 20 square feet. In our painting company, we start all estimating projects at $4 per square foot of floor space.
So, in this case, a half bathroom costs around $60 to $80 to paint. Typically, this pricing includes ONLY the walls. It excludes the ceiling and trim.
If you’re looking to have your trim and ceiling painted — especially if they’re going to be different colors or sheens — then the cost to paint a half bathroom is higher.
Now, a small half bathroom isn’t a job that is usually worth it unless the price is higher OR we set a minimum project cost. For example, at certain points of the year, like during the busy season, we won’t book a job unless it’s $300 or more.
This leaves homeowners two options: first, they could pay $300 to have their half bathroom painted. Or, second, they could add more rooms to the project, even if it’s a smaller project like another half bathroom or a full bathroom.
Every painting contractor is different. Some are happy to paint your half bathroom for less than $100 and others won’t come unless you meet their minimum project requirements.
Keep that in mind if you’re looking to have any small room in your home painted. Any room for that matter. There are some painting companies that have minimums in the thousands.
Cost To Paint Full Bathroom
On average, a full bathroom is 36 to 40 square feet. Using the same painting costs for the half bathroom — $4 per square foot — this means the average full bathroom costs $144 to $160.
Again, this is the lowest possible pricing and usually only includes the walls. Let’s say you want your trim and ceiling painted, too. In this case, the cost to paint a full bathroom is closer to $200 to $300.
It’s easier to find painting contractors that will come out to paint a full bathroom than it is to paint a half bathroom. Due to the low cost of painting a half bathroom, many painters won’t take the job.
A full bathroom includes more painting contractors. However, you might still have a hard time finding an interior painting contractor. There are still a lot of companies that won’t come out for a single job like a full bathroom.
When you’re looking at pricing for an average full bathroom, you have to separate out master bedrooms. A master bathroom tends to have more square footage than a full bathroom. Therefore, the average cost to paint a full bathroom seems more expensive than it really is, if the estimate you’re reading about includes master bathrooms.
Cost To Paint Master Bathrooms
How big are master bathrooms? There is a lot of variance in the size of a master bathroom. Some closely resemble the average full bathroom, while others are large, luxurious oases boasting 100 square feet.
As a result, there is a lot of pricing variability when it comes to master bathrooms. For master bathrooms that are closer to full bathrooms, a homeowner can use the full bathroom estimate we already covered ($200 to $300).
On the other hand, if your master bathroom is closer to 100 square feet, you can expect to pay double. The cost to paint a large master bathroom is approximately $450 to $700.
Okay, enough potty talk. Let’s turn our focus to other rooms in the home.
Cost to Paint the Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home. When looking around the web, you find a large variation in the cost to paint a kitchen.
That’s for two main reasons:
There is a lot of variation in kitchen sizes
And, some estimates throw in cabinet painting
For our discussion, we’re going to exclude cabinet painting. If you’re interested in learning how much it costs to paint cabinets, you will need to do further research beyond this post. Since we don’t offer cabinet painting, we’re not going to discuss it.
Okay, you can use an average square footage rule again. For the kitchen, we recommend using the same $4 per square foot to help you estimate.
If your kitchen is 80 square feet, then expect to pay around $320 to $500. Bigger kitchens cost more to paint.
Another factor that influences the pricing of a kitchen is how much wall space you actually have. Since all kitchens have a make up of cabinets, backsplash, and appliances, the area that needs painting varies greatly.
Unfortunately, calculating a ballpark figure on your own is difficult. The best recommendation I have is to either call a painting contractor and have them come out and give you an estimate.
Or, if you can find a company that is willing to provide you a ballpark figure based on pictures and dimensions, you can get a more accurate price.
Keep in mind this figure can change when a painting contractor gives you an estimate in person, but it’s a great way to give you an idea if painting your kitchen is a project you want to pursue.
Cost to Paint A Bedroom
Just like a kitchen, a bedroom has huge variation in pricing. The culprit? Square footage. There are many different bedroom sizes, it’s hard to give you a specific number.
The best I can tell you is to expect to pay around $4 to $6 per square foot. So, a 120 square foot bedroom will cost between $480 to $720.
However, a master bedroom, which is around 240 square feet, will cost $960 to $1,440.
Your price is based on the square footage of the room and whether you’re having more than the walls painted. For example, an accent wall can increase the cost of painting your bedroom.
Bedrooms with sloped ceilings or vaulted ceilings increase price. Texture, like popcorn walls, increases the cost to paint a bedroom.
Should You DIY Paint?
With these costs, some homeowners wonder if they should opt to go the DIY route when it comes to painting inside their home.
It’s certainly an option. If you have the skill set, knowledge, and a steady hand, then painting yourself is possible.
But, I’ve also seen my fair share of DIY paint jobs that look sloppy. I’m not saying don’t go DIY, but definitely think about your skills and time.
You’re going to get a better result with a professional and reliable painting company. If budget is your primary concern, then you might want to go the DIY route.
However, we don’t recommend it.
Conclusion
There you have it. Now, you know how much it cost to paint a room. Small rooms, like half bathrooms can cost under $100 to paint, and big rooms, like a large master bedroom, can cost in the thousands to paint.
The cost of any painting job is influenced by the square footage of the room and the intricacies of the job — sloped walls, trim work, vaulted ceilings, and more. A simple paint job will always cost less than a complicated job.
Wondering how much it costs to hire an interior painting contractor? We wrote an article on that, too.
Hire a reliable painting company and fall in love with your home again. If you’re looking for a painting contractor in Lansing or Detroit, get in touch with Robinson Painting Co today.
