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Painter Hourly Rate Calculator
Calculate the hourly rate and per-room pricing your painting business needs — with painter-specific defaults and U.S. market benchmarks.
Required painter rate in Chicago
$82.31per billable hour
National market for painters: $46–$85/hr in Chicago.
- Billable hours per year6,000 paid hours at 70% utilization
- 4,200 hrs
- Break-even rateBefore owner income
- $64.67/hr
- Estimate fee
- $0
- Total for 90-min job
- $123
Your rate sits inside the painter market band
$82.31/hr is inside the $46–$85 band typical for painters in Chicago. Residential painter labor rates, U.S. national. Most jobs are quoted per square foot ($2–$6/sq ft) rather than hourly.
| Job | Your price | Market range |
|---|---|---|
| Single room interior (12×12) | $996 | $391–$782 |
| Whole-house interior (2,000 sq ft) | $9,381 | $4,469–$10,055 |
| Exterior siding (1,500 sq ft) | $6,007 | $3,910–$8,379 |
| Cabinet refinishing (kitchen) | $2,829 | $2,234–$5,586 |
You pay for every hour, not just the billable ones
At 70% utilization, 1,800 paid hours a year — $52,272 of burdened wage — never appear on an invoice. Route density and dispatching move this lever without raising your rate.
What this assumes
- Most painting jobs are quoted per square foot or per room; hourly rate is used for estimation.
- Material cost is 15 to 25% of a typical interior paint job; labor is the majority.
- Crew utilization runs higher than service trades because painters work full days on site.
Understanding the result
Painters quote by the room or square foot, not the hour
A homeowner asks 'what's your hourly rate?' but painters quote $350 to $700 per room or $2 to $6 per square foot. The hourly rate is your internal costing tool. If it is wrong, every room quote loses money — even if the customer never sees it.
Prep work is where estimates go wrong
A room that needs 2 hours of painting may need 4 hours of prep — patching, sanding, caulking, masking. Shops that estimate paint time only and skip prep consistently underbid. Build prep into every estimate as a separate line or a multiplier.
Exterior painting has higher material and access costs
Exterior jobs require scaffolding or ladders, weather windows, and more durable (expensive) paint. A gallon of exterior paint costs $40 to $60 vs. $25 to $40 interior. Price exterior at 1.5× to 2× the interior per-square-foot rate.
Common questions
How much do painters charge per hour?
Professional painters charge $40 to $75 per hour nationally, but most jobs are quoted per room or per square foot. A 3-person crew billing $55/hour paints a 12×12 room in 6 to 8 hours — $1,000 to $1,400 total.
How much does it cost to paint a room?
A standard 12×12 room costs $350 to $700 to paint professionally, including labor, paint, and basic prep. Rooms with high ceilings, wallpaper removal, or extensive patching run $500 to $1,000. Two coats on dark-to-light color changes add 30 to 50%.
How much does exterior house painting cost?
Exterior painting runs $2 to $6 per square foot of surface area, or $3,500 to $7,500 for a typical 2,000 sq ft home. Stucco, multi-story homes, and extensive prep (peeling, wood rot) run $5,000 to $10,000+.
How much do painters charge per square foot?
Interior painting runs $2 to $4 per square foot of wall/ceiling surface. Exterior runs $2 to $6 per square foot. Cabinet painting runs $3,000 to $5,000 for a kitchen. These are all-in prices including labor, materials, and basic prep.
How much should a painting business charge to be profitable?
A 3-person painting crew with $22/hour burdened labor, 70% utilization, and $6,000/month overhead needs $55 to $70/hour internally to hit 18 to 20% net margin. Price rooms at $400 to $700 to maintain margin after prep time.
Do painters charge for estimates?
Most painters provide free estimates for standard interior and exterior jobs. Detailed color consultations or large commercial projects may involve a fee. Get 3 written quotes — the lowest is often missing prep work.
How much does cabinet painting cost?
Professional kitchen cabinet painting runs $2,000 to $5,000 including prep, primer, two coats of cabinet-grade paint, and hardware reinstallation. Replacement cabinets run $8,000 to $25,000 — painting is 20 to 30% of replacement cost.
Is it worth hiring a professional painter?
A DIY interior paint job costs $200 to $400 in materials for a room. A professional charges $350 to $700 but delivers faster results, cleaner lines, proper prep, and warranty. Exterior painting especially benefits from professional equipment and experience.
How much do painters mark up paint?
Painters typically include paint in the quoted price rather than marking it up separately. Material cost is 15 to 25% of the job. Premium paints (Duration, Emerald) add $50 to $100 per room but reduce callback rates.
What is the best time of year to paint a house exterior?
Late spring through early fall is ideal — temperatures between 50°F and 90°F and low humidity. Most painters book 2 to 4 weeks out in peak season. Late fall bookings may offer 10 to 15% discounts in northern climates.
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