Price RangerPainting
How to price interior painting
Last reviewed 2026-10-20. Estimates, not legal or tax advice.
Measure the walls, subtract doors and windows, then divide by the coverage on the can and the number of coats. Prep and cutting in are labor lines, not a percentage you invent at the end.
Steps
- Measure wall area and subtract openings.
- Choose coats and the coverage number from the can.
- Price paint and primer as materials.
- Price prep, cut-in, and roll time at your rate.
- Say whether ceilings, trim, and doors are in the price.
One room, two coats
320 square feet of wall, minus one door and one window, is 287.6 square feet to paint.
2 coats at 350 square feet per gallon is 2 gallons.
Price the gallons, the prep, and the hours separately. Coverage on the can is a starting point, not a bid.
Easy to miss
- Pricing from the gallons only and skipping prep.
- Using the can's coverage for a dark color change without an extra coat.
- Leaving ceilings out of the words and in the customer's expectation.
Further reading
- Renovation, Repair and Painting Program
U.S. EPA
Pre-1978 paint work can require lead-safe practices, and that prep belongs on the quote.
- Manage your finances
U.S. Small Business Administration
A plain official walkthrough of keeping the money you charge separate from what the job costs you.
- Contractors State License Board
California CSLB
California's license board states which jobs need a contractor license before you price them.