Should I paint it myself or hire a painter?
Get an honest read on difficulty and time before you buy a single roller.
What's the project?
How high are the ceilings or walls?
How much repair is needed?
How big is the color change?
Do you own the ladders you'd need?
How much painting have you done?
Was the home built before 1978?
How much time do you have?
DIY difficulty
Easy
- Estimated DIY time
- 7 to 10 hours
- Typical pro crew (2 painters)
- 0.5 to 1 days
Rough planning ranges including prep and cleanup. Real jobs vary with surface condition and detail.
Still rather skip it?
Send this to Northern New York painters and get up to five bids. Free, and nobody gets your number until you say so.
Common questions
How long does it take to paint a room yourself?
A typical bedroom takes a homeowner about 8 to 12 hours including moving furniture, patching, cutting in, two coats and cleanup. High ceilings, repairs and big color changes add time.
When should I hire a painter instead of doing it myself?
Consider a pro for second-story exteriors, stairwells and high ceilings, cabinets, lots of repair or peeling paint, and any pre-1978 home where lead paint may be disturbed. Also when your time is worth more than the labor cost.
Is it cheaper to paint your own house?
You save on labor, which is most of a painting bill, but you'll buy or rent ladders, brushes, rollers and drop cloths, and spend many hours. For exteriors and detail-heavy jobs, a pro's speed and finish quality often make hiring worth it.