How to Price Painting Jobs in 2026 (Per-Room Method That Closes Same-Day)

Painting pricing has one rule: quote on the spot, in writing, before you leave the customer's house. Most painters lose jobs because they say "I'll email you a price tonight" — and the customer hires whoever quoted faster.

Here's the 2026 per-room pricing framework that lets you close same-day.

The Pricing Model: Per-Room

Walk through with the customer, count rooms, add it up, hand them the quote. 60-second math, instant close.

Standard interior bedroom (10×12, 8' ceilings, walls only): $349-$489

• Walls only: $349-$489
• Walls + ceiling: $429-$589
• Walls + ceiling + trim: $489-$689
• Walls + ceiling + trim + closet: $589-$789

Master bedroom / large bedroom (14×16): $589-$849

Bathroom (small, 5×8): $289-$429 Bathroom (master, 8×12): $389-$589

Kitchen (walls + ceiling, no cabinets): $689-$1,089 Kitchen (walls only): $489-$789

Living/dining (large open plan, 16×24): $789-$1,189

Hallway: $189-$289 per 10 linear feet

Per-Element Pricing

• Standard interior door (both sides + trim): $89-$129
• Closet door: $69-$89
• Interior trim (per linear foot): $4.50-$7.50
• Crown molding (per linear foot): $5.50-$8.50
• Baseboard (per linear foot): $3.50-$6.50

Exterior Pricing

By square foot of siding:

• Vinyl / aluminum: $1.50-$3.00/sq ft
• Wood: $2.00-$4.00/sq ft
• Stucco: $2.50-$4.50/sq ft
• Brick (rare, requires specialty primer): $3.00-$5.50/sq ft

Typical 2,000 sq ft single-story exterior: $3,800-$6,800 Typical 3,000 sq ft two-story exterior: $5,800-$11,800

Exterior trim and accents (extra): $0.80-$1.80/linear foot

Decks:

• Clean only (pressure wash + light sand): $0.40-$0.70/sq ft
• Clean + stain: $1.50-$3.50/sq ft
• Clean + paint: $1.80-$3.80/sq ft

Fences:

• Stain only: $1.50-$3.00/linear foot (6ft tall)
• Paint: $2.00-$3.50/linear foot

Cabinet Refinishing (Highest Margin)

• $89-$169 per cabinet door + drawer face
• 30-cabinet kitchen: $2,800-$4,800
• Premium specialty finish (lacquer, glazed): $129-$209 per cabinet face
• Spray vs. brush surcharge: +20-35%

A painting business with a working cabinet funnel can do 3-6 kitchens per month at $3K-$5K each = $10K-$30K/month from cabinets alone.

What's Included in Your Quote

Standardize this so customers don't surprise-add:

• 2 coats Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore mid-grade
• Customer color choice (1 color per room)
• Standard prep (light scrape, light sand, spackle small holes, caulk gaps)
• Cleanup and trash haul-away

Extras (price separately):

• Heavy prep (peeling, water damage, cracks): +$0.40-$0.80/sq ft
• Wallpaper removal: +$1.50-$3.00/sq ft
• Color change between coats (more than 1 color per room): +$50-$100/room
• Premium paint upgrade (Aura, Emerald, etc.): +25%

The Profit Math

To clear $90K/year as solo painter, gross ~$160K-$200K:

• 25-40 jobs per year average $4K-$6K each
• 60% interior, 30% exterior, 10% cabinet refinishing

Solo painter ceiling: ~$150K-$200K. Two-painter crew: $300K-$450K.

Common Pricing Mistakes

1. Quoting by email 3 days later. Lost to whoever quoted faster.
2. Underbidding to "win." You're stuck at the cheap rate forever.
3. No deposit on jobs over $1,500. One canceled job costs you a week.
4. Free color consultations that take 2 hours. Charge $99, applied as credit.
5. Skipping cabinet refinishing. Highest-margin niche, fewer competitors.

The Software

Invoicerus gives painters a per-room quote builder with line items, e-signature on quotes, deposit collection at signing, and customer history with before/after photos — free.

Sign up free at invoicerus.com. No credit card.