Stop googling and look no further, because we’ve got the answers to all of your most crucial interior painting cost questions in one place. Consider this the ultimate guide to figuring out the labor and cost to paint a room—no matter your budget. We spoke to Tina Nokes of Five Star Painting about how to prep, what to anticipate during your next paint project, and the average interior painting cost. Here are the answers you need to get the job done right...the first time.

Deciding What Needs A Fresh Coat

Before you pop the lid on your paint can you need to assess the potential project in detail. “Walk around your house, take a look, and make a list. Don’t be general—check the baseboards, molding, and ceiling in addition to the walls,” says Nokes. “Same thing for the exterior, try to look at the space with fresh, critical eyes. Pay attention to the windows and shutters.” You get desensitized after awhile, so doing a walkthrough and making notes of room dimensions and problem areas will help you figure out how much and what type of paint you’ll need if you’re going to DIY. If you hire professional painters this info will come in handy to get you the most accurate price quote for interior painting costs.

Choosing Your Color

One of the hardest parts of any paint job is choosing just the right colors to enhance your space. But it’s easier than you think. You already know the colors you like. Look at the artwork in your home or the clothes in your closet. What colors do you see repeated again and again? While it might seem daunting to stare down a plethora of paint colors, we’ve honed our collection down to include only the most essential. If you’re still feeling stuck, take our handy paint quiz.

Should I DIY or Hire a Professional Painting Company?

Pushing up your sleeves to paint a room yourself definitely costs less than hiring painting contractors. Clare empowers you to handle your projects on your own by making it easy to buy everything you’ll need quickly and easily—so that’s a win. If your budget barely covers a few cans, you’ll most likely have to handle the job yourself. But there are some things to consider before you get rolling.

How Long Does it take to Paint a Room if you DIY?

Know that it will take you longer than hiring pro painting services. Why? A professional painter does this all day, every day so they'll need less time to prep than you will and they know how to paint more efficiently. An inexperienced painter will need to use painter’s tape to ensure clean lines near the baseboards, moldings, and windows—taping everything takes at least a day of prep. Pros don’t need to do that because of their experience level. If you don’t mind the project taking a little longer or if the space is small enough that you’re willing to do it yourself, DIY might be the best option for you. Factor in the time it takes to get your paint pre-project too. Plan to order your paint and supplies at least two weeks before you’re planning to start to allow for any delays. Clare’s swatches and paint orders over $100 ship free.

How Much Will My Paint Supplies Cost?

Depending on what you have already, how many rooms you're painting, and how many people are painting with you, you’re going to pay roughly $25 to $200 or so for supplies. That includes things like painter’s tape, rollers, brushes, painter's trays, and drop cloths. You'll save around 20% by buying everything already packaged up in one kit. Then there’s the paint price. At Clare a gallon of our wall paint costs $54, while our primer and ceiling paint costs $42 per gallon. While most experts recommend you’ll need anywhere from two to three gallons per room, we like to get more personal with our estimates. Use our handy paint estimator to tailor it to your specific space and find out exactly how much paint yu need. The average number of coats for a wall is typically two, but depending on their condition you might be able to get away with one. Walls with stains, smoke damage, or a vivid original color can increase the amount of paint you need and may also require primer.

Should I Just Hire A Professional Painting Company?

There are a few situations where you can justify the price of hiring professional painting services: you’ve got a lot of square footage to paint, you want the job to look high quality, or you don’t have the time to do the job right. “Professional painting contractors can accomplish in two or three days, what it can take you several weekends to finish. Think about how quickly you want things done and how professional you need the final look to be,” explains Nokes.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Interior of a House?

The cost to paint a the interior of a house when you hire a painting service will vary depending on where you live and the size of each room. While professional painters cost less per hour than a general contractor, you can expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $55 per hour. So for a standard size main bedroom (roughly 14’ x 15’) you could expect to pay about $250 to $300 to have the trim and walls painted.

What Impacts the Cost to Paint a Room?

“You want to be skeptical of a company who just throws out a price without asking for specifics, there are so many details that will impact the overall costs,” says Nokes. “Before you get an estimate, make sure they do/ask about the following: measure the space (it helps ensure they order the right amount of paint), the condition of the walls, dirty or smoky walls, ceiling height, trim, and if the painter’s need to pack up some of your belongings.” She also urges you to work with someone who is insured and licensed. You might pay a little more for someone who has these qualifications, but you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re protected if they don’t finish the job or if there is theft or damage. Ask for copies of both sets of information to keep on file. Check reviews online too, any paint company that’s legit will have customer reviews.

What is the most efficient way to plan my paint project?

Depending on the extent of the project, you’ll want to be strategic about the order of the work. Believe it or not, sequencing your project right can help you save on your interior painting costs. Nokes recommends taking home painting level by level. If your home is one level think about grouping the paint projects a few rooms at a time. It’s more time, work and expense for a crew to come in to paint only one room at a time. But you also need to consider that these spaces—like the kitchen and bathroom— will be off limits for a day or two while the paint cures and the different surfaces (walls, ceiling, trim) are being painted so you’ll need to plan accordingly. If you rush back into a room too soon you can ding or chip your new paint job. If you have no other choice, keep furniture and accessories away from the walls until they’re completely dry.

How to Save on Interior Painting Costs

Working collaboratively with the paint company can keep you from accruing additional costs. You can help them choose the paint you want to work with; engaging in a conversation about brand, sheen, and color can ensure you get what you want. Also, if you’re willing to pack up your own belongings ahead of time that can save you money as well. You don’t want their hourly rate going towards moving the pictures off your wall! Another way to make the cost more manageable is by splitting it up. Here at Clare we know that embarking on a large paint project can be heavy on your wallet, so we offer a flexible payment plan that let you split your entire purchase into four interest-free installments, allowing you to paint now and pay later!

While the cost to paint a room will vary based on your personal needs and decisions, really think about what you have time for and then decide whether or not you’re the best person to do the work. The cost to paint the interior of a house will be well worth it when you love your living spaces—it truly is the easiest way to breathe new life into your home.

Planning to do it yourself? Read: A DIY pro shares 7 lessons learned from painting her entire house.