Quick answer: Across Los Angeles, apartment painting often runs $500 to $900 per room, and touch-up visits land around $250 to $400. TurnOver LA prices are fixed: repainting per room is $395, paint touch-up is $200, ceilings or baseboard and trim are $125, and drywall repairs run $150 to $240 per patch, all with a 48-hour turnaround.
If you found reddit threads with wide ranges, you are not alone. LA painters bid by labor, travel, and parking. We keep it simple with line-item pricing and a flat 48-hour timeline. For a one bedroom repaint of the living room and bedroom, most LA quotes land around $1,000 to $1,800. With TurnOver LA it is $790 for two rooms, plus options like ceilings or trim at $125 when needed. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
How much do painters charge for apartments in Los Angeles?
LA apartment painting quotes vary by unit access, parking, and how many rooms actually need color restored. In general, you will hear $500 to $900 per room for full repaint and $250 to $400 for touch-up with a pro who brings materials. If you are in Downtown LA, Hollywood, or Santa Monica, parking and HOA access can push the high end. TurnOver LA pricing is fixed by task so you can map cost to work quickly: repainting per room is $395, paint touch-up is $200, ceilings or baseboard and trim are $125. We also handle repairs before paint, with small drywall patch and texture at $150 per patch and medium drywall repair at $240 per patch. These line items cover what most turnover paint scopes need.
What does TurnOver LA charge, line by line?
We publish clear rates so you can build the scope. For painting and drywall: paint touch-up only is $200. Repainting per room is $395 per room. Ceilings and baseboard or trim are $125. Sand and repaint cabinets or shelving is $135. Small drywall patch and texture is $150 per patch. Medium drywall repair is $240 per patch. If you are turning a unit, add Make Ready cleaning, which includes a 12 point photo report, at Studio $225, 1 Bedroom $255, 2 Bedroom $335, or 3BR or larger $425. We complete every job within 48 hours with no rush surcharge. That timeline protects you from vacancy loss, which usually runs $80 to $200 per day in LA submarkets like Koreatown, Sherman Oaks, and Venice. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
How much does it cost to paint a 500 sq ft apartment in LA?
Square footage math sounds tidy, but apartments do not paint by the square foot. You paint the rooms you can close and stage. A typical 500 sq ft studio or small one bedroom often needs either a targeted touch-up or one to two rooms repainted. Market quotes for a small unit repaint can run $1,200 to $1,800 in LA when everything is included. With TurnOver LA, a practical studio scope might be paint touch-up at $200 and a Make Ready clean at $225, total $425. If walls are too worn, repaint the living or studio room for $395, add ceilings or trim if needed at $125, and still finish in 48 hours. We keep ceilings or trim as an add-on only when the existing finish cannot be washed or spot corrected.
Do landlords have to paint between tenants in California?
There is no statewide rule that requires fresh paint between every tenancy. In Los Angeles, owners must provide and maintain habitable premises, which includes keeping painted surfaces in good repair. The LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance speaks to maintenance obligations for covered units, although it does not mandate a full repaint every turn. You can review LA’s program at the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance page. Under California Civil Code §1950.5, you can deduct from a security deposit for beyond normal wear, including repainting to remedy damage, but not to refresh ordinary use. The California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide is a helpful explainer of these boundaries. Our practice is to document walls in the photo report, then scope touch-up first, full repaint only when coverage will not meet your quality standard.
Can a landlord charge you for painting after move-out in California?
Yes, if the repaint addresses tenant damage or unauthorized color changes, or if nicotine or heavy odor remediation requires sealing. You cannot charge to fix ordinary wear like minor scuffs or sun fading. California Civil Code §1950.5 sets the rules for deposit deductions and documentation. AB 12 (2023) now caps most residential security deposits at one month of rent, which makes accurate, defensible invoicing more important because you have less deposit to work with. Provide the invoice, note the rooms and line items, and attach before and after photos. Our Make Ready includes a 12 point photo report and our painting invoices list each room or patch line so your package matches the code requirements.
What affects the price to paint an apartment in LA?
Three factors move cost more than people expect. First, surface condition and sheen. Flats hide fewer scuffs than eggshell, so touch-up success varies. Second, access and parking. DTLA garage clearance, West Hollywood street permits, or locked mailroom elevators slow the day, which is why many LA painters bid high for uncertainty. Third, repairs. A few small patches at $150 per patch often restore walls to paint-ready. Cabinet or shelf repaint adds time at $135. We keep these elements as separate line items so you only pay for what the unit needs. Add Make Ready cleaning to remove dust and grease before paint so coverage holds and odors do not bleed through. Our 48-hour completion target includes these steps, sequenced to dry overnight when needed.
Is touch-up better than a full repaint for turnovers?
Start with touch-up if the unit was painted with a matching product and sheen within the last one to three years and tenant wear is normal. A $200 touch-up pass can erase scuffs on corners, above light switches, and around doors. If the color does not match or the wall is blotchy, shift to repainting per room at $395. This is common in high-churn one bedrooms in Koreatown or North Hollywood where bedrooms take more abuse than living rooms. We often combine a few small drywall patches at $150 per patch, then roll a single room for a clean photo-ready result. Add ceilings or trim at $125 only if they are yellowed or roller-splattered. Document the logic in your move-out file for deposit decisions.
Example LA scopes with real totals you can budget today
Use these reference scenarios to plan a turn by neighborhood and condition.
- Koreatown studio after a careful tenant: Make Ready Studio $225 plus paint touch-up $200. Total $425. Done in 48 hours. Vacancy loss avoided: two days at roughly $160 to $400 saved.
- Sherman Oaks 1BR with bedroom damage: Repainting per room, bedroom $395. One small drywall patch $150. Make Ready 1BR $255. Total $800. Add ceilings or trim only if needed at $125.
- Venice 2BR family move-out, light wear: Repainting per room, living room and two bedrooms $1,185. Medium drywall repair one patch $240. Make Ready 2BR $335. Optional cabinets or shelving $135. Total without cabinets $1,760, with cabinets $1,895.
We never add a rush fee. Every scope is scheduled and finished within 48 hours so you can re-show without slipping a weekend. If you need listing photos after paint, schedule the TLA Launch Pad Media Package at $399. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
Market vs TurnOver LA pricing at a glance
| Work item | Typical LA market price | TurnOver LA price |
|---|---|---|
| Paint touch-up visit | $250 to $400 | $200 |
| Repainting per room | $500 to $900 | $395 per room |
| Ceilings or baseboard and trim | $150 to $300 | $125 |
| Sand and repaint cabinets or shelving | $200 to $400 | $135 |
| Small drywall patch and texture | $150 to $300 | $150 per patch |
| Medium drywall repair | $250 to $450 | $240 per patch |
These numbers show where the savings come from in common LA situations like DTLA high-rises with limited staging windows or classic 1920s Westlake buildings with patched plaster.
What is the right sequence to finish an LA unit in 48 hours?
Drying and access rules in LA buildings can create delays if you pick the wrong order. Use this 7 step sequence to protect your timeline:
- Unit walk with the move-out photo report, confirm paint color and sheen.
- Clean high-grease zones first with Make Ready so paint adheres.
- Complete small and medium drywall patches and texture.
- Sand and repaint cabinets or shelving if needed.
- Repaint targeted rooms, then run touch-up on remaining walls.
- Roll ceilings or trim if they cannot be washed back to standard.
- Final clean and dust-off, then listing media if needed.
Following this order keeps rolling and drying on day one, detail and photos on day two.
Who should pay for painting at move-out, and how do you document it?
If your deduction is for damage, you can charge the tenant. If it is for normal wear, you cannot. California Civil Code §1950.5 requires you to share an itemized statement within 21 days with copies of invoices and photos. The California Tenants Guide and the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide both reinforce that normal wear is on the owner. AB 12 caps most deposits at one month of rent, so precise line items matter. Our invoices show exactly what was done and where, with parts of the unit labeled by room and patch count. Pair that with our 12 point photo report from Make Ready for clean documentation.
How does painting connect with cleaning, handyman, and listing media?
Painting rarely stands alone. If you skip pre-paint cleaning, grease and dust can cause flashing or failure. Pair Make Ready with any paint scope. If there are loose towel bars, broken blinds, or loose outlets, add a Half-day handyman punch list at $230 or a Full-day punch list at $425 so the walls are not damaged after paint. Rekeying or smart lock installation belongs after painting. When your unit is photo-ready, book the TLA Launch Pad Media Package at $399. All of these services are scheduled and delivered within 48 hours so you can post the listing quickly. For step-by-step turnover planning, see our apartment turnover checklist and our turnover cost guide for Los Angeles.
Where in LA does this pricing and timeline hold?
We cover most LA neighborhoods, from Downtown LA to Sherman Oaks, Culver City, and Venice. The 48-hour schedule holds even in controlled-access buildings. We know how to secure elevator pads, meet concierge rules, and stage parking so crews are not circling blocks in West Hollywood or Koreatown. If you need targeted local help, see our Sherman Oaks area page to align this painting scope with nearby handyman availability. The goal is simple, get you through paint, punch, clean, and photos with a schedule you can trust and invoices you can use for compliance.
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Helpful internal resources
- See what a Make Ready includes and book cleaning: our Make Ready service page.
- Need paint plus repairs in one visit: our Painting and Drywall service overview.
- Planning a full turn: our apartment turnover cost guide for Los Angeles.
- Security deposit timing: our 21 day deposit return guide.