Estimate painting labour cost either per square foot of area, or by number of painters, days, and a daily rate.
How to Use This Calculator
Choose "Per Square Foot" if your painter quotes a rate per sq.ft, or "Daily Labour" if you're paying painters a daily wage.
Fill in the relevant fields for your chosen method.
Click "Calculate" to see the total labour cost.
How the Labour Cost Is Worked Out
Per square foot: Labour cost = paintable area (sq.ft) × labour rate (₹ per sq.ft).
Daily labour: Labour cost = number of painters × number of days × daily wage per painter.
The result is rounded to the nearest rupee. Nothing else is added, so paint, putty, primer, tools, scaffolding hire and any tax on the contractor's bill must be budgeted separately.
Worked Example: Comparing Two Quotes
Suppose a flat has 2,000 sq.ft of paintable wall and ceiling area. Contractor A quotes ₹12 per sq.ft, which works out to 2,000 × 12 = ₹24,000. Contractor B offers three painters for five days at ₹800 each per day, which is 3 × 5 × 800 = ₹12,000.
To compare them fairly, convert the daily quote into a rate per square foot: ₹12,000 ÷ 2,000 = ₹6 per sq.ft. The daily option looks cheaper, but only if the crew really finishes in five days and the scope is the same. If the job runs to eight days, the cost rises to ₹19,200, and you carry that risk rather than the contractor.
Days taken (3 painters, ₹800/day)
Labour cost
Effective rate on 2,000 sq.ft
5
₹12,000
₹6.00/sq.ft
8
₹19,200
₹9.60/sq.ft
10
₹24,000
₹12.00/sq.ft
What Changes the Labour Rate
Labour rates differ widely between cities and contractors, so use quotes from your area rather than a fixed number. Before comparing rates, confirm what each one covers:
Surface preparation: scraping old paint, filling cracks, sanding, and applying wall putty and primer take as long as the painting itself on many repaint jobs.
Number of coats: a rate for one coat of emulsion is not comparable with a rate for two coats.
Finish type: textures, stencils, enamel on grills and doors, and wood polish are usually charged separately or at a higher rate.
Access and site conditions: high ceilings, staircases, exterior walls needing scaffolding or rope work, and occupied homes where furniture must be moved and covered.
Measuring and Agreeing the Job
Per sq.ft quotes are based on the painted surface, not the carpet area of the flat. Measure each wall as length × height, add the ceilings, and agree with the contractor whether door and window openings are deducted.
If you do not have measurements yet, work out the paintable area first with the Wall Area Calculator or Paint Quantity Calculator, then use the Wall Painting Cost Calculator to add material costs to the labour figure.
Get the scope, rate, number of coats and payment schedule in writing, and hold back part of the payment until touch-ups are complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use whichever matches how your painter or contractor actually quotes the job — per square foot of area, or a daily wage per painter for a number of days.
No, this is labour cost only. Use the Wall Painting Cost Calculator for a combined material + labour estimate.
Normally no. Painters charge on the area of wall and ceiling surface that is actually painted, which is several times larger than the floor area. Ask the contractor how they will measure before you accept a per sq.ft rate.
Calculate the daily-labour total, then divide it by the paintable area. For example, ₹12,000 for 2,000 sq.ft is ₹6 per sq.ft. Remember that with daily labour the cost rises if the work takes longer than planned.
It varies. Some contractors quote one rate covering putty, primer and two coats of paint, while others charge each stage separately. Ask for a stage-wise breakup so you can compare quotes on the same basis.