Paint job: Cost (first time home buyer, buyer, contractor)

[phoenix_new]

I am a first time home buyer, probably my first house will be a single story, 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2400 sqft

Just wanted to get some idea, what should be the cost of painting this kind of house ?

I don't know if i can do it on my own

[khuntrevor]

exterior or interior?

[phoenix_new]

Separate Cost for both ?

[khuntrevor]

If it is a situation where it can be sprayed--carpet gone, etc., you might be looking at 2500 for exterior and a similar amount for the interior. Furnished house, with carpet in, trim work, removing wall-paper borders....4000 for interior. Probably could get an insured company, using legal workers. Keep it simple, and neutral for lowest costs and best results. Painters charge about 30 per hour--and hate to do any carpentry work. Buy your own materials, let them tell you what you need--most of the tradesmen I encounter can't pay their mobile phone bills.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

Buy your own materials, let them tell you what you need--most of the tradesmen I encounter can't pay their mobile phone bills.

+1

There's a low "barrier to entry" in the painting business - guys (girls) just out of prison, & people who can't hold a "real" job are attracted to the trades - so be careful... don't pay big cash deposits, etc.

There are numerous guys on craigslist selling "recycled" paint - it might be in a pretty jug, but it isn't necessarily worth putting it on your own house. Buy your own paint so you don't get hosed.

[khuntrevor]

Also, the Benjamin Moore & Co. website is awesome. You can take the number of the paint and go to HD. So, I have a Ben Moore color, made by HD, which is Glidden paint. It's about 16 per gallon for exterior. There's always somebody telling you , that you need to go to the paint store and get some high dollar stuff, but it's really overkill. I've had very good luck with walmart interior paint, but lately the employees seem to enjoy being stupid jackasses a bit much for my standards.....no express lane open, 50 people on the clock, but only 2 registers open, no self-checkout.......NO THANKS. HD on Thomas is way above average, and they have many knowledgeable people working there. Heck, my house looked so good with a fresh cote of Kilz II, that it crossed my mind to leave it--but the guy from HD said you should paint over the primer within 30 days.

[observer53]

I got my 2100 sq foot house, with vaulted ceilings in every room but the hall bathroom and the laundry, done 8 years ago for 2400.00, licensed contractor, legal workers. It turned out to be a bit of an underbid, as they needed more paint to cover the old finish in some rooms than they thought. They used Dunn Edwards paint-- really nice stuff. Beautiful job, multiple colors in house. Some charge more for extra colors, etc. Exterior, within 6 weeks of that same time frame, was about the same. Get a few different bids, as I did, and see what you find out.