Painting Cost in the Twin Cities — Interior & Exterior

Twin Cities interior painting runs $3 to $7 per square foot of floor area, or $300–$900 per average room. Exterior painting on a 2,000 sf house runs $4,500 to $11,000.

Interior painting — by room

Room	Typical cost	Notes
Powder room	$200 – $400	Walls + trim
Bedroom (12x12)	$350 – $650	Walls only
Bedroom + ceiling + trim	$550 – $950	Full repaint
Living room (16x20)	$700 – $1,500	Often vaulted
Kitchen	$600 – $1,200	Less wall area, more cut-in
Hallway + stairwell	$600 – $1,400	Tall walls = scaffolding
Whole interior 2,000 sf	$5,000 – $12,000	Walls only
Whole interior + ceilings + trim	$8,000 – $18,000	"Refresh package"

Interior — what affects price

1. Wall condition

Smooth drywall: cheapest. Heavy texture (popcorn ceiling, knockdown): +20–30%. Holes, cracks, water stains: $50–$200 in repair add-ons per room.

2. Color change

• Same color, fresh coat — 1 coat, baseline price.
• Color change (light to light) — 2 coats standard.
• Light over dark — 3 coats + tinted primer. +30–50%.
• Dark accent walls — paint costs $80/gal (vs. $50); +$20–$40/wall.

3. Trim and doors

Adds 25–50% to a room price. Trim is slow (cut lines, multiple coats) and high-visibility.

4. Cabinet painting

$1,200–$3,500 for a typical kitchen. Uses specialized cabinet enamel + spray rig. Cheaper than refacing ($6k+) or replacing ($15k+).

5. Paint quality

• Builder grade (Behr Marquee, SW SuperPaint) — $35–$45/gal. 5–7 year life.
• Premium (SW Emerald, BM Aura, BM Regal Select) — $65–$95/gal. 10–12 year life. Worth it for trim, kitchens, bathrooms.

Exterior painting — by house size

Home size	Twin Cities cost	Days
1,200 sf rambler	$3,500 – $6,500	3–5
1,800 sf two-story	$4,500 – $9,000	4–7
2,400 sf two-story	$6,000 – $12,000	5–8
3,500 sf+	$10,000 – $20,000+	7–14

Exterior — major cost drivers

Siding type

• Smooth lap (LP SmartSide, fiber cement) — easiest, cheapest per sf.
• Cedar shake / shingles — 30–40% premium (lots of edges, brush work).
• Stucco — needs elastomeric coating, +25%.
• Brick — usually not painted; if you're painting, requires masonry primer.

Prep work (the hidden 40%)

• Power wash — $250–$600. Always required.
• Scrape, sand, prime peeling areas — $500–$2,500 depending on condition.
• Caulk — gaps around trim, windows, corners. $200–$600.
• Replace rotted boards — $50–$200 per board.
• Lead testing/abatement for pre-1978 homes — required by EPA RRP rule. $400–$2,500+.

Story height

2-story = ladders & scaffolding. Add 15–25% over a single-story rambler of the same square footage.

Twin Cities-specific exterior notes

• Ideal painting window: late May to mid-October. Two-coat applications need overnight temps above 50°F.
• Cedar shake homes in older neighborhoods (St. Paul Highland, Linden Hills) often need stain restoration instead of paint — different process, similar price.
• Stucco is rare in MN but common in 1920s–30s tudor revivals; needs specialty crew.
• HardiePlank / fiber cement holds factory paint 15–20 years before needing full repaint.

When to repaint

Surface	Repaint cycle
Interior walls	7–10 years
Interior trim	10–15 years
Cabinets	8–12 years
Wood siding	5–8 years
Cedar (stained)	3–5 years
LP SmartSide	8–12 years
Fiber cement (Hardie)	12–20 years
Stucco	7–10 years

Saving money on painting

• Paint same-color — skip primer, 1 coat instead of 2.
• Off-season — November–March interior pricing is 10–20% lower.
• Bundle — interior + exterior + cabinets in one season often gets a package discount.
• DIY the prep, hire the paint — washing, light scraping, masking is doable. Cuts 15–25%.
• Skip the trim painting if it's already in good shape.

Frequently asked questions

One coat or two? Two is the honest answer for any color change. Anyone quoting 1-coat on a color change is cutting corners.

Brush, roll, or spray? Spray for cabinets, ceilings, and exterior bodies. Brush + roll for interior walls (better adhesion). Be wary of "all-spray" interior quotes — overspray gets in everything.

Do you guarantee the work? Reputable Twin Cities painters offer 3–5 year workmanship warranties on exterior work. Interior is usually 1–2 years.

Lead paint? Any home built before 1978 is presumed to have lead paint. We're EPA RRP-certified (required) — adds $200–$1,000 in containment depending on prep scope.

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