Interior Painting Cost in Salt Lake City

For most homes in the Salt Lake City area, interior painting typically falls between $2 and $6 per square foot of floor area.

That wide range is normal. Where you land depends on scope and condition more than anything else.

Typical Local Pricing Snapshots:

• Low end: ~$2.00 per sq ft for simple repaints, minimal prep, fewer surfaces

• Typical: ~$3.00–$4.00 per sq ft for standard full-home repaints

• High end: $5.00–$6.00+ per sq ft for heavy prep, detailed trim, premium finishes

Interior Painting Cost Per Square Foot (How Pricing Is Usually Calculated)

Most painters in Salt Lake City price interiors by square foot of floor area, not wall area. That can feel odd at first, but it’s a shortcut that works surprisingly well for standard homes.

Here’s why:

• Floor area loosely tracks total wall and ceiling surface

• It accounts for room count, doors, and layout without measuring every wall

• It allows painters to quote efficiently and consistently

That said, square-foot pricing is only a starting point. It assumes “typical” rooms, ceiling heights, and prep. Once conditions change, the effective price per square foot changes too.

A clean, empty home with 8-foot ceilings and neutral colors may land closer to $2–$3 per sq ft. A lived-in home with tall ceilings, damaged walls, and lots of trim can hit $5–$6+ per sq ft quickly.

Interior Painting Cost by Home Size

Looking at total project ranges helps put square-foot pricing into context.

Condos & Apartments

• Typical size: 700–1,200 sq ft

• Realistic range: ~$2,000–$5,000

Smaller footprints help keep totals down, but per-square-foot pricing often still lands in the $2–$4+ range once prep and access are factored in.

Townhomes

• Typical size: 1,300–1,800 sq ft

• Realistic range: ~$3,000–$7,000

Stairs, railings, and multi-level layouts add ladder time and detail work, which pushes pricing toward the middle or upper end of local ranges.

Single-Family Homes

• Typical size: 1,800–2,800+ sq ft

• Realistic range: ~$4,000–$10,000+

A 1,700 sq ft interior repaint lands around $3,600–$6,400 for standard scope. Larger homes scale up from there, especially once trim, doors, and ceilings are included.

Interior Painting Cost Per Room

Room-by-room pricing helps explain why two quotes can differ even inside the same house.

What You’re Actually Paying For (Cost Breakdown)

A painter’s quote is usually made up of three main buckets.

Labor (60–70% of the total)

Labor is the biggest driver. A full interior repaint of a 1,700–2,000 sq ft home often takes 80–120+ labor hours, depending on prep and detail level. 

That alone can land in the $2,500–$4,000+ range before materials.

Materials

Paint, primer, caulk, tape, plastic, rollers, and sundries add up.

Materials cost around $0.70–$0.80 per sq ft of floor area, or roughly $1,100–$1,200 for a mid-size home using mid-range paint.

Equipment & Overhead

Sprayers, ladders, insurance, vehicles, and admin costs are usually baked into the quote rather than itemized. 

You’ll often see this show up indirectly as higher per-square-foot pricing.

What Drives Interior Painting Costs Up or Down

Several variables swing pricing dramatically.

Scope of Work

• Walls only vs walls + ceilings + trim + doors

• Each surface adds separate labor and material

Prep and Wall Condition

• Nail pops, cracks, sanding, and patching add hours

• Heavy prep pushes jobs toward the high end of the range

Layout & Access

• Tall ceilings, stairwells, and tight spaces slow painters down

• More setup and ladder work increases labor time

Colors & Coats

• Dark-to-light changes often require primer and extra coats

• More coats equal more labor and paint

Paint Quality, Sheen, Finish

Paint choice affects cost more through materials than labor, but finishes matter.

Heavy semi-gloss use on trim or doors can add 10–25% more labor compared to flat walls, especially where sanding between coats is required.

Wall Damage, Repairs & Prep Work

Wall condition is one of the biggest cost multipliers.

• Light patching: Add $75–$200 per room

• Peeling or flaking paint: Add 25–40% to room cost

• Stains or water damage: $400–$800 per room in severe cases

• Wallpaper removal: 30–60% increase is common

For whole-house jobs, a 25% contingency is reasonable if walls show age or prior DIY work.

What’s Usually Included in Interior Painting Quotes

Most standard quotes include:

• Light prep and surface cleaning

• Drop cloths and basic protection

• Mid-range paint and primer

• Two finish coats on specified surfaces

• Cleanup and debris removal

What’s Commonly Excluded Or Extra?

Often billed separately:

• Major drywall or water damage repairs

• Wallpaper removal

• High or difficult access areas

• Heavy furniture moving

• Added rooms or scope changes

Always confirm what’s included before comparing quotes.

DIY vs Hiring Professional Painters

DIY can work for simple rooms in good condition. It often backfires when:

• Prep is rushed

• Wrong products are used

• Height or access is tricky

• Finish quality matters for resale

Fixing bad paint jobs usually costs more than doing it right the first time.

How To Lower Your Interior Painting Cost Without Cutting Corners

How To Read An Interior Painting Quote Before You Sign

Look for:

• Clear surface lists

• Number of coats specified

• Prep work spelled out

• Exclusions clearly noted

Vague quotes are where budgets blow up.