Interior house painting costs are calculated on a few key factors. Nationally, interior house painting projects range from $200 to $2,500. The wide price range indicates how much square footage, paint selection and labor can affect cost. One pro uses a laser to measure each room, subtracting the size of the doors and windows, and then bases the quote on the square footage of the actual surfaces to be painted. Painters may provide you with savings if you opt to paint your entire home rather than just having one room or an accent wall painted. For example, the average house painting cost for an 8x12 room with 8-foot ceilings is roughly $200, when contractor-grade paint is used. Painting ceilings, baseboards and frames can also affect cost. Pros may charge per linear foot to smooth and paint baseboards. In one area pros might charge 50 cents per linear foot to paint baseboards, while pros in another part of the country could charge $1.50 per linear foot for the same task. Painters may charge flat rates for painting door and window frames, with one charging $20-$25 and another $60 per door. Geography and regional costs to do business play a major role in the cost of interior painting. The same painter in a rural region has less to pay in taxes, transportation, insurance and overhead than they would in a major city like New York.

The cost to paint a room will vary based on the size of the room, the type of paint you select, any ceiling or trim work needed, and any repairs needed. If no repairs or other additional work is needed, painting a room with contractor-grade paint could range from $1 to $2 per square foot, including materials. Selecting a luxury paint (some cost more than $100 per gallon) will certainly increase your house painting costs. Here are some additional examples of average house painting costs, per room:

• 12x12 room with a 9-foot ceiling: about $125
• 12x12 room with an 8-foot ceiling: about $100
• 14x16 master bedroom with a 9-foot ceiling: about $150
• 14x16 master bedroom with an 8-foot ceiling: about $125
• 16x16 living room with a 9-foot ceiling: about $175
• 16x16 living room with a 20-foot ceiling: starting at $225

The national average cost for an interior painter ranges between $450 and $900. Interior painters can tackle everything from complete color makeovers in each of your rooms to touching up an accent wall to painting pieces of furniture. The square footage and complexity of the project, along with the materials needed, are the main factors that will affect cost. Other factors include whether you supply the paint yourself or want the painter to do so, whether you move the furniture and do the prep work or ask them to do it, and whether any repair work is needed on the walls. Painting the ceiling and the trim will also have an effect on cost. The type of paint you choose can also raise or lower your house painting cost. A gallon of paint may range from $20 to over $100, depending on quality and brand. Ask your painter if they charge per hour or per square foot, and how much you can save by doing prep work (moving furniture, etc.) yourself.