Short answer: published Denver figures put professional interior painting at about $3.80 to $5.90 per square foot (Improovy) and typical interior projects averaging $1,891 (Angi), but sources measure different things. The only number that matters is an itemized quote for your house. Painter Hotline prices each job after an estimate, in person or from photos.
What the published Denver ranges say
These are typical ranges published by third parties, shown with their dates. They are not our prices.
| Source (date) | What it measures | Published figure |
|---|---|---|
| Angi, Denver page (no date shown; read Oct 30 2026) | Interior house painting, typical project | Average $1,891 per project |
| Angi, Denver page | Standard wall surfaces | About $2 to $6 per sq ft; textured walls, tall ceilings or detailed trim add about $1 to $3; heavy prep adds about $0.50 to $3 |
| Improovy (Oct 26 2023) | Professional interior painting | $3.80 to $5.90 per sq ft |
| Improovy (Oct 26 2023) | Exterior house painters | $4.40 to $5.70 per sq ft; average exterior project $5,837 |
| Improovy (Oct 26 2023) | Kitchen cabinets | $5,641 to $8,967 on average |
These are other publishers' figures, not our prices. Painter Hotline does not publish a price list: every job is priced after an estimate, on site or from your photos, because prep, surfaces and product level drive the number.
Why the numbers disagree
- Different square feet. Some figures count wall surface, others count the home's floor area. Those can differ by a factor of three or more.
- Different years. Older figures predate later paint price increases; J.D. Power reported exterior paint up $3.22 a gallon in its 2026 study.
- Labor only, or labor and paint. Not every source says.
- Different jobs. An empty bedroom with one color is not a lived-in great room with tall ceilings, trim and repairs.
The honest takeaway: use published ranges to spot a quote that is wildly off, never to decide which painter is right.
Reading a painting quote, line by line
| Line | What a good quote says | What a thin quote says |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Each room or elevation, walls, ceilings, trim, doors listed | "Interior" |
| Prep | Patching, caulking, sanding, priming, spelled out | Nothing |
| Product | Brand, line and sheen per surface | "Premium paint" |
| Coats | A number, per surface | "As needed" |
| Payment | Small deposit, balance on completion or by milestone | Most of it up front |
| Warranty | Years, what's covered, in writing | Verbal |
Comparing three bids fairly
Hand all three painters the same list: rooms, surfaces, the colors you have in mind, and the product level you want. Then compare line by line. When one bid is much lower, look for the missing line, which is usually prep or a coat. Our checklist puts the comparison on one sheet.
Voice answer: what is a fair price to paint a room in Denver?
It depends on the room's size, ceiling height, trim, repairs and the paint you choose. Published per-room averages leave most of that out. Get two or three itemized quotes for the actual room.