What Do Painters Charge Per Hour and Per Day?
Painting your home can completely transform the look and feel of a room or your entire house. But before hiring a professional painter, it’s important to understand the average rates painters charge so you can budget accordingly. In this blog post, we’ll break down typical painter hourly rates and day rates so you know what to expect to pay.
Average Painter Hourly Rates The average hourly rate most professional painters charge falls between $50 to $70 per hour. However, painters may charge below or above this range depending on these factors:
- Experience Level: Professional painters with more experience and specialized skills often charge $70 to $100+ per hour. Apprentice or handyman painters typically charge $30 to $50 per hour.
- Project Scope: Smaller single room paint jobs under $1,000 may have higher hourly rates. Larger whole home projects over $5,000 often qualify for lower hourly pricing.
- Project Type: Exterior painting requiring equipment, prep, and paint has higher hourly rates than simpler interior painting.
- Location: Painters working in major metro areas like Los Angeles or New York City have higher rates than less populated regions.
So while $50 to $70 per hour is average, a master painter in a big city could charge over $100 per hour. For a basic one room paint job in a rural area, you may pay closer to $30 to $40 per hour.
Average Painter Day Rates Many professional painters provide pricing packages based on day rates rather than hourly charges. Average per day rates for a painter range from $350 to $800 for a full 8 to 10 hour workday:
- Basic Day Rate: $350 to $450 per day is common for handyman or apprentice painters, usually including 1 to 2 workers.
- Standard Day Rate: $450 to $650 per day is average for a licensed painting company with a 2 to 3 person crew.
- Premium Day Rate: Experienced high-end painters charge $650 to $800+ per day with a larger 3+ person crew.
So if quoted a day rate, find out how many painters are included and the number of work hours expected. A $500 per day quote with a 4-person crew working 8 hours would break down to around $62 per man hour.
Average Cost to Hire a Painter While hourly rates and day rates provide a baseline, most painters provide service pricing for entire paint jobs. Here are typical costs:
- Single Room Painting: $400 to $850 on average depending on room size.
- Full Interior Home Painting: $1,800 to $5,500 or more depending on home size.
- Full Exterior Home Painting: $2,500 to $7,500 or more depending on features/size.
Get free estimates from at least 3 local painting pros before hiring. Be sure quotes include paint products, supplies, labor rates, and an estimated timeframe.
Key Factors Impacting Painting Costs In addition to a painter’s hourly rates, the total paint job price depends on:
- Square Footage: Larger homes require more prep work, paint, and time from a crew.
- Number of Stories and Height: Multi-level homes or 2-story ceilings drive up equipment needs and workload.
- Number of Rooms: Whole home projects take more time versus individual rooms.
- Type of Paint Finish: Multi-step finishes like enamels or faux finishes have added labor costs.
- Paint Primer Needed: Priming bare drywall or spackled holes adds extra steps before painting.
- Wall Repairs/Preparation: Wall cracking, holes, glossy surfaces all take extra prep work if present.
- Outdoor Accessibility: Exterior painting requiring scaffolding, drop cloths, extension poles adds to rates.
Bottom Line Rates On the low end, handymen may charge $30 per hour or $350 per day. On the high-end, an 8-person crew could charge over $100 per hour exceeding $800 per day. For budgeting your specific paint job, get several quotes for total project pricing. And be sure to get an itemized breakdown of exactly what is included before hiring any painter. www.a1refinishfloorspaintings.com
