calcanvil

Paint Labor Cost Calculator

400 sq ft · each tile ≈ 50 sf
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2-4 gallons

400 sf × 2 coats; coverage 250-400 sf/gallon (Interior wall paint).

Typical crew rate for this trade: $35-$58/hr (modeled from BLS median wage × published burden/markup band). How we model costs.

Reference material price: BEHR PRO i100 Interior Eggshell (1 gal), $24.98/gallon (typical retail, sampled 2026-08-15; local prices vary). How we model costs.

  • Coverage is a range by design: 250-400 sf/gallon (manufacturer PDS range; porosity, texture, and method move it).
  • 2 coats assumed; openings are not deducted (pro P10-style measurement, conservative). Color changes and porous surfaces land you at the low end of coverage.
  • Whole-unit round-up: partial cans/bags aren't sold.

Want quotes from local pros for this project? We’re gauging demand for a pro-matching service. No contractor network exists yet: this is a get-notified list, not a quote request.

Why This One Is Different

Ever wonder why the hourly rate a painting contractor quotes you is so much higher than what painters are said to earn? This calculator shows you exactly why, one step at a time. A painter's published median hourly wage (BLS OEWS, straight-time gross pay only) is not what you get billed, and that gap is the whole story here. Before the wage reaches a quoted rate it passes through statutory burden (FICA, unemployment insurance, workers' comp), landing around 1.2-1.4x for an open shop, then a business markup for overhead and profit, arriving at a modeled $35-$58/hr charged rate (the published wage this chain starts from is $23.39/hr). Collapsing that chain into one flat "painter rate" hides which lever moved your number, since a contractor in a high-comp state carries a different burden than one next door at the same base wage. This calculator keeps every link visible, with the full decomposition documented at /methodology/.

Where the Numbers Come From

  • That wage figure is the bottom rung of the cost ladder, not a chargeable rate: the BLS OEWS median painter wage of $23.39/hr (SOC 47-2141, May 2024 vintage) is straight-time gross pay only, with no overtime, bonuses, or benefits. Source: BLS OEWS FAQ / methodology (via construction-estimating canon: 'BLS OEWS semantics')
  • What you actually pay a crew climbs well past the wage: burden (statutory FICA/FUTA/SUTA plus workers' comp and benefits) typically lands around 1.2-1.4x wage for an open shop, and a further markup to a 1.5-2.5x charged-rate band covers overhead and profit, per NAHB gross-margin data (20.7% builders, 29.9% remodelers). Source: labor.ts burden_markup_band + cost-data.json vintage note; NAHB Cost of Doing Business (via construction-estimating canon)
  • Run the full chain on that published wage and you land in a real, quotable range: $23.39/hr × a 1.5-2.5x charged-rate band rounds to a modeled $35-$58/hr crew rate, the range this calculator displays, never collapsed to one point number. Source: worked example, labor.ts chargedRate() formula
  • The paint price this calculator references for context is a real, dated retail sample, not an average: a sampled interior eggshell gallon (BEHR PRO i100, $24.98, Seattle-area retail, sampled 2026-08-15) sits inside the 250-400 sf/gal PDS coverage range this calculator's material side draws from. Source: hand-sampled materials basket, cost-data.json

More Questions

Does this include paint and materials, or just labor?

This page models labor cost specifically; it references a sampled interior paint price for context, but material quantity is sized separately by the coverage engine (250-400 sf/gal, coats included).

Related Calculators

Formulas, waste factors, and cost models on this page follow the sourced conventions on our methodology page. Estimates only; verify with your supplier and local code.