Now that the craziness of the holidays is behind us and decorations are finally packed away, it feels like we should be looking forward to getting out and enjoying the abundance of snow that has fallen in our mountains, but Mother Nature has other plans. So what do you do when you’re tired of shoveling, the mountain passes are closed, and your body finally taps into the reserve tank left over from the holidays? You paint, of course!
Reno Interior Design Tips
Painting the interior of your home may be one of those projects that you thought about for a while, or it may be a new idea that popped in your head after shoveling your driveway for an hour and realizing recovery time from that activity would be shorter if your walls didn’t match the monochromatic color pallet outside. If it’s a new idea, you can experiment with color ideas using the BenjaminMoore.com and PPG.com visualization tools, take photos of the room and its furnishings then head to our Design Center to check out the newest trends in interior design. Reno Truckee Carson Paint Mart has plenty of color swatches for you to look at, and we encourage you to speak with one of the designers about your space.
However, since you’re reading this you’ve most likely done some research and decided to do the painting yourself. Which, let’s face it, is probably the best choice considering the cost of hiring a professional to paint would cost between $2.75 to $4.69 per square foot for the walls, ceilings, and trim. If repairs are needed, the cost increases. Keeping the cost of the professional painter in mind, here are some things to do and consider before heading to the paint store to pick up the amazing color that will adorn your walls soon:
- Calculate the square footage of the surface to be painted (wall length X height of ceiling) then divide by 350 to get the number of gallons needed. If you broke out in hives reading that, you can use this handy paint calculator to find the amount of paint needed. If you need a primer or want to use two coats, that will also need to be calculated in the paint quantity.
- Multiply gallons you will need by $50-$100 per gallon depending on which grade of premium paint you’re looking at. For lower-grade paint, multiply by $30-$40 per gallon.
- Remember that if you need brushes, fresh rollers, tape, drop cloths, or other supplies, you’re going to spend a bit more to get started. It’s a smart investment, as you can re-use the drop cloths and paint rolling handles for the next project!
- The last financial cost is any other larger items needed (ladder, extension pole, paint sprayer). You may be able to borrow these from a neighbor, family member, or friend. If not, don’t worry. You’ll most likely need a ladder and extension pole again during home ownership. And, Reno Paint Mart rents out quality paint sprayers so you don’t have to justify purchasing one you’ll seldom use. They’re available for $75 on weekdays, $100 on weekend days, or $375 for the whole week.
The final “cost” to factor is how much your time is worth. Painting your home as a DIY project could take twice as much time as having the pros do it, but you’ll appreciate the results more. If you know you’re a slow painter, consider a painting party to speed things up. Paying friends with food and alcohol will add to overall cost, but it’s a lot more fun. Hint: we suggest you assign the perfectionist and the artist to trim and touch up detail to keep things moving along. We all have at least one in our group, and THEY know who they are.
We Have the House Paint Reno Homeowners Trust
Now that you know how to calculate the cost of painting your home, you can head to Reno Paint Mart to pick up paint supplies and put these painting tips into practice. If you have questions, reach out to our knowledgeable staff for assistance with your DIY painting project and more!