Interior painting is the most under-scoped trade work in the house. People price it as if the only variable is colour, then discover the rest: how many nail holes and stress cracks the walls carry, whether the previous owner taped off the trim or just got close, whether the hallway needs a scrubbable finish or the nursery needs something flat. A quote that skips those questions is quoting a different room than the one you have.
Rhodex prices paint work on surfaces and condition, with walls, ceilings, trim and doors counted separately, so the number reflects the room you actually have.
What the job actually involves
Furniture and floors get protected first: drop sheets over everything walkable, plastic over anything that stays in the room. Then the surfaces. Holes and cracks are patched and sanded, glossy spots are scuff-sanded so the new coat grips, and stains get sealed with primer or they will bleed through two coats of white. The cutting-in along ceilings, corners and trim is done by brush before any roller touches a wall, because the edge is the part everyone sees.
Ceilings, walls and trim are different products with different dry times, so they run in order: ceilings first, walls second, trim last. That way nothing dries with a hairline of the wrong colour on it. Hallways, stair walls and the kitchen get a scrubbable finish instead of the flat matte a bedroom can take. Two coats is the standard on anything but a same-colour refresh, and a colour change over dark walls adds a primer coat to the plan instead of hoping a third coat hides it.
What changes the price
These figures are general market estimates, and Rhodex prices are different because they are never published online. A Canadian cost guide puts a 200 square foot room around $200 to $500 and a 300 square foot room around $400 to $1,000, with paint itself at $20 to $100 per gallon and professional labour roughly $1 to $6 per square foot of surface. What moves an individual quote:
- Condition of the walls. A dozen nail holes is a morning; a wall of stress cracks and patched drywall is a different line item.
- What's being painted. Ceilings and trim each add real time, and some quotes include them while some leave them out, so compare the scope along with the price.
- Colour change. Dark-to-light or saturated colours (deep reds, some blues) need a tinted primer coat to look right.
- Occupied vs. empty. Moving furniture, covering it and working around a lived-in home takes time an empty condo doesn't.
- Height. Stairwells and vaulted ceilings need scaffolding or extension work, which slows everything.
Each Rhodex job is quoted from the room list and surface condition, itemised with labour, materials and HST.
Quick answers
How much does interior painting cost?
As general market estimates, Canadian cost guides put a 200 square foot room around $200 to $500 and a 300 square foot room around $400 to $1,000, with paint running $20 to $100 per gallon and professional labour roughly $1 to $6 per square foot of surface. Trim, ceilings and heavy patching move the number.
How long does it take to paint a room?
A standard bedroom is commonly one to two days including prep and a second coat; a full living space with ceilings, trim and patching runs longer. Most of the schedule goes to prep and drying windows rather than the rolling itself.
Do I need to move my furniture before painters arrive?
Rooms should be clear of small items and breakables; larger furniture gets moved to the centre and covered. It is worth confirming who handles what at the quote stage so the crew arrives to a workable room.
Can you fix the cracks and nail holes while painting?
Yes. Patching, sanding and spot-priming before the paint goes on is part of a proper job, and it is what separates a paint job from a coat of paint over flaws. Larger drywall repairs can be scoped in or handled by the drywall side of the same crew.
What paint finish should I use where?
Matte and flat suit low-traffic walls and ceilings; eggshell and satin hold up better in hallways, kitchens and kids' rooms; semi-gloss is the standard for trim, doors and frames because it scrubs clean. It's worth chooseing the finish on purpose instead of by habit.
How Rhodex handles interior painting
Send the room list, which surfaces are in scope, and whether the ceilings and trim are included. An office manager quotes it on surfaces and condition, and the patching the walls actually need is in the plan from the start instead of discovered mid-job. You approve the quote before anyone is dispatched, and the work carries a 365-day warranty on workmanship.
Where we paint interiors
Painters work Etobicoke and Mississauga in the west; Vaughan's Woodbridge, Maple, Concord and Thornhill; and north through King City, Aurora, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Markham and Stouffville.
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Tell us the rooms and what's in scope, and the quote follows the plan. (647) 205-7554, 8:30 am to 10:30 pm, every day.
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