The Top FAQs for Hiring House Painting Services in NYC: An All-in-One Guide

The Top FAQs for Hiring House Painting Services in NYC: An All-in-One Guide

Do you need a license to paint in NYC?

If you are painting professionally, then you may need a license to paint as a service under a home improvement contractor’s license. The fees and process of this license varies based on municipality. To paint as an individual, for your own property or as a one-off project for an associate, does not require a license.  

 How much do painters charge in NYC?

Painting services typically charge by the hour, and the average rates in NYC hover in the $50 range, and on the high end this can exceed $100 an hour. For an average sized apartment in NYC, total costs to paint an entire apartment can range from $2-3k, all in. Factors include choice of paint, and of course the service used.

 How much does it cost to hire someone to paint in NYC?

A typical 2-bedroom apartment in NYC is under 1000 sq feet. Given the number of rooms involved and total size, price ranges for such a job should fall within a $2-5k price range. 

 How much does a painting company charge per hour in NYC?

An online survey of popular painting services finds that NYC painters are charging from $40-80 per hour on average, with some services charging north of $100. These represent about a 10-20% premium over what painting services charge nationally.

 How much does it cost to paint a 12x12 room in NYC?

The cost to paint a 12x12 room ranges from roughly $600-$1000, depending on the service and paint used. One of the under-appreciated variable costs is the paint itself, where better paints which are often worth it, can be double the cost of less expensive paints. Painting service prices tend to be competitive and differences fall on reputation and quality of work. The cost ratio of labor to paint is typically 80/20, so keep that in mind when budgeting for a project. 

 How much should you pay a painter per room in NYC?

If the competitive range to paint a room in NYC is roughly between $500-$1000, it’s a safe bit to split the difference as a target when shopping around. On the low end, you may find services that aren’t specialists in painting, and therefore lacking experience, or could be understaffed. Reputable services have to be licensed and bonded so be weary of services that severely undercut others. Quality paint is a factor as well, and higher quality paint tends to be better as far as durability, so this too is an area not to skimp with. 

 Should I hire a painter or paint myself?

Time, effort, quality of work, expert guidance, guarantee of work, and cost are the factors to consider. If you have the time, some experience, and the desire to take up a project on your own, then painting as a DIY affair is certainly a reasonable option. It’s not super technical like electrical or plumbing work. A good painting service however can undercut the time a non-professional spends painting by more than half. Physical effort of climbing, stretching, bending tends to be under-appreciated as well. Lastly a good painting service can guide you on paint choices, types, brands, as well as offer guarantees on their for several years. A professional painter tends to produce better work, where skilled painters sometimes needn’t even rely on painting tape because their work is that precise. 

 Do professional painters move furniture?

Light work and rearranging is generally OK and may be included automatically in a quote. But moving furniture and removing fixtures, or a bunch of personal effects, where the employer doesn’t have to lift a finger should be addressed in a contract. These tasks can take a much longer time and take more effort than you think at first and so the contractor or service should be given a chance to estimate these costs for you. But typically a painting service can cover these tasks for you, but understandably they will charge for it.  

 What are the top painters in NYC?

A google search or yelp search will yield a list of ‘top-rated’ services in NYC, or your area. They provide a good starting point but be weary that these platforms programmatically rank services based on reviews or marketing efforts but these factors can be manipulated to some extent. Neither Google or Yelp conduct manual or any kind of specific research in their listings of painting services. Your best option is to get a few quotes and narrow your search beyond price alone, but based their expertise, experience, and reputation.    

 Can I paint my NYC apartment?

The legality of painting your NYC apartment yourself is not much different than in any other city. Unless you signed a lease that states otherwise, it’s generally acceptable to paint your apartment at your expense. At most you’ll be asked to revert the color of the walls to its original shade upon vacating the apartment.

 How much do painters charge to paint kitchen cabinets in NYC?

Painters in NYC charge between $5 to $15 per square foot of cabinet work, including labor and materials. A typical cabinet painting project can cost from $2000-$3500 in NYC. Cabinet painting projects are increasing in popularity as they can transform the look of a kitchen space at fraction of the cost of replacing or resurfacing cabinets, so these costs even at the higher end offer a relatively high return.