Cost Per Square Foot for Interior House Painting
A number of factors figure when costing out an interior house
painting by the square foot. As an observation, some painters do
offer square foot prices while others only offer this to property
management firms and construction companies, as far as bidding homeowner projects
Square foot costs typically apply to wall areas, and occasionally ceiling areas.
Not carpentry items such as doors. With lineal foot prices
for trim - the trim is usually seperated out.
Prices for textured surfaces are among the greatest, like for brick and densely
textured stucco, although these are fairly rare interior surfaces.
What is most accessibly figured, in terms of square foot pricing, is based
on the total number of coats of applied paint. If there is one, two, three or
coats. This figure does tend to drop with each successive coat since preparation
and setup becomes less of a factor; the walls are already patched and sanded
smooth, with the masking in-place (unless the tape must be pulled prior
a 3 or more, coat application - and then reapplied before completion - since
waiting on pulling the masking will no longer
result a sharp line being made between the baseboard-to-wall surface, for example
finishes having sheens that tend to bridge
) and also for this sake, with
ladders already at the standby.
A single coat of rolled flat generally starts at around $0.50 per foot.
Some economical painting outfits claim to do, for as low as $0.40 but this assumes
factors such as lower grade paint being applied on relatively low, open walls,
and possibly having the owner supplying the paint. This range easily approaches
$0.65 to $0.70 per foot. Keeping in mind that prices for paint alone range from
roughly $0.13 per
foot to $0.31 which factors liquids alone, in addition to the cost of supplies
like roller naps, masking and surface protection/plastic, and patch material.
Areas like baths and kitchens, that often deem a higher grade finish - considering
the time and effort for trim
and basically a cut-up configuration of the area - can mean paying $1.05 to $1.40
a foot, sometimes more. Confined areas like closets, depending on brushwork for
trim such as for around any shelving cleats,
are normally over $0.70 a foot but having these all done at once, and with their
contents emptied, and, painting the ceilings with the same paint as the walls
can mean lower prices.
Traditionally, square foot prices either exclude preparation or account
for just a minimal amount of prep, so account for this in the quote.
With paints of higher gloss requiring more intensive preparation
in terms of patch and sand, for smoothing, depending on the amount of wall
exposure, and with a less
flexible process of applying (sometimes applied 'wall by wall') -
sheens will incur the greatest price per foot.
They may also require the painting on of an additional coat for sealing beforehand,
the popular choice of PVA for example on new drywall.
If sq. ft prices are given, its important that you have any itemized
costs accounted for. Not only the brand, but the grade of paint, and the number
of coats (with a possible maximum) and the method of application; by spray (particularly
if high-grade finishes are sought) or if hand-brushed or
rolled-on. Does the price arrived at, by footage rate(s) cover
coverage, and if built-in costs like taxes and insurance are included. Too, the
amounts for any extra job orders and price breaks for combined
Comment on Interior Painting in Terms of Sq Footage
Please include price relevant factors such as walls/ceilings, number of coats, etc.