A fresh paint job can transform the appearance of your house. Having your house painted by a professional can make it look like you got a new house overnight. A well-done paint job not only beautifies your home but it also improves it. Painting can help to protect your home from harsh weather, such as extreme dust, and it also reduces indoor air pollution. A good paint job can last as long as 20 years whereas a poor paint job may only last up to 3 years given the rainy weather conditions of Vancouver. That’s why it’s important to choose an experienced painter to carry out your painting project.
Once you have chosen a colour palette, you can hire an expert team of painters to paint the interior or exterior parts of your home or the full house. In this cost guide, you will learn how to choose an expert painter, factors that impact your final bill and cost estimates for various paint projects. Based on this cost guide, you can plan your next project budget or directly ask a painter in Vancouver to give you a custom quote as per your requirements. The costs in this guide are based on 358 verified reviews by Vancouver based homeowners.
Cost to Complete Different Painting Projects in Vancouver
| Location | Average Cost* | Lowest Reported* | Highest Reported* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior | $2,880 | $100 | $21,000 |
| Exterior | $5,290 | $200 | $20,000 |
| Full House Painting | $16,476 | $7,800 | $40,000 |
Costs as of October 2020*
Factors Impacting Painting Costs in Vancouver
Size and Location of the Room
- The cost of painting will vary depending on the size and location of the area you want to get painted. When you start planning your paint project, we recommend you make a detailed list of areas and surfaces you want to paint. Depending on the material of the surface, it may require different paint, tools and time to paint. Also, be sure to note the specific locations of these paint areas. Whether it’s kitchen cabinets, hallways, window trims, a backyard fence or exterior siding, the cost to paint will change.
- The painters will calculate the length, width and height of these areas to provide you with an estimate of time and paint required.
- To paint exterior walls, fence or front porch of your house it may cost you up to $20,000 in Vancouver. To paint any interior parts like walls, trims and ceilings, it may cost you $2,880 on average to complete.
Types and Quantity of Paint
- You can choose any type of paint and primer as per your requirements and the surface you want to paint. There are a lot of options available to choose from both water-based or oil-based paints. You can get a sample for every type of paint and finish which will help you decide exactly what you want. A professional painter can guide you through the types of paints and which type to choose from as per your requirements.
- The cost of paint is based on the type and its quantity. You may require up to 2 gallons of paint to cover a surface of 500 to 600 square feet. A gallon of paint can cost you anywhere from $15 to $300 in Vancouver. If you’re using multiple colours to paint trims, windows and corners of your house, you will need different quantities of paint. Once you decide which colour will go where the painter will measure the area and calculate the quantity of paint you may require. You can trust these calculations made by expert painters so that you can purchase all the paint in advance to avoid multiple trips to the store.
- It’s highly important that you finalize the colour before you start the paint job. If you have any doubts about the colour palette or the texture, do not proceed with the project. Repainting a fresh paint job can be very expensive and time-consuming so we highly recommend that you take your time to choose a colour.
Textured and Popcorn Ceiling
- Textured or popcorn ceilings were popular in homes built during the 1950s through the 1990s in Vancouver. To remove a popcorn ceiling, we highly recommend you hire a professional as it requires a lot of work.
- If your house was built before the 1980s, your popcorn ceiling could have asbestos. In such a case, scraping the popcorn ceiling is not a good idea without a necessary inspection first. Directly scarring the ceiling will make the asbestos airborne which is dangerous for the health and wellbeing of your family. Professional painters, who are also experts in replacing textured ceilings, can guide you through the process of successfully inspecting, carefully removing or replacing the textured ceiling.
- Based on the age and type of textured ceiling, it’s removal process and cost will change. Talk to a local painter to get a custom quote to remove your popcorn ceiling. They will inspect the ceiling, replace or remove it and clean up the mess after the job is done.
Wall and Room Preparation
Preparing your house for painting before the project can save you from any damages and accidental paint spills. A professional painter in Vancouver can help you prepare the paint areas and walls before painting any surfaces.
- Exterior preparations: for an exterior paint job, the painters will cover your landscape and patio furniture. They will also remove exterior light fixtures and decorations. After the project, they will uncover the landscape and put all the furniture, decorations and light fixtures back in their place.
- Interior preparations: painters will fix any damages to your walls like holes and cracks. They will also smooth the wall with sandpaper and clean off any dust particles so that the paint will be applied evenly. Painters will also cover heavy furniture, remove ceiling fans and light fixtures, cover the floors to avoid any stains of paint drip.
Painters will have to inspect the area beforehand to see how much preparation is needed and how much time it will take. After inspecting the area, they can provide you with an estimate of time and cost for preparation.
Season
- If you are planning any exterior paint projects, it’s important you check the weather first. You must avoid rainy days in Vancouver to complete a nice-looking and long-lasting paint job.
- Heavy rains, strong winds and humidity can ruin an exterior paint job. That’s why many outdoor painters in Vancouver recommend spring and summer to do any exterior painting projects. In these seasons, chances of rain and heavy winds are lower. You can have cloudy yet dry weather in this season which is favourable to paint your porch, fence, or home’s exterior. We recommend you hire a painter well in advance as these seasons are known as the busiest seasons for painters in Vancouver.
- For your interior paint project, you can complete it at any time of the year as the weather changes do not impact it directly. Still, we highly recommend you talk to a local painter to decide your paint plan as per the season.
The Painter’s Profile
- Experience: An experienced painter can complete a project faster and without any damages. It might cost you more to hire an experienced painter but you won’t have to worry about taking care of preparations, meeting your timeline and cleaning up after the project is done if you hire a well-experienced painting professional.
- Labour: A big paint project or a project with tight deadlines may require extra painters. The cost of extra painters will be added to your final invoice as ‘labour costs.’ To avoid any surprise amounts on the bill, we recommend you talk to the painter about these overhead costs before starting the project.
- Expertise: If you’re having trouble choosing a colour palette or are unsure of which type of paint to buy, an expert painter can help you make these decisions.
Before You Hire Potential Painters
Discuss Supplies and Tools
- To complete any paint project you will need many tools and supplies besides paint and primer. Tools such as paint rollers, paint roller extension poles, drop cloths, paint brushes, sandpaper, paint tray, putti knife and painters’ tape are easily available for purchase at many online and local stores in Vancouver. Having the wrong tools can result in an unsuccessful paint job. Instead of spending your time researching these tools, we recommend you hire a painter who already has all of the tools needed.
- When you talk to a painter, make sure you discuss the detail of any specific tools and supplies you might require for your project. Ask for a cost estimate for any such special tools and supplies.
Understand Their Damage Repair Policy
- If not done carefully, a paint job can cause damage to your walls, ceiling, furniture and landscape. It can happen due to accidental paint spills or falling off the equipment used such as a ladder. Many painting contractors in Vancouver offer damage repair services.
- Before hiring any painter, confirm if they have a damage repair policy. If they do, make sure you get a copy of the policy at the beginning of the project.
Check Out Potential Painter’s HomeStars Profile
- On HomeStars you can check a company’s Star Score and reviews written by Vancouver-based homeowners. These reviews are verified references to their previous work. You can also check their verification badge. HomeStars provides a verification badge only to companies that have passed our rigorous background checks. These tools will help you make the right hiring decision.
Residential painting projects are time-consuming and require a true professional to be done right. If not done right the first time, you will lose more time and money. Be sure to protect your investment by hiring an experienced painting company. It’s also important that you don’t overspend on your paint project. A professional and experienced painter in Vancouver can help you create a painting plan for your project as per your requirements. Get a custom quote from a local painter for your next project.