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How Much Does It Cost?

House painting cost calculator

If you only know your home’s floor area, the calculator estimates wall area with an adjustable factor; if you have measured the walls, enter them directly. It then adds paint, labour and supplies.

Home improvement Updated:

Inputs

m²

Rule of thumb: wall area is usually 2.5–3 times the floor area with ceilings around 2.5 m (8 ft). Measure for accuracy.

m²/L
$/L

Price per litre. Example value.

$/m²

Price per area quoted by the painter. Leave at 0 if you do it yourself.

$

Rollers, tape, dust sheets, filler… Example value.

%

Starting values are editable examples, not official prices. Results update automatically as you change the inputs.

Result

House painting cost calculator — How Much Does It Cost?

Estimated total cost

$430.72

Area to paint
296 m²
Paint needed
65.12 L
Paint cost
$390.72
Labour
$0.00
Cost per area
$1.46/m²
Budget split
Paint: $390.72Supplies: $40.00Total$431
  • Paint$390.72 · 90.7%
  • Supplies$40.00 · 9.3%
Calculation breakdown
  1. Area = 296 m²
  2. Paint = 296 m² × coats ÷ coverage × (1 + margin) = 65.12 L
  3. Paint cost = 65.12 L × $6.00/L = $390.72
  4. Labour = 296 m² × $0.00/m² = $0.00
  5. Total = paint + labour + supplies = $430.72

Indicative result based on the data you entered. It does not replace a professional quote or your actual bill.

How it is calculated

Area = floor area × factor (+ ceilings) or measured area. Paint = area × coats ÷ coverage × (1 + margin).

Total = paint quantity × price + area × labour rate + supplies.

Worked example

Using the calculator’s example values:

  • Which area do you know?: Floor area of the home (estimate walls)
  • Floor area: 80 m²
  • Wall-to-floor factor: 2.7
  • Include ceilings (equal to floor area): Yes
  • Number of coats: 2
  • Paint coverage: 10 m²/L
  • Paint price: $6.00/L
  • Labour: $0.00/m²
  • Supplies: $40.00
  • Paint margin: 10%

Result: Estimated total cost — $430.72 (area to paint: 296 m²; paint needed: 65.12 L; paint cost: $390.72).

Money-saving tips

  • Get at least two quotes and check what they include (prep, protection, cleanup).
  • Repairing cracks before painting avoids redoing the job.
  • Painting an empty home is usually faster and cheaper.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2.7 factor exact?

No, it is a rough guide for homes with standard ceiling heights. Measure the walls if you need a firm budget.

How do painters charge?

Usually per area or per room. Enter the rate they quote per area; if they charge per room, divide by the area.

Why is labour set to 0?

Because rates vary widely between areas and professionals and we don’t want to give you an invented figure. Enter the one from your quote.

GuideHow much paint do I need? A step-by-step method

How we calculate and the limits of the results: Methodology.

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