# Interior house painter - per hour rate

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 4, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137 "2011-04-04T12:53:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137/1 "2011-04-04T12:53:04Z")

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What’s a reasonable per hour rate to pay an experienced interior house painter? I know it will vary, but just looking for a realistic range. As a for instance, would $65/hour be within the realm of reasonableness? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137/2 "2011-04-04T12:53:57Z")

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Yes, if he is painting a replica of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

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**Author:** ![tbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbook)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137/3 "2011-04-04T13:08:57Z")

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I paid $35 per hour 6 months ago.

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**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137/4 "2011-04-04T14:14:04Z")

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Seriously? Wow, I should become a house painter. I have lots of experience. It’s really not that hard. I was expecting more like $15-18.

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interior-house-painter-per-hour-rate/577137/5 "2011-04-04T16:30:31Z")

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> [@Oly](#):
>
> What’s a reasonable per hour rate to pay an experienced interior house painter? I know it will vary, but just looking for a realistic range. As a for instance, would $65/hour be within the realm of reasonableness? Thanks.

Depends in part whether or not paint is included in that price.

For just labor, no, $65 is not in my opinion reasonable. If the painter is _also_ supplying sufficient paint for a primer coat and two color coats, maybe, because quality paint does cost a little bit.

Actually, around here it’s more common for interiors painters to offer a flat rate based on square footage to cover rather than an hourly rate. That way there is no penalty for finishing early, and no incentive to drag out the job.