How much are your customers expecting to pay for your work? If they read NerdWallet, the answer might be: Not enough.
The money-wise site reports that homeowners can expect to pay anywhere between $967 to $3,076, according to data from Angi and Home Advisor. The average homeowner will spend $2,014, costing $2 to $6 per square foot. The higher end of that estimate accounts for including walls, trim, and ceilings in the project.
Outside jobs bump the payrate, of course. The site reports that an exterior paint job will run anything from $1,819 to $4,551, with an average of $3,178. Upcharges for a second story or more expensive siding can add to that average.
Here are the numbers per home size:
Interior:
- 1,000 square feet: $2,000-$6,000
- 1,500 square feet: $3,000-$9,000
- 2,000 square feet: $4,000-$12,000
- 2,500 square feet: $5,000-$15,000
- 3,000 square feet: $6,000-$18,000
Exterior:
- 1,000 square feet: $1,500 to $4,000
- 1,500 square feet: $2,250-$6,000
- 2,000 square feet: $3,000 to $8,000
- 2,500 square feet: $3,750-$12,000
Of course, averages can be an imprecise measurement. The costs of goods and services vary wildly based on local economies.
So how does this compare to what you’re charging in 2025? Let us know in the comments.
3 Responses
Hello! Appreciate the insights/information. Is this data driven by what clients actually paid or strictly what they expected to pay? Also curious as to where the sample size/s was taken from. As a painting contractor/business owner this topic is always on my mind. Also curious as to how much variance/reliability can be applied to data from Angis/home advisor. Thank you for your efforts on this topic!
You are right they are not enough! These figures are way off and likely have been calculated by a 22 year old college grad who doesn’t know anything about true costs! Another possibility is the contractors who may have been surveyed have no idea about their numbers.
Quite a range in prices. Doesn’t really take into account working within EPA lead standards so based on what we charge, the low end ranges on these are really low.