Quick answer: Across Los Angeles, interior apartment painting typically costs $300 to $800 per room, plus $100 to $250 for ceilings and trim. TurnOver LA is $395 per room, $125 for ceilings and baseboard or trim, and $200 for paint touch-up, all with a flat 48-hour turnaround.
Los Angeles per-room painting on the open market usually lands between $300 and $800 depending on prep and access. TurnOver LA is a fixed $395 per room, $125 for ceilings and baseboard or trim, and $200 for touch-up. If you have drywall issues, small patches are $150 per patch and medium repairs are $240 per patch.
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How much does apartment painting cost in Los Angeles per room?
Across LA, the usual market price is $300 to $800 per room for interior repainting. At TurnOver LA, repainting per room is $395, with ceilings and baseboard or trim at $125 when added, and paint touch-up at $200 when a full repaint is not needed. If walls are in good shape, a touch-up plus a light scuff-sand on high-touch areas can be enough to get a unit rent ready. If there are tenant-made holes or dents, plan for drywall work first. Our catalog rates are $150 for a small drywall patch with texture and $240 for a medium repair per patch. This keeps your paint line clean and avoids flashing. We run a 48-hour turnaround as standard, so your vacancy clock does not drag.
What does a full 1BR repaint in LA actually total?
Most one-bedrooms in LA are two or three paintable rooms depending on whether dining space is open to the living room. Market-wide, that could range from $600 to $2,400 just for walls. With TurnOver LA, here are two clear scenarios using our fixed menu:
- Scenario A, two rooms (living room and bedroom): 2 rooms at $395 equals $790. Add ceilings and baseboard or trim at $125 once if included with the job, total $915. If you have two small nail-hole clusters, add two small drywall patches at $150 each, total $1,215.
- Scenario B, three rooms (living, bedroom, plus a den or hall counted as a room): 3 rooms at $395 equals $1,185. Add ceilings and baseboard or trim at $125, total $1,310. If there is one medium dent near the entry, add one medium drywall repair at $240, total $1,550.
These are real catalog numbers, not estimates. If the unit also needs a deep clean, add Make Ready for a 1BR at $255 to finish the turn.
Should I repaint the whole unit or just do a touch-up between tenants?
Decide by condition, timeline, and deposit rules. If walls have scattered rubs and a few filled nail holes, $200 paint touch-up often resets the look enough to list, especially if paired with a Make Ready clean. If color mismatches are obvious or there are multiple sheen differences from past patches, a full repaint at $395 per room is the cleaner move.
On deposits, normal wear and tear is not chargeable to the tenant. See California Civil Code §1950.5 for the standard, and our guide on normal wear and tear. Stains, drawings, or unapproved color changes are beyond wear and tear and can be deducted if documented properly. Keep photos. If you are unsure, our 12 point photo report in Make Ready helps you separate wear and tear from damage. For definitions and the 21 day return rule, review the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide and our deposit return guide.
How do ceilings, baseboards, and doors get priced?
Ceilings and baseboard or trim take more prep and clean lines. Across the city, these are often quoted as adders. We keep it simple. Add $125 when you want ceilings and baseboard or trim included with the repaint. That lets you choose walls only or a full refresh. Doors and casings often read as trim in older LA stock, but coverage needs can vary with prior oil or gloss finishes. If a door needs extra sanding or adhesion primer, we flag it during the walk. The per-room wall quote stays the same, and the ceiling and trim adder stays at $125. If you want wall color matched and trim in a bright white, we will mark that in the quote so you know exactly what is included.
Do drywall repairs change the price and timeline?
Yes. You want wall repairs cured and textured before paint so you do not get flashing or texture mismatch. In our catalog, a small drywall patch with texture is $150 per patch and a medium drywall repair is $240 per patch. This covers typical move-out holes, closet rod blowouts, or small corner bead dents. We schedule repairs day one, with primer late day one or early day two. Painting follows immediately after prime. On a standard 1BR, even with two to three patches, we still hit the 48-hour finish. Larger structural issues would move to a separate scope, but most rental-grade drywall fixes fall into small or medium. The key is sequencing: repair, texture, dry, prime, paint. We handle that order inside the same booking so you are not coordinating multiple vendors.
What drives LA apartment painting price up or down?
Price is mostly surface area and prep, but LA stock has a few specifics. Here are the seven factors that move the number:
- Room count and layout. Open-plan living and dining may count as one room, tight hallways sometimes count as a room. We confirm on site.
- Existing color and sheen. Dark colors and high gloss take more coats to cover than off-white eggshell.
- Patch count and size. Each small patch is $150, each medium patch is $240, and they add time.
- Ceilings and trim. Add $125 if you want them repainted with the walls.
- Kitchen and bath humidity. Extra stain blocking may be needed if there is steam or smoke residue.
- Access and protection. Tight parking in Koreatown or stair-only buildings in Echo Park can add setup time. Our price holds, our schedule adapts.
- Vacancy clock. With LA vacancy loss running $80 to $200 per day depending on submarket, our 48-hour turnaround protects your rent-up date.
What is a realistic 48-hour turn plan for a 1BR with painting?
This is the sequencing we run to keep vacancy loss down and the unit clean. Day one morning, start with drywall patches, texture, and masking. Early afternoon, prime patched areas and high-stain zones. Late afternoon, first coat on walls in the living room and bedroom. Day two morning, second coat on walls, then ceilings and baseboard or trim if added. Midday, detail cut-in and hardware reinstall. Afternoon, floors uncovered, Make Ready team enters for the deep clean, appliance fronts, and bath reset. By end of day two, you can list or show. If you also need minor safety fixes or bulb swaps, add a general maintenance visit at $125 or a half-day handyman punch list at $230 so everything lands inside the same 48-hour window.
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Who pays for paint under LA RSO and California law?
Under California Civil Code §1950.5, you cannot charge a tenant for normal wear and tear like light scuffs that come from ordinary use. Excess soiling, crayon, or unapproved paint colors can be deducted if you document and itemize within 21 days, which the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide covers in detail. In LA’s rent stabilized stock, see the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance for habitability standards. Paint is part of maintaining habitable walls, and you remain responsible for lead-safe and mold-safe conditions in older buildings. Security deposits are capped for most new tenancies under AB 12 (2023) security deposit cap. Align your paint scope with these rules, and attach before and after photos to your itemization. Our Make Ready photo report helps support any lawful charge.
Can I bundle painting with cleaning, handyman, locks, and listing media?
Yes. Bundling one booking keeps your 48-hour turn on rails. Typical adds include:
- Make Ready deep clean and 12 point photo report: 1BR is $255, Studio is $225, 2BR is $335, 3BR or larger is $425.
- Handyman punch list: half day is $230, full day is $425. General maintenance and safety visit is $125 when you only need basic checks.
- Drywall repair if needed: small patch is $150 per patch, medium repair is $240 per patch.
- Locks: full apartment rekey up to 2 locks is $150, or front and deadbolt rekey is $110. Smart lock install is $210.
- Listing media: the TLA Launch Pad Media Package is $399 for photos and marketing assets.
For example, a 1BR with two rooms painted at $790, ceilings and trim at $125, Make Ready at $255, and a half-day handyman at $230 totals $1,400, all inside 48 hours. That is often less than a week of vacancy loss in Santa Monica or Downtown LA.
Where do I start if the unit is rough or full of junk?
If you are inheriting a messy turnover, clear the space fast so paint can move. Unit cleanout and junk haul is $310 for a 1BR, $200 for a Studio, and $420 for a 2BR or larger. If there is more volume, each additional junk load is $200 per load. After the cleanout, we repair drywall as needed, paint, then run Make Ready. This gets you from chaos to listable in two days once the space is accessible. To lock pricing and schedule, send the unit size and a few photos through our quote form.
For a full scope beyond paint, see our painting and drywall service details and our Make Ready overview to align tasks to your budget and timeline.
How do I get a firm price today in Los Angeles?
Send the layout and note how many rooms you want painted. If ceilings and baseboard or trim are included, add that now so we schedule correctly. List any drywall patches by size and count. You will get a firm number based on the catalog above, not a guess. The turnaround is set at 48 hours, no rush fee. Include any add-ons like a half-day handyman punch list or the $399 Launch Pad media package if you plan to list right away.