How to start a painting business

Season: Year-round (exterior in dry months) · Typical startup: $130 to $450

Painting is one of the best-paid starter trades: a single bedroom is a weekend of work, the results are obvious, and people moving in or selling always need it. Most of the job is prep (moving furniture, taping, patching) and clean lines. Here is the gear, what to charge per room, and the one rule about older homes you must know.

$130 to $450To get started

$200Typical bathroom

Year-round (exterior in dry months)Season

The gear and what it costs

Brushes, rollers and traysOne good angled brush for cutting in matters more than anything else you buy.

$80–150

Drop cloths and painter's tapeCanvas drop cloths are reusable and do not slide like plastic.

$50–100

LadderA step ladder for rooms; most families already have one.

$0–200

What established pros charge

One room, average · Angi	$1,100
Room range · Angi	$200–$2,000

National figures from published cost guides, checked November 8, 2026. Local prices vary.

Starting rates for a new business

Bedroom, walls only	$300
Bathroom	$200
Living room	$500
Fence or deck stain	$400+

Our suggested starting point for a new business. Price per room by size, plus paint. Ceilings and trim are extra. Compare with the pro figures above, and raise your rates once you have reviews and a full week.

How to find your first customers

Paint a room in your own home or a relative's and photograph it well. That is your first portfolio.
Realtors and landlords need quick neutral repaints before listing or between tenants.
Post in town groups in spring and late summer, when people get ready to move.
Leave every room cleaner than you found it. Painting referrals come from that.

Rules to check before you start

Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Paid work that disturbs old paint there falls under the EPA lead-safe rules and needs a certified renovator.
Open windows and use a fan. Choose low-VOC paint for indoor rooms.
Some cities and counties require a business license, even for a small service business. Check your city or county website before you take payment.
Once you make $400 or more in profit in a year, you owe self-employment tax and need to file a return (IRS). Keep every receipt for gas and gear.
Card payouts need a Stripe account. Stripe requires the account holder to be 18 or older for this kind of account, so a parent or guardian sets it up if you are under 18 (Stripe). Cash works from day one. Venmo, Zelle and Cash App need your own account, and under-18s need a parent to set one up.

Stay busy all year

Add deck and fence staining in summer and small handyman jobs year-round for the same customers.

Build your painting plan free

Answer a few questions and get your gear list, prices, local demand and a booking page. You only pay $5 to unlock it.

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Questions

How much does it cost to paint a room?

Angi reports an average of about $1,100 to paint a room, with a range of $200 to $2,000. HomeAdvisor's 2025 guide puts a whole-house interior at about $2,021.

Who buys the paint?

Either. Starting out, have the customer buy the paint they choose and you supply everything else. That keeps your startup low and avoids color mistakes.

Can I paint a house built before 1978?

Not if the job disturbs old paint. Paid work that scrapes or sands paint in pre-1978 homes falls under the EPA lead-safe rules and needs a certified renovator. Stick to newer homes at first.

Can a teenager start a painting business?

Yes, for interior walls in newer homes. Leave exterior second stories, ceilings over stairs and anything built before 1978 for later. On Launchpad, 13 to 17 year olds sign up with a parent or guardian's agreement.

Sources

Checked November 8, 2026.