The Cost to Paint Your Bedroom: DIY vs Professional Painters

Last updated: April 22, 2020


A closeup of a bed and bedside table against a bright, white wall


Your bedroom is the room in your home where you begin and end your day, which is why everyone wants to create a room where they feel safe, peaceful, and free to be themselves. That’s why, when painting the interior of our home, we usually put a lot of thought into how we want our bedroom to look, including the paint color and finish!

Painting your bedroom is no easy feat. It’s important that you know what to expect – especially the cost to paint a bedroom – before getting started. A lot of this information will also help you to determine whether you should paint your bedroom yourself or hire a professional painter. This article will help you learn everything you need to know by covering the following topics:

Before helping you to determine whether to paint it yourself or hire a professional, let’s explore everything you should know about painting your bedroom.

Things to consider when painting your bedroom

Painting your bedroom is no different than painting any other room in your home, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want to take extra care to ensure you end up with the bedroom of your dreams. Here are some things to consider when preparing to paint your bedroom.

A well lit, painted bedroom with large windows

1. Type of paint

While choosing which colours to incorporate into your bedroom is its own battle, there are also many types of paint with different levels of quality and different purposes. It’s important that you familiarize yourself with each type of paint, so that you’ll pick the one that best serves your needs and doesn’t hurt your budget.

2. Primer

There are also a few different types of primer, each with their own purposes. You should consider whether you’ll need to add primer to your project, and which primer to use. Primer is not always necessary for a bedroom wall, but it’s recommended if you are painting over a dark colour, the surface of your walls are dirty or worn, or you are painting a new surface.

3. Size of the room

The bulk of your project costs will be determined by the surface area you are painting. Make sure you know how to take accurate measurements and that you prepare for the amount of work ahead.

4. Windows, doors, and trim

When measuring for your project, it’s important that you make note of additional surfaces in your bedroom. While windows will mean less paint (and should have their measurements subtracted from your wall measurements), your interior doors and trim will likely need their own paint job (as well as their own measurements subtracted from the walls).

5. Protection

Painting can get really messy, so it’s important that you protect the surfaces that you don’t want to end up covered in paint. This includes investing in painter’s tape and covering your floors and/or furniture while the room is being worked on.

How much does it cost to paint a bedroom yourself?

While painting a bedroom seems simple enough, you’ll likely put a lot into a paint project (and not just your wallet, but also time and effort!). Here are the things that will cost you – in more ways than one – while painting your bedroom.

A large bedroom with an intricate ceiling, a beautiful chandelier, large windows, and a patio door

1. Time and effort

Projects of this scale often take a lot more work than you’re likely to anticipate. Be prepared to spend lots of time completing your bedroom, and for lots of different tasks to pile up in the process.

2. Tools and equipment needed

Paint and primer are one thing, but a project of this size requires a lot more than a few cans. Make sure you’re able to invest in all necessary painting supplies; including brushes, pans, tape, and cleaning products.

3. Paint needed

As mentioned above, paint plays a big role in the cost to paint a bedroom. Be prepared to spend more on a higher quality of paint and larger square footage.

4. Damage and repairs

Is there anything in your bedroom that needs to be repaired before you start painting? If yes, be prepared to spend money and time to fix up your bedroom. Doing all this work at once can save you on labour costs, as well as the time that you’ll be without your bedroom.

Average cost to paint a bedroom: $300 to $790

Should you paint your bedroom yourself?

Once you’re excited about repainting your bedroom, it can be really tempting to do it yourself. Not only will you save on costs, but it’s an opportunity to learn how to paint an interior room on your own. However, there are some things you need to think about before you commit. Below are some of the main factors that will help you decide whether or not you’re comfortable painting your bedroom yourself:

  • Moving furniture – In order to make things easier, you’ll need to take the time and effort to move everything out of the room, including your bed. For surfaces that can’t be removed, make sure to take extra precautions to protect them.
  • Timing and inconvenience – Projects like this take a while to complete, and can mean you will need to sleep elsewhere during the full duration of the project.
  • Reality vs expectations – While the idea of painting your bedroom seems easy enough, be prepared for things to take much longer and be more difficult than you’d expect. You should also be prepared for unexpected obstacles to arise.
  • Stress – Painting projects of this scale can be difficult to accomplish and hard to live with while you take the time to complete it. Be prepared to experience a range of emotions during this time, including excitement, frustration, and stress.
  • Quality – Painting is a skill in itself. If you’re not experienced with painting, be aware that your final results might not be as good as if you’d hired a professional painter.

Should I hire a professional to paint my bedroom?

If you’re worried about painting your bedroom yourself, hiring a professional painter is always an option. You’ll have to pay more for labour, but the results will be of a higher quality. If you want to search for a reputable painting company, here’s what to look for:

  • Good communication
  • Good reviews
  • Bonded and insured
  • Transparent quotes
  • No large deposit required
  • Warranty offered on labour and materials
  • Great portfolio

Getting an accurate bedroom painting quote

After you’ve narrowed your list of companies down to those you’re most interested in working with, the next step is to get quotes so that you can make a final decision. In order to make sure they calculate the best cost, it’s important to know how to make sure your quotes are as accurate as possible. These are the steps to getting an accurate painting quote for your bedroom:

  1. Make a list of everything to paint – There should be no surprises with what surfaces will need to be painted and any unique elements that your painters will encounter along the way.
  2. Measure twice – One wrong measurement can throw the costs completely off. Make sure you know how to properly measure and that you double check all measurements.
  3. Decide on a paint to use – Your chosen paint will have a big impact on the final costs. Know the different possibilities and narrow down some choices, so that you will know exactly what to expect to pay.
  4. Call to get a quote – If you’re confused along the way, reach out to your local painters – including the City Painters – for help getting a quote.

Benefits of professional painters

Still feeling unsure if working with a professional painter is the right fit for you? There’s plenty of reasons why hiring a contractor is great, even if you lose some of the positives from doing the project yourself.

Here’s a comparison of the benefits of hiring a professional vs doing everything yourself:

Hiring a Professional

Doing It Yourself

  • Skilled in painting multiple surfaces
  • Know how to avoid mistakes
  • Faster and more efficient completion
  • Will be able to do all the prep work for you
  • Little stress
  • Little control over the outcome
  • Costs more financially than doing it yourself, but will save you from other issues later
  • Amateur or first time experience
  • Unexpected mistakes can happen
  • Might take longer and be prone to mistakes
  • Have to be prepared to do every step of the painting process
  • May encounter stressful situations
  • Full control over the outcome
  • Costs less financially, but likely more time and effort

How painters quote

Once you’ve received your quotes, it’s time to make your final decision. You’ll be looking for the best quality for the best cost, but how do you know if you’re getting a fair deal? Here are the factors that play a role in a quote:

  • Reputation – You’ll find that painters that have been around longer tend to charge more. This comes down to the experience and quality they’ll be able to provide, and it will be worthwhile knowing you’re avoiding poor quality tactics and painting scams.
  • Labour – Good companies tend to take the amount of work needing to be done into consideration, which includes the types of projects.
  • Paint and tools – The type of paint you select, as well as other tools and equipment needed, will be factored into your quote.
  • Time and effort – It’s likely that the cost will be calculated based on the amount of hours the contractors will need to complete the project. More difficult tasks can also add to the final costs.
  • Square footage – Painters usually quote projects by job rather than by square foot. However, one of the key inputs to the job cost calculation is the size of surfaces to be painted, which is commonly assessed by square footage. Avoid promotions that quote strictly based on square footage. This is usually an indicator of an inexperienced painter or company. While this is a main component of the costs, there are many factors that determine a final paint job cost.

Painting other rooms?

Looking to give the rest of your home a makeover? Make sure to check out our cost guides for other rooms in your home.

1. Bathroom

If you’re wanting to freshen up your bathroom, it’s important that its new look is as trendy as it is practical. The cost to paint your bathroom will depend on the type of paint you work with and all the obstacles you’ll encounter along the way.

2. Kitchen

As one of your home’s most high traffic areas, it’s important to really nail your renovations. With all the work needed, the cost to paint your kitchen walls and cabinets will include more than just the cost of paint.

3. Basement

If you’re looking to finish your basement to elevate the look of your home, painting is a major component of the process. When researching renovation work, be sure to factor in the cost to paint your basement.


Now that you have the facts, it’s time to decide how much you’re willing to spend on painting your bedroom. If you decide on the professional route, the City Painters is here for you. Contact us here or give us a call to get a quote for your project!