House Paint Cost Calculator
House paint cost depends on your home's square footage, ceiling height, paint quality, and whether you include ceilings and trim. This house paint cost calculator converts home size to wall area, applies paint coverage rules, and adds labor from 2025 HomeAdvisor averages to give you a reliable interior paint project estimate.
House Paint Cost by Home Size
Total interior house paint cost scales with home square footage. Assuming 8 ft ceilings, standard paint, and pro standard labor (2 coats, walls only):
| Home Size | Wall Area | DIY Cost | Pro Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 sq ft | 3,000 sq ft | $450-550 | $7,000-8,500 |
| 1200 sq ft | 3,600 sq ft | $540-640 | $8,500-10,000 |
| 1500 sq ft | 4,500 sq ft | $600-700 | $11,000-13,000 |
| 2000 sq ft | 6,000 sq ft | $800-950 | $14,500-16,500 |
| 3000 sq ft | 9,000 sq ft | $1,200-1,400 | $21,000-24,000 |
Cost to Paint 1000 Sq Ft House Interior
A 1000 sq ft house paint cost runs about $450-550 DIY (paint + $60 supplies) or $7,000-8,500 pro with 2 coats of standard paint on walls. Add $1,000-1,200 for ceilings and another $1,500-2,000 for trim and doors to get to a whole-house pro quote of $10,000-12,000.
1000 sq ft house paint cost per square foot of home comes to $0.50-0.70 DIY or $7-10 pro for walls only, $10-15 pro for walls + ceilings + trim. Our 1000 sq ft house paint cost calculator handles all three scenarios.
Cost to Paint 1200 Sq Ft House Interior
Cost to paint 1200 sq ft house interior averages $540-640 DIY or $8,500-10,000 pro walls-only. Whole-house with ceilings and trim runs $11,500-13,500 pro. A 1200 sq ft starter home with 8 ft ceilings has about 3,600 sq ft of wall area, needing 10-11 gallons of standard paint.
Cost to Paint 1500 Sq Ft House Interior
Cost to paint 1500 sq ft house interior averages $600-700 DIY or $11,000-13,000 pro walls-only. This is the most common home size in Reddit paint cost discussions (cost to paint 1500 sq ft house interior reddit threads show $10-15k quotes from pros, aligned with this calculator).
A 1500 sq ft home with 8 ft ceilings has 4,500 sq ft of wall area and needs 13-14 gallons of standard paint plus 2-4 weekends of DIY work or 3-5 days of pro time.
Cost to Paint 3000 Sq Ft House Interior
Cost to paint 3000 sq ft house interior runs $1,200-1,400 DIY (28 gallons plus supplies) or $21,000-24,000 pro walls-only. Whole-house premium with trim, ceilings, and premium paint reaches $30,000+ pro. For 3000 sq ft homes, buying in 5 gallon buckets cuts paint cost 10-15%.
1000 Sq Ft House Paint Cost Per Square Foot
At $7-10 per home square foot for pro labor and $0.15-0.25 per wall square foot DIY, total 1000 sq ft house paint cost per square foot lands in:
- DIY: $0.45-0.65 per home sq ft
- Pro basic: $5-7 per home sq ft
- Pro standard: $7-10 per home sq ft
- Pro premium (trim, ceiling, premium paint): $10-15 per home sq ft
Use a 1000 sq ft house paint cost calculator like this one to vary scenarios against your own quotes.
What Drives House Paint Cost
- Ceiling height: 9 ft ceilings add 12.5%, 10 ft adds 25%, 12 ft vaulted adds 50% to wall area and paint cost
- Paint quality: premium paint ($70/gal) often saves total cost by needing 1 coat vs 2, cutting labor 40%
- Color changes: dark-to-light may need 3 coats plus primer
- Trim and ceilings: adds 30-50% over walls-only
- Prep: patching holes, sanding, caulking can double pro labor
DIY vs Pro House Paint Cost
DIY saves 85-90% of house paint cost in most scenarios. A 1500 sq ft home:
- DIY: $600-700 total, 2-4 weekends
- Pro standard: $11,000-13,000 total, 3-5 days
- Pro premium whole-house: $15,000-18,000, 5-10 days
The crossover point is time vs money. If you earn more than $100/hour and can't spare weekends, pro is the financial win even at $10,000. Under $30/hour and with free weekends, DIY wins.