The Honest Answer: It Varies. Here's Why.

Commercial painting jobs vary more than residential because the range of surfaces, conditions, and access requirements is so much wider. A fresh drywall office and a 40-year-old galvanized warehouse are both "commercial painting" — but they're not even close to the same price.

That said, we can give you real ranges based on actual jobs we've quoted in Massachusetts.

Cost by Space Type

Office Space

Interior office painting — $0.80 to $1.80 per square foot of floor area, depending on ceiling height, number of rooms, and surface condition.

A 3,000 sq ft open-plan office in decent condition: $2,400 – $5,400 for walls and ceilings. Trim and doors are priced separately if they're being refinished.

After-hours or weekend scheduling typically adds 10–15% over straight daytime pricing.

Warehouse and Industrial

Warehouse interior — $0.60 to $1.40 per sq ft for standard block or drywall walls. High-ceiling work (20'+) adds cost due to lift rental and extra labor time.

Galvanized metal surfaces (decking, columns, doors) — $1.20 to $2.80 per sq ft. The higher price reflects proper primer (zinc-based, not latex) and usually two finish coats.

Epoxy floor coating — $3 to $7 per sq ft depending on preparation required. A floor that needs diamond grinding before coating is more expensive than a clean concrete slab.

A 10,000 sq ft warehouse with walls, columns, and basic floor work: typically $12,000 – $28,000 depending on surface condition and product spec.

Retail and Storefronts

Interior retail — $1.00 to $1.80 per sq ft. Retail usually requires better prep and cleaner finish work than warehouse — customers notice.

Storefront exterior — $800 to $3,500 for a standard single-bay storefront, depending on surface material, number of coats, and existing paint condition.

Restaurants

Restaurant interiors are priced similarly to office space but often require specific coating types (grease-resistant near kitchen areas, high-humidity formulas for bathrooms). Expect $1.00 to $2.00 per sq ft interior.

After-hours scheduling is common — most restaurant jobs happen Sunday night into Monday morning.

Medical and Healthcare

No different in cost from office space, but scheduling is more constrained. HEPA filtration and low-VOC products may be required. Budget 10–20% above standard office rates if the space needs to be re-occupied within 24 hours.

What Drives Cost Up

Surface condition — Peeling paint, moisture damage, or staining that needs to be addressed before painting adds prep cost. A wall that needs three passes of scraping before primer goes on is more expensive than a clean wall.

Number of coats — Most commercial jobs get two coats. Heavy color changes (dark to white, or vice versa) or bare substrates often need three. Each additional coat is roughly 25–30% more cost.

Ceiling height — Anything over 14 feet requires lift equipment. Rental and setup adds time and cost.

Product specification — Standard latex is the baseline. Industrial urethanes, epoxy primers, antimicrobial coatings, and high-build block fillers all cost more per gallon and often require more application time.

After-hours or weekend work — Standard premium is 10–20% over daytime rates. Worth it if the alternative is disrupting operations.

Access difficulty — Stairwells, confined spaces, and areas with lots of built-in furniture or equipment slow the crew down. We account for this in the quote.

What's Included in a Commercial Quote

Every quote we provide includes:

Surface prep (cleaning, scraping, priming, patching)
Labor for the specified number of coats
All paint and materials (we use Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore commercial-grade products by default)
Tape, plastic, drop cloths
Cleanup and waste disposal
Written scope of work you can share with building management

We don't charge separately for job site setup or basic masking. What's in the quote is the number you pay.

Estimate Your Commercial Painting Cost

Use the calculator below to get a ballpark range for your space. Pick your space type, scope, square footage, and surface condition — the range updates live based on real Massachusetts contractor rates.

It won't replace a site visit, but it'll tell you whether you're looking at a $5,000 job or a $50,000 job before you pick up the phone.

How to Get an Accurate Number

The only way to get an accurate commercial quote is a site visit. We look at:

Actual surface conditions (not guesses from photos)
What prep is needed before any paint touches the wall
Access requirements and scheduling constraints
Product spec if you have a spec sheet or preference

We come to you, take 20–30 minutes, and come back with a written quote that breaks down labor and materials. No phone quotes, no rough estimates that balloon on the job.

Fill out the form on our Services page — tell us your space type, rough square footage, and timeline. We follow up same day.

Or call: 781-484-7485. We answer.

How Much Does Commercial Painting Cost in Massachusetts? (2026)