# What is the painting labour cost per sq ft in India?

> Painter labour cost per sq ft in India (2026): interior wall paint ₹7–₹15/sqft, exterior ₹10–₹22/sqft, POP putty + primer ₹8–₹16/sqft, wood polish ₹25–₹60/sqft, texture painting ₹40–₹120/sqft, waterproofing ₹20–₹50/sqft. Labour only — paint is separate.

**Source:** [https://solve24.in/answers/painting-charges-per-sqft](https://solve24.in/answers/painting-charges-per-sqft)  
**Updated:** 2026-07-03  
**Trade:** painter  

## Answer

Painting in India is billed per-sq-ft for whole-house and large-area work. Labour-only interior paint is ₹7–₹15/sqft — the lower end is for a single fresh coat on already-primed walls, the higher end for two coats with putty+primer on rough walls.

Exterior paint is ₹10–₹22/sqft labour — higher because it needs weather-grade paint, extra scaffolding, and typically two coats. POP putty + primer is ₹8–₹16/sqft. Wood polish is ₹25–₹60/sqft — melamine at lower end, PU at higher end. Texture painting (Asian Paints Royale Play or similar) is ₹40–₹120/sqft depending on pattern complexity. Waterproofing is ₹20–₹50/sqft.

Full 2BHK repaint (labour + paint, basic finish) is ₹15,000–₹35,000. A premium finish with texture accents runs ₹40,000–₹90,000.

Metros run 25–30% above base rates. Bangalore interior wall paint labour is ₹9–₹20/sqft. Tier-3 cities: ₹6–₹13/sqft.

## Data

**Painting labour rate per sq ft in India (2026)**

| Work | Base labour (₹/sqft) | With paint (₹/sqft) | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Interior wall paint (1 coat) | 7–10 | 12–20 | Emulsion basic |
| Interior wall paint (2 coats + putty) | 10–15 | 18–30 | Standard finish |
| Exterior wall paint | 10–22 | 20–40 | Weather-grade paint |
| POP putty + primer | 8–16 | 14–25 | Preparation coat |
| Wood polish (melamine) | 25–40 | 35–55 |  |
| Wood polish (PU) | 40–60 | 60–100 | Premium finish |
| Texture painting | 40–120 | 80–200 | Pattern-dependent |
| Waterproofing (interior) | 20–50 | 35–90 | Membrane extra |

## Frequently asked

### What is the painting cost per sq ft in India including paint?

Standard 2-coat interior paint including emulsion is ₹18–₹30/sqft. Exterior including weather paint is ₹20–₹40/sqft. Premium finishes with texture and imported paint go up to ₹80–₹200/sqft.

### How much is the painting labour cost for a 1000 sqft house?

Interior labour only: ₹10,000–₹15,000. With paint (2 coats, basic emulsion): ₹18,000–₹30,000. Premium finish with putty + primer + texture: ₹50,000–₹90,000.

### What is the difference between interior and exterior painting rates?

Exterior is ₹3–₹7/sqft more because it needs weather-grade paint (₹80–₹150/L vs. ₹40–₹80/L for interior), extra scaffolding/ladders, and usually 2 coats mandatory for warranty.

### Is painting per-sqft or per-room?

Per-sqft is standard for whole-house repaint. Per-room quotes exist for single-room jobs — ₹3,000–₹8,000 per average bedroom labour, ₹6,000–₹15,000 with paint.

### What is painting labour cost per sq ft in Bangalore?

Bangalore interior wall paint labour is ₹9–₹20/sqft in 2026 (base × 1.3 Bangalore multiplier). Exterior ₹13–₹29/sqft.

## Related

- https://solve24.in/answers/painter-salary-in-india
- https://solve24.in/answers/painter-salary-per-day

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