Overview: Interior & Exterior House Painters
Painting is mostly preparation. The colour takes the last day or two. Before that comes washing, scraping, sanding old gloss dull, filling, caulking and priming. A crew that rushes the prep gives you a room that looks right at the walkthrough and tired by spring.
Older Canadian homes add a health question. Health Canada says an older house probably has lead paint somewhere under the newer coats, and it warns against sanders, heat guns or torches for taking it off. Lead paint that isn't chipping and sits out of a child's reach is often safer left alone. A good crew asks how old the house is before it quotes.
In Quebec, a painting contractor needs a licence from the Régie du bâtiment, and it's worth looking the number up. Outside, the season is short from coast to coast. Paint wants a dry surface and a night that stays above the lowest temperature printed on the can.
Our listings show what each company states on its own website, including the coatings it names and whether estimates are free. Head to your province and city lists to find painters based near you and those who travel in.
What does professional painting cost in Canada?
Compare the same surfaces, preparation and paint system. A price per square foot means little without those details.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Two ways an interior repaint may be quoted | ||
| Interior walls priced by painted area | C$2–C$4per square foot of painted wall surface | Sound previously painted walls; minor filling and two specified finish coats.Measure wall surface, not floor area. A contractor may impose a project minimum; confirm deductions for windows and doors. This is an alternative way to price or book the work. Do not add it to another complete package for the same work.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Minor preparation; Paint and application Budget separately or confirm: Ceilings and trim; Major repairs |
| Small-room walls-only package | C$400–C$750per room | 10 by 12 ft room, approximately 8 ft ceiling; walls only, accessible and emptied.This is a separate package-pricing model, not a calculation using the wall-area rate above. Compare the complete scope and minimum charge. This is an alternative way to price or book the work. Do not add it to another complete package for the same work.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Minor filling; Two finish coats Budget separately or confirm: Ceiling and trim; Wallpaper removal |
| Other painting scopes | ||
| Standard interior door repainting | C$60–C$150per door, both faces | One standard interior door, both faces, added to a larger painting project; edge work confirmed.A per-door rate is most useful within an existing painting job. Frame and casing, stripping old finishes and any separate visit minimum must be priced explicitly. Add this only when it is needed and is not already included in the agreed package.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Preparation; Specified coating system Budget separately or confirm: Frame, trim and standalone visit minimum; Hardware replacement |
| Exterior siding repaint | C$2.50–C$5per painted exterior sq ft | Sound paintable siding; material, wash, scraping and coating system specified.Use the siding surface being painted, not the home’s floor area. Confirm preparation, access equipment and repairs before comparing totals.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Agreed preparation; Paint and application Budget separately or confirm: Rot repair; Scaffolding beyond stated access |
| Cabinet repainting | C$3,200–C$9,000per defined kitchen package | Existing sound cabinetry; door count, frames and spray or brush finish agreed.Compare the same count of doors and drawer fronts, treatment of frames and interiors, and on-site versus off-site finishing.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Surface preparation; Specified finish Budget separately or confirm: New doors; Cabinet replacement |
What changes the price
- Painted surface area, preparation condition and number of coats.
- Trim, doors, ceilings, cabinet finish and colour changes.
- Height, scaffolding, weather windows and furniture protection.
Ask before accepting a quote
- Is the area based on painted wall surface or the room's floor area?
- What preparation, primer, paint brand and number of coats are included?
- How are hidden damage and extra preparation priced and approved?
Compare the total for one paint specification
- Wall-area quotes and room packages use different pricing methods. Do not add them together or assume they produce the same total.
- Give each painter the same surfaces, preparation, primer and finish coats; include protection, cleanup and touch-ups.
Canadian context
For exterior work, agree on weather-related scheduling and coating conditions before treating a completion date as fixed.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
What does preparation actually include?
Washing, scraping loose paint, sanding gloss dull, filling, caulking and priming, in that order. On a house with old lead paint, the prep changes. Health Canada advises against sanders, heat guns and torches because of the dust and fumes. Its own advice is to seal the room with plastic, use a chemical stripper paste where paint has to come off, and wipe the area down with a damp cloth at the end of each day.
Does a painting company need a licence?
In Quebec, yes. The Régie du bâtiment counts interior and exterior painting as construction work, so whoever you hire to paint your home needs a licence covering that kind of work. Look the number up in the RBQ's online directory, and make sure the name matches the contract. Washing walls is the exception, since cleaning work needs no licence.
Are there limits on fumes from paint sold in Canada?
Yes, at the federal level. Environment and Climate Change Canada caps the volatile organic compounds in paints, stains and varnishes sold here, with a separate limit for each type of coating. The goal is less smog. It won't make every can odour-free, so air the room out and ask the crew which low-VOC products they use in bedrooms.
When is it too cold or damp to paint outside?
Check the lowest temperature printed on the can, then the overnight forecast, because dew and frost matter as much as the afternoon high. Across most of Canada, that leaves a short window from late spring to early fall. Damp siding and hot sun on a dark wall cause trouble too. A crew that tells you in October to wait for spring usually knows what it's doing.
What if an old ceiling might contain asbestos?
Leave it alone until it's tested. Health Canada says some building materials in older homes, ceiling tiles among them, can contain asbestos. It's low risk while intact and sealed, but scraping or sanding puts fibres in the air. Hire a trained professional to test it. If asbestos turns up, a qualified removal company takes it out before the painters start.
