Painting prices
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room in Massachusetts?
Most rooms run $135–$600 in labor, based on our $45/hour rate with a $75 minimum per visit. Below are the real per-room ranges, the per-square-foot math and exactly what moves the number.
Room painting prices by room
Labor for walls in normal condition, two coats, prep included. Paint and materials are separate.
| Room | Labor |
|---|---|
| Small bedroom / office (10x10) | $225 – $350 |
| Standard bedroom (12x12) | $315 – $450 |
| Living room (14x16) | $400 – $600 |
| Kitchen (walls only, cabinets excluded) | $270 – $450 |
| Bathroom | $135 – $250 |
| Hallway & stairwell | $360 – $550 |
| Ceiling only (standard room) | $90 – $200 |
| Trim, doors & baseboards only | $135 – $280 |
$0.60 – $1.00 / sq ft
Per square foot of wall surface, two coats. Measure wall length around the room, multiply by ceiling height, and subtract windows and doors for a quick estimate.
$45/hour
Straight labor rate with a $75 minimum per visit. Every job is confirmed as a written flat price before we start — see the full rates page.
Where the money actually goes
Prep is roughly 40–60% of the job
Moving and covering furniture, masking floors, trim and fixtures, sanding, patching nail holes and cracks, caulking gaps and spot-priming. Skipping it is why cheap paint jobs peel and show every flaw.
Paint is the other 40–60%
Cutting in edges and ceilings by hand, then two full coats with proper dry time between them. Rolling is the fast part — the finish comes from the cut-in and the second coat.
Common add-ons and what they cost
| Second color / accent wall | +$45 – $90 |
| Priming over dark or stained walls | +$90 – $180 per room |
| Patching heavy nail holes, cracks or drywall damage | +$45 – $225 |
| Wallpaper removal before painting | +$180 – $450 per room |
| Paint and materials (if we supply) | at cost, ~$40 – $70 per gallon |
| Vaulted or 12 ft+ ceilings | +15–25% of labor time |
What changes your price
- Wall square footage, not floor size — a 12x12 room with 9 ft ceilings has more wall than one with 8 ft
- Ceiling height and stairwells that need ladders or staging
- Wall condition: smooth and clean paints fast, damaged and patched does not
- Going from a dark color to a light one, which usually needs primer plus two coats
- Whether trim, doors and ceilings are included or just the walls
- Furnished and occupied rooms versus an empty apartment we can work through freely
Rooms we've painted
Real projects from homes and rentals across Massachusetts.
Room painting cost questions
How much does it cost to paint a room in Massachusetts?+
Most single rooms land between $225 and $600 in labor. A small bedroom is typically $225–$350 and a living room $400–$600, based on our $45/hour rate with a $75 minimum per visit. Paint and materials are extra if we supply them.
What is the cost per square foot to paint interior walls?+
Roughly $0.60 to $1.00 per square foot of wall surface for two coats on walls in decent condition. Rooms needing patching, priming or wallpaper removal move toward the top of that range or above it.
Does the price include paint?+
Our quotes separate labor from materials. You can buy the paint yourself, or we supply it at cost — usually $40–$70 per gallon, with a standard room taking one to two gallons per coat depending on coverage.
How long does it take to paint one room?+
A standard bedroom is one day, prep through second coat. Living rooms and stairwells can run into a second day, especially with trim and ceilings included.
Is it cheaper to paint several rooms at once?+
Yes. Setup, masking and travel are shared across the job, so a whole apartment or several rooms in one booking costs less per room than the same rooms done one at a time.
Do you paint occupied homes and rentals?+
Yes. We work room by room, protect furniture and floors and clean up at the end of each day. For rental turnovers we can usually paint and touch up the whole unit between tenants.