“How much does it cost to paint a house?” is the first question every homeowner asks. And the honest answer from most contractors is always “it depends.” That’s technically true, but it’s not helpful when you’re trying to budget for a project.
After completing over 500 painting projects across Western Washington since 2012, we’ve built a deep dataset of real-world pricing. This guide shares actual cost ranges based on completed projects in Seattle, Bellevue, Lynnwood, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Bothell, Everett, Edmonds, and surrounding cities. No national averages. No generic estimates. Just honest numbers from your local market.
Interior Painting Costs in Western Washington (2026)
Interior painting is the most common project we complete. Pricing depends on the number of rooms, ceiling height, surface condition, color changes, and the quality of paint selected.
By Project Size
Single room (bedroom, home office, nursery): $400 to $900. This includes wall prep, primer where needed, two coats of finish paint, and cleanup. Trim painting (baseboards, door frames) is usually included for single-room projects.
Two rooms: $700 to $1,600. There’s a small per-room discount when combining rooms because setup and cleanup time is shared.
Kitchen and living area (open floor plan): $1,200 to $3,000. Open concept spaces are more efficient to spray but often have taller ceilings and more trim detail.
Full main floor (living, dining, kitchen, hallway): $1,800 to $4,200. This is the most popular residential project we complete. Most Eastside homes in this range are 1,000 to 1,800 square feet on the main floor.
Full home interior (1,500 to 2,500 sq ft): $3,500 to $7,500. Includes all rooms, hallways, closets, and standard trim. Vaulted ceilings, extensive millwork, or significant drywall repair can push this higher.
Large home (3,000+ sq ft): $6,000 to $12,000+. Many Sammamish and Bellevue homes fall in this range due to larger floor plans, higher ceilings, and more complex trim detailing.
What Drives Interior Costs Up
Ceiling height is the biggest factor most homeowners don’t consider. Standard 8-foot ceilings are straightforward. 10-foot ceilings add 15 to 20 percent to labor costs. Vaulted or cathedral ceilings (common in Kirkland waterfront homes and newer Redmond construction) can add 30 to 50 percent because they require scaffolding or specialty equipment.
Trim complexity adds significant time. Crown molding, wainscoting, chair rail, built-in cabinetry, and multi-panel doors all require precision masking and careful cutting-in. Homes with extensive millwork (common in older Bothell and Kenmore neighborhoods) cost more because of the detail work involved.
Dark-to-light color changes require additional primer coats to block the old color from bleeding through. Each dark-to-light transition adds $150 to $300 per room.
Surface condition matters enormously. Walls with nail pops, cracks, water stains, or textured finishes need more prep. Older homes with plaster walls require different preparation than modern drywall.
Number of colors affects scope directly. A single-color whole-house refresh is more efficient than 8 different colors across 10 rooms with multiple accent walls.
What Drives Interior Costs Down
Neutral-to-neutral color changes need less primer. Open floor plans with fewer rooms mean less masking time. Good wall condition with minimal repair needs reduces prep labor. Flexible scheduling during off-peak months (November through March) can sometimes yield preferred pricing.
Exterior Painting Costs in Western Washington (2026)
Exterior painting in Western Washington varies more than interior because of the wide range of home sizes, siding types, and condition levels. Our Pacific Northwest climate creates unique challenges that affect both preparation scope and material selection.
By Home Size
Small rambler (under 1,500 sq ft): $2,400 to $4,500. Typical of many Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace mid-century homes.
Average home (1,500 to 2,500 sq ft): $4,500 to $7,500. The most common residential exterior project. Includes full pressure washing, scraping, sanding, caulking, priming bare spots, and two coats of premium exterior paint.
Larger home (2,500 to 3,500 sq ft): $7,500 to $10,000. Common in Mill Creek, Woodinville, and newer Bothell developments.
Large or complex home (3,500+ sq ft): $10,000 to $15,000+. Multi-story homes, complex rooflines, and extensive trim detail increase both labor and equipment costs. Many Sammamish and Bellevue custom homes fall in this range.
Siding Type Matters
Cedar lap siding is the most common exterior surface in Western Washington and requires the most preparation. Cedar absorbs moisture, develops moss on north-facing walls, and can crack and check over time. Proper exterior painting on cedar requires thorough pressure washing, scraping all loose paint, sanding, caulking every seam, priming bare wood, and applying two full coats.
James Hardie (fiber cement) siding holds paint well and requires less intensive preparation, but still needs cleaning, caulking, and proper primer application before finish coats.
LP SmartSide and similar engineered wood products need proper cleaning and a compatible primer system. Not all primers work with all substrates, and your painter should specify what they’re using.
Stucco and EIFS require different preparation and coating systems than wood or fiber cement. Hairline cracks need to be filled with elastomeric caulk, and the coating system needs to remain breathable.
PNW-Specific Exterior Factors
Western Washington’s exterior painting challenges are unique in the country. Between 38 to 40 inches of annual rainfall, persistent moss and algae growth, summer UV exposure, and freeze-thaw cycles, exterior paint here works harder than almost anywhere else.
This is why we spend 40 to 60 percent of every exterior project on surface preparation. In our climate, skipping prep doesn’t save money. It guarantees premature paint failure and a full repaint in 3 years instead of 7 to 10.
The optimal exterior painting window runs late May through early October. Consistent temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 48 hours of dry weather after application are the minimum requirements.
Cabinet Painting Costs in Western Washington (2026)
Kitchen cabinet painting delivers one of the highest ROIs of any home improvement project. Professional cabinet refinishing costs a fraction of replacement while delivering a comparable visual result.
Typical Pricing
Small kitchen (up to 15 cabinet doors): $1,200 to $2,400
Average kitchen (15 to 30 doors): $2,400 to $3,800
Large kitchen with island (30+ doors): $3,800 to $5,500
Kitchen + bathroom cabinets: $4,000 to $6,500
Compare these to full cabinet replacement: $15,000 to $50,000+ for the same kitchen. The visual result is comparable. The ROI of painting is 3 to 6 times higher.
What Affects Cabinet Pricing
Door style impacts labor time. Flat slab doors are fastest to spray. Shaker doors with recessed panels take more time. Cathedral or raised-panel doors with detailed profiles require the most labor for proper coverage.
Cabinet condition matters. Cabinets with grease buildup, previous paint failures, or damaged surfaces need more preparation. Cabinets that have been previously painted (especially with latex over oil) may need complete stripping before refinishing.
Finish type affects both cost and durability. Catalyzed lacquer is the most durable option but costs more than waterborne enamel. Both deliver factory-smooth results when properly sprayed with HVLP equipment.
Our cabinet painting vs. replacement comparison breaks down the full analysis.
Commercial Painting Costs in Western Washington (2026)
Commercial painting costs vary more widely than residential because project scope is so diverse.
Interior commercial (per sq ft of wall area): $1.50 to $4.00
Exterior commercial (per sq ft of surface): $2.00 to $6.00
Epoxy floor coatings: $3.00 to $12.00 per sq ft
HOA exterior per unit: $1,200 to $3,500
Tenant turnover repaint: $800 to $2,500 per unit
Retail storefront refresh: $2,000 to $6,000
These ranges reflect licensed, insured contractors using commercial-grade products with proper surface preparation. Budget quotes that undercut these ranges typically indicate inadequate prep, inferior products, or insufficient insurance coverage.
Our commercial painting guide for Eastside businesses covers the full scope of what to expect.
Why Some Painting Quotes Are Dramatically Lower
If one bid is 40 percent below the others, that’s not a bargain. It’s a red flag. Here’s what budget quotes typically sacrifice:
Less surface preparation. Prep is the most labor-intensive part of any paint job. It’s also the part that determines whether your paint lasts 3 years or 10. Cutting prep saves the most time and money for the contractor, but it costs you the most in the long run.
Cheaper paint products. There’s a significant quality and durability difference between contractor-grade paint and premium products like Sherwin-Williams Duration, Emerald, or Benjamin Moore Aura and Regal Select. We use premium products exclusively because the cost difference per gallon is small relative to the labor investment, and the performance difference is enormous.
Fewer coats. A proper paint job is two full coats over primer. Some budget painters apply one coat over minimal primer, or skip priming entirely. The result looks acceptable initially but fails faster.
No primer on transitions. Going from dark to light without primer means the old color bleeds through within months. Proper priming on color changes is non-negotiable.
Insufficient insurance. If a painter doesn’t carry workers’ compensation and a crew member is injured on your property, you could be liable. Always verify insurance before hiring.
Our guide to hiring a painting contractor in Snohomish County covers the full vetting process including red flags.
How to Get an Accurate Estimate
The pricing in this guide gives you realistic ranges for budgeting purposes. But every home is different, and the only way to get an accurate number for your specific project is an on-site estimate.
A proper estimate involves physically looking at every surface being painted, assessing condition, measuring, identifying underlying issues, and specifying exactly what prep work, primer, and finish products are included. Estimates done over the phone without seeing the property are inherently unreliable.
Paint Gunners provides free, detailed written estimates for all residential and commercial painting projects. We assess every surface, identify any underlying issues, specify exactly what prep work is needed, and recommend the right products for your home’s specific conditions.
Schedule your free painting estimate or call Chris directly at (206) 930-8885. As your Lynnwood-based neighbor, we typically provide estimates within 24 hours.
We serve Lynnwood, Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Bothell, Everett, Edmonds, Mill Creek, Shoreline, Woodinville, and all of Western Washington.