Norman Painting Pros: How much should I pay a painter by the hour?

How much should I pay a painter per the hour?

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How much should I pay a painter?

That question can have MANY answers, but don’t let the “cheap guys” fool you. There’s a reason getting your space painted does cost money.

Professional Painting Companies charge anywhere from $10-$40 per hour, depending on the type of work they are performing and the level of skill required for the project. Professional Painters who have a lot of experience tend to charge more while those with less experience cost less. Painters earn their money by skillfully applying paint to walls properly — not overly thinning paint so it takes 3 coats to cover, or having excessively large tip-to-wall ratios (aka: painting too “fat”).

How Much do Painters Charge by the hour?

Painters charge anywhere from $10-$40 per hour, depending on how easy or complicated the project at hand is. Painters with less experience tend to charge less, however this “saving” can come at expense of the quality of your project, don’t let yourself be tricked by lower prices, look for reviews and comments about the company you are looking to work with. Even though professional painters or professional painting companies might charge a little more, their work and quality is ensured.

Painter Cost

TYPE OF PAINTER	AVERAGE COST
CONTRACT PAINTER	$10-$40 per hour
COMMERCIAL PAINTER	$20-$50 per hour
HOURLY BILLING	$15-$45 per hour
PAINTERS HELPER	$8-$15 per hour

A painting company has to pay their painters a fair wage to get the excellence, skill and experience they need for their lead painters. Painters helpers may be paid a bit less, but everyone has to be paid a fair and living wage in order for the painting company to stay in business and still provide excellent service.

The going rate for commercial painters

The “going rate” per painter is around an average of $20-$50 per hour. Painters who work hourly typically bill anywhere from $15-$45 an hour, depending on their experience and skill level. Contractors usually price out jobs based on the cost of materials plus the cost of their labor and other overhead prices such as advertising and office staff. The number of workers the job will take, and the number of hours of labor necessary to complete the job are also factors a business owner will take into consideration when estimating projects for clients.

How much does it cost to hire someone to paint?

Working class or unskilled painters will usually charge by the room, which is a good way for them to figure out, or average, how much they’ll earn per day while also giving homeowners a break on labor costs. Painters sometimes charge by square foot of wall space, OR the square footage of the room when they’re estimating prices for larger or more intricate rooms.

When someone is looking for a painter for their business or residence, a lot of factors should be taken into consideration. If they’re looking for the cheapest price tag, then hiring an individual may be the best way to go. The risk of this, however, is great. Painters are always working in high places, and their lives are on the line. If they are uninsured and have an accident, the outcome may be very difficult for the painter and the homeowner to bear. Painters may also cut corners when it comes to painting materials if they’re just doing a small job. Using adequate materials to prepare and protect your adjacent surfaces and belongings are just ONE of the steps that a professional painter will take to ensure that your job is excellent from start to finish.

Hire a professional painter

When business owners or homeowners want to hire a company instead of an individual, it’s usually due to the peace-of-mind that is gained from experience, professionalism and credibility. Painters working for companies are highly likely NOT to sleep on the job or cut corners with paint job quality because they know they’ll have to answer to a supervisor or lose their job. If you’re hiring an individual instead of a company, ask how long they’ve been in business and what kind of training and certification programs they completed before operating as a solo painter. Painters who are employed by reputable companies usually work harder and take more pride in their work because it’s their reputation that is on the line. Painters working for companies also know that if they cut corners, don’t show up, etc., the company will not only fire them but blacklist them from working with other good companies too. This threat tends to keep painters inspired to be honest workers without cutting corners or wasting time.

The costs that come with hiring a professional painting company include, but aren’t limited to, the company owner’s payroll expenses, materials, vehicles, liability insurance, workman’s comp insurance, taxes, state fees, licensures, building costs, administrative costs, and more. The business owner’s bottom line isn’t always as high as one might think after all of these legitimizing costs. The trade off for the higher cost, is that the painting contractor in this position usually provides a warranty on their work, and is insured in case some type of damage unintentionally happens to your property. Having the peace of mind that comes with hiring a legitimate company is exactly what a homeowner needs when deciding who to trust with their home.

Getting a Painting Estimate

When you receive a bid, or estimate, or quote from your painter, make sure that the work is broken out in a line item fashion, so that you know you’re not getting arbitrary numbers thrown at you. The painting cost will include materials (including fuel for power washing, tape, paper, plastic, filler, caulking, tools and paint) are a separate cost from the labor. When the labor is being quoted, keep in mind that it’s not usually for ONE person’s work. That cost has to pay the whole crew and the associated payroll costs as well. Labor is usually broken down into an hourly cost on or near the proposal, so be sure to ask for a breakdown if the hours are not broken down already. Remember that most contractors have overhead and general business costs associated with running any type of business, so their price may also include paying their staff a fair wage to compensate them fairly for their time and expertise spent on your project.

“…make sure that the work is broken out in a line item fashion, so that you know you’re not getting arbitrary numbers thrown at you.”

Norman Painting Pros

Is it Worth it to Hire a Legitimate Painting Company?

Yes. Painters can be expensive, but they are necessary and getting a good paint job is absolutely worth it! Not only will your home look better, but you’ll also save money on utility bills in the long run. Painters should charge between $1-$3 per square foot for painting depending on location and other factors (each company will have slightly different prices).

Always get estimates from multiple companies as well so you’ll know that you’re paying a fair price for your painter cost. If one painter is significantly cheaper than the others, there’s a reason for it. Most of the time it’s because they’re using less paint or less materials to complete the job. Keep this in mind when comparing painters’ quotes on their pricing. Benjamin Moore tells us that “it may seem like a lot of work” (1) but it’s worth it to the client and the business owners to quote accurately so the client will know how much they are going to pay on average. Knowing how much your painters charge is a big win for consumers so there aren’t any markups or surprises later on from their pro.

“It may seem like a lot of work before the work even gets started, but knowing how to estimate a paint job accurately
to account for all costs can mean the difference…”

Benjamin Moore

Norman's Best Painters

Here at Norman Painting Pros, we are fully insured and run a legitimate, registered business with the state of Oklahoma. We employ our painters and train them well so they always demonstrate the excellence that we demand. You’ll never have to put money down on a project with us, and we’ll leave your property much better than we found it. Give us a call today if you’re ready to schedule your paint job with an upstanding and experienced crew of painters.

“Of course, actual costs will depend on job size, conditions, and options.” (2) Painters may charge hourly, daily, or per project. Painters who work by the day typically paint between 8-10 hours in a single day. Painters may require additional days if they are painting ceilings and walls that aren’t flat (slanting walls). Painters may also take longer to prepare surfaces like textured walls that need to be smoothed before being painted or if there’s excessive amounts of dirt and dust that needs to be cleaned up first.

“Actual costs will depend on job size, conditions, and options. “