Quick answer: Across Los Angeles, apartment repainting typically runs $300 to $600 per room, and a full 1 bedroom often lands at $1,200 to $2,000. TurnOver LA is a flat $395 per room, touch-up $200, and ceilings or trim $125, all delivered within 48 hours. Small drywall patches start at $150 per patch. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
Los Angeles landlords choose the vendor that makes units rent-ready fastest, with consistent results and clear pricing. For rental turns, the best apartment painting is one that is scoped right, scheduled tight, and finishes in 48 hours without add-on surprises. TurnOver LA prices are published and tied to a two-day turn so you can plan leasing dates with confidence. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
How much does apartment painting cost in Los Angeles right now?
Across LA, market pricing often comes in at $300 to $600 per room for standard repainting, plus line items for drywall repair and trim. By contrast, TurnOver LA publishes simple rates: repainting per room is $395 per room, paint touch-up only is $200, ceilings and baseboard or trim are $125, and cabinet or shelving sand and repaint is $135. Drywall repair is priced by patch size, small drywall patch and texture at $150 per patch and medium drywall repair at $240 per patch. If you are bundling painting with turn cleaning, our Make Ready package is Studio $225, 1 Bedroom $255, 2 Bedroom $335, and 3BR or larger $425, which includes a 12 point photo report for your file. Every service is scheduled on a flat 48 hour turnaround so you do not eat extra vacancy days.
What makes an apartment painting job “best” for a rental turnover?
Best means it closes the gap between move out and new keys with no rework. For rentals, we optimize for speed, coverage, and durability. We use landlord standard eggshell on walls for cleanability, semi-gloss on trim for scuff resistance, and low-VOC products to keep units showable the same day paint dries. Prep targets rental failure points like door edges, cabinet faces, window sills, and high-touch corners. We sequence painting with cleaning and repairs so there is no backtracking. And we protect floors, door hardware, and appliances to avoid damage deductions disputes. Expect the crew to photograph pre-existing wall conditions for your deposit file, then deliver a clean cut-in line, full coverage at outlets and vent cutouts, and crisp trims that photograph well for your listing.
Do landlords have to paint between tenants in CA?
No California statute requires repainting between every tenancy. In Los Angeles, you set your own standard unless your local rules say otherwise. Under the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance some properties have habitability and maintenance standards, but there is no blanket repaint mandate. See the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance for local context, the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide for general practice, and California Civil Code §1950.5 for deposit rules. Many owners repaint every other turn or rotate rooms, but heavy wear, smoke, or pet odor may justify a full repaint on exit. We scope to your standard, and we document with photos to support any deposit allocations.
External references: LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance, California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide, and California Civil Code §1950.5.
Can a landlord charge a tenant for painting after move out in California?
Yes, but only when the charge is tied to damage or excessive filth, not normal wear. California Civil Code §1950.5 allows deductions for cleaning and repairs necessary to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness and condition, excluding ordinary wear and tear. The California Tenants Guide and the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide both echo this. For example, one wall with adhesive strip tears may justify a small drywall patch and repaint of that wall. Faded paint or minor scuffs after a normal lease term is wear. We provide a 12 point photo report with our Make Ready service that helps you align repaint scope to the deposit letter and the 21 day clock. Pair this with your local rules if you are under LA RSO coverage.
References: California Civil Code §1950.5 and California Tenants Guide.
How should you scope a 500 sq ft apartment repaint in LA?
A typical 500 sq ft studio or small 1 bedroom has 3 to 4 paintable rooms if you count living area, bedroom, hallway, and kitchen walls. Across LA, full unit pricing for that size often runs $800 to $1,800 depending on prep. With TurnOver LA, budget with parts you can control. For example: 3 rooms at $395 per room is $1,185, ceilings and trim add $125 if needed, and light cabinet repaint is $135 per face set if present. Touch-up only is $200 if the existing paint is uniform and you just need coverage on corners, door edges, and scuffs. Add small drywall patch and texture at $150 per patch for picture hanger blowouts or anchor holes. We always confirm if the existing paint is matchable. If the last painter mixed off-shelf white with tint, we will color match before committing to a touch-up scope.
What is the fastest way to hit a 48 hour rental turn with painting?
Stack the sequence correctly and keep access tight. Our two day plan looks like this:
- Day 0 afternoon: Scope and color confirm, reserve parking and elevator if applicable.
- Day 1 morning: Drywall patching and sanding first, then spot prime. Start ceilings or trim if part of the scope.
- Day 1 afternoon: First wall coats, cut-ins, and door edge paint. Vent covers and switch plates removed and bagged.
- Day 2 morning: Second coats, baseboard touch, and cabinet or shelving repaint where ordered.
- Day 2 midday: Reinstall plates and vents, detail clean paint dust, and remove tape.
- Day 2 afternoon: Make Ready clean, 12 point photo report, and punch list walkthrough.
- Day 2 close: If locks need to be changed, perform full apartment rekey (up to 2 locks) at $150.
This schedule holds in Koreatown mid-rises with elevator windows and in Santa Monica walk-ups with tight street parking. The goal is simple, a clean handoff to leasing for showings by late Day 2. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
When is touch-up smarter than a full repaint?
Choose touch-up when paint is uniform, color-matched, and wear is confined to high-touch points. Examples that fit a $200 touch-up: scuffed entry corridor, two or three dirty corners near a breakfast bar, a few door edge chips, and minor roller holidays that show in raking light. Add a small drywall patch at $150 per patch if anchors blew out or a TV mount was removed. Upgrade to per-room repaint at $395 per room if the unit has multiple wall colors, prior low-sheen flats that ghost, or if you see stratified roller texture and repairs that will flash. Ceilings and trim at $125 make sense when nicotine staining or kitchen humidity has yellowed surfaces that will make clean walls look dingy.
What is included in TurnOver LA apartment painting, and what is not?
Included: surface protection, basic nail hole fill, minor caulking, light sanding, two wall coats where needed for coverage, clean cut-ins, and site protection and cleanup. We remove and reinstall switch plates and vent covers. We bag hardware and label it. Not included unless quoted: skim coating entire walls, major carpentry, popcorn ceiling removal, or color design. We can add small or medium drywall repairs at $150 or $240 per patch, cabinet or shelving sand and repaint at $135, and ceilings or trim at $125. For overall rent readiness, pair painting with a Make Ready clean (Studio $225, 1 Bedroom $255, 2 Bedroom $335, 3BR or larger $425) to remove dust and deliver leasing photos that do not show roller lint or sanding residue.
How do painting, drywall, and cleaning bundle for faster rent-ups?
Painting without drywall and cleaning often results in a third service call and extra vacancy days. The best turn bundles these line items on a two day plan. A common 1 bedroom burst looks like this: medium drywall repair at $240 per patch for two patches, repaint 3 rooms at $395 per room for $1,185, ceilings and trim at $125 if the unit needs it, and Make Ready at $255. If you need a small junk removal before work, a 1 bedroom unit cleanout is $310. After painting and cleaning, our TLA Launch Pad Media Package is $399, which delivers listing-ready media so the unit can hit the market the same afternoon. This combined approach limits vacancy loss, which in LA neighborhoods from Downtown LA to West Hollywood typically runs $80 to $200 per day.
For painting-specific scoping and booking, see our dedicated service page: apartment painting service. For cleaning and photo documentation, see Make Ready service. For light repair bundling, use the handyman punch list.
How much does it cost to paint a 1 bedroom in West Hollywood or Koreatown?
Market quotes vary with building access and parking. We see West Hollywood per-room quotes cluster higher due to parking control and HOA rules, often $400 to $650 per room. Koreatown per-room quotes tend to sit around $300 to $550. TurnOver LA sits steady at $395 per room in both cases. Add small drywall patches at $150 per patch for TV mounts or shelving holes, and add ceilings or baseboard and trim at $125 when you need it. If you are under time pressure in a Koreatown walk-up without parking, we will handle cones and a load-in plan to protect your day two finish. Check our Koreatown page for local delivery notes.
How do you compare painting quotes without slowing your leasing plan?
Use this quick checklist to triage quotes and protect your vacancy clock:
- Ask for per-room pricing and confirm line items for ceilings, trim, and cabinets.
- Confirm drywall rates by patch size, with at least two tiers, like $150 small and $240 medium.
- Require a two day schedule and a written start window that aligns with your keys-in-hand date.
- Verify surface protection plan for flooring, appliances, and AC mini-splits, which are common in older Hollywood and Mid City stock.
- Confirm that outlet plates and vents are removed, not cut around, which affects photos and cleaning.
- Get low-VOC confirmation so units can show the afternoon after work wraps.
- Ask for photo documentation on completion for your deposit files and for your leasing media.
If you need listing media in the same 48 hours, add the TLA Launch Pad Media Package at $399 to avoid a separate trip and day slip.
Can repainting deposits be affected by AB 12 deposit caps?
AB 12 (2023) caps most residential security deposits in California at one month of rent for new tenancies as it phases in. While AB 12 does not change what is chargeable versus wear, it compresses the total deposit that may be available to apply to cleaning and repairs. That makes clear scoping and documentation more important. Use our Make Ready clean with 12 point photos to show pre and post condition, then align any painting deduction to damage, not wear. See AB 12 (2023) security deposit cap and the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide for context.
LA specific planning notes that keep you on schedule
- Parking and access: In Santa Monica and Venice, street sweeping windows can block a morning load-in. We schedule around posted times.
- Quiet hours: Some HOAs in Downtown LA restrict rolling carts before 8 a.m. We preload supplies the night prior when allowed.
- Color match risk: Many 2010s flips used off-white variants. We bring a tint spectrometer and a drawdown card to confirm before touch-up.
- Mini-splits and radiators: We bag and protect these units, which are common in Koreatown and Echo Park, to avoid overspray and drips.
- Leasing photos: Fresh trim and outlet swaps photograph better. If you need a knob replaced, our door knob or handle replacement is $100 per knob, or add a full apartment rekey up to 2 locks for $150 at handoff. See locks and security.
What do you call an apartment handyman if paint uncovers other issues?
If painting reveals loose towel bars, sticking doors, or a drippy P-trap, book a half-day handyman punch list at $230 or a full-day at $425. For safety or code items, a general maintenance and safety visit is $125. Having a single team cycle through paint, repairs, and cleaning inside the same 48 hours keeps your listing date intact and reduces returns. For heavy disposals before paint, a 1 bedroom unit cleanout is $310, with each additional junk load at $200 per load.
Final take: what is the best apartment painting approach in Los Angeles?
Best is the plan that reduces vacancy loss while protecting your deposit file. Across LA, the market runs $300 to $600 per room. TurnOver LA is $395 per room, touch-up $200, ceilings or trim $125, and drywall patches at $150 or $240, all inside a flat 48 hour turnaround. Bundle Make Ready cleaning for dust-free photos, and add listing media at $399 to publish same day. Book on your calendar with a start window that matches keys, and lock in access and parking to avoid slips. Get instant quote in 30 seconds