Cost to paint house?

Painting a house in Ottawa typically runs $3,000–$12,000+ for exterior work, or $2,000–$8,000 for a full interior repaint, depending on the size of your home, prep work required, and finish quality.

For exterior painting, the biggest cost drivers are the condition of your existing paint and siding. A home with peeling, chalking, or failing paint requires significantly more prep — scraping, priming, and spot repairs — which adds labour time and cost. A well-maintained home that just needs a refresh will come in on the lower end. Expect to pay roughly $4,000–$7,000 for a typical Ottawa semi-detached or two-storey home, and $7,000–$12,000+ for a larger detached home with complex trim, dormers, or multiple stories.

For interior painting, a full repaint of a 1,500–2,000 sq ft home (walls, ceilings, trim) typically runs $3,500–$7,000 with a professional painter. Individual rooms range from $400–$900 per room depending on ceiling height, prep, and the number of coats required.

Ottawa-specific factors worth knowing: our climate is tough on exterior paint. Freeze-thaw cycles, humidity, and UV exposure mean quality exterior paint (Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams) and proper application timing matter a lot. Exterior painting should be done between May and October when temperatures are consistently above 10°C — never in the fall freeze or winter months.

On the DIY vs. hire front, interior painting is one of the more DIY-friendly home projects if you're comfortable with prep work (patching, taping, priming). Exterior painting, however, involves ladders, scaffolding, and significant prep — the safety risk and quality difference usually make professional painting worth the investment.

It's worth noting that painting is a service we don't directly offer at Justyn Rook Contracting — we specialize in full renovations (bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and secondary suites). However, if your painting question is part of a larger renovation project, we coordinate all trades and can include painting as part of the overall scope.

For a standalone painting quote, checking HomeStars.com for Ottawa-based painters with verified reviews is a great starting point. Look for painters with WSIB coverage and who provide written quotes with prep work clearly outlined.