Hiring A Painter - Rates and Such (floors, paint, ceiling)

[motifone]

Has anyone here every hired a painter? We bought a new place and wish to paint over the majority of the walls with a custom color. Right now they are builder's white. We don't really want to (or have the time) to paint the place ourselves. We'd like a painter to paint most of it, and then down the road my wife and I can paint the remaining smaller bedrooms & baths when we pick colors.

I know the house magazines always show the smiling new homeowners in a room holding paintbrushes and eating pizza, painting happily away, but the reality is we have some 1,800 or so square feet to paint, high hard to reach walls on a stairwell, around kitchen cabinetry, etc. and very little free time to take on such a project. I met with a painter today and he quoted $1,600 labor and we can buy the paint/drop cloths, etc. He estimates 5 days to paint, 2 coats. With the walls being white, he probably wouldn't prime. Guess that's about $40/hr. Or, we can pay $2,700 and that would include labor plus all paint and materials/tape/floor paper, etc. We have wood floors so he wants to be safe to cover them with paper to avoid paint spills and scratches. We showed him a few paint chips from Home Depot (Behr paint) and he recommended we look at Benjamin Moore or Sherman Williams. He said they are better quality.

Anyhow, is anyone familiar with typical rates for painters? I'm not really sure if his quote is super high or low or in the ball park. I sort of like the idea of the painter buying his own materials and taking care of the paint. Or anyone care to recommend an awesome, fairly priced painter?

[Norsky1]

One of my best friends is a painter and for jobs like that he charges $25-$30 an hour for his work. I am not sure where you are located, but if you are in a larger area with higher cost of living, maybe that evens out.

[Ultrarunner]

Prices have increase some due to the new Federal Certification Painters are now supposed to have... it deals with lead issues and homes 1978 and older.

[texdav]

They are better paints especially benjamin moore or PPG best grades from one of their paint store dealers.If your going to pay the price of labor don't skimp on the qaulity of the paint.There are painters and their are professional painters.

[the painter]

Yep Texdav you are right ....trunk painters and pro painters.
Since I don't know where you are located and have not seen your home I can not even begin to guestimate your local rates. BUT....will be happy to give you a couple of things to think about before you make a decision. In hiring a painting contractor, check out the license and his insurance and referals too. Make sure you have a detailed contract explaining what he will and will not be doing, such as caulk, repairs, prime, no. of coats ect, will he be responsible for moving large funiture and replacing. Never hire anyone by the hour for a whole house repaint, I recommend a sq ft price and let the painter deal with buying the materials, if there is a mess up it will be out of their profit and not your pocket. Also, make sure you have the payment or payments detailed out in the contract PRIOR to starting...never make final payment till you are satisfied with the finish job.

[motifone]

Thank you for all the advice. I agree on using better quality paints and I think it reflects well on him that he recognized quality in Benjamin Moore and tried to steer us away from Behr or Home Depot paints. Another painted I called uses Dunn Edwards, which I guess is also a decent paint on West Coast. I do want to get one or two more painters to come give a quote.

[Decorchallenged]

I live in Maryland and my parents recently had some painting done. I was shocked by how low the price was. The guy charged $100 per ceiling and $200 per room and that INCLUDED all of the materials (he used Duran paint). He used Kilz on everything and repaired all damage, nail pops, etc. I don't know how many coats of paint he used, but the walls are well covered and all of the work is perfect. I usually do the painting for my parents but when I heard this guy's price I told them to let him do it...by the time I buy the paint, the tape, the kilz, etc. I've spent at least $100 per room. The guy told me that he is currently charging half of what he was getting two years ago, because everyone is so desperate for work they are all bidding low.

[lovemaine]

I think it really depends on the location. I got quotes here in Maine for $25 per hour, not including paint and supplies. To keep costs down, I've deciding to have the painter do all the cutting in, and I'll do the rolling. (I'm terrible at cutting in and taping is much too time consuming...)