We paint offices, shops and multi-unit buildings as well as homes. Owners and managers mostly ask about cost, disruption and who pays.
The dollar figures on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Sonoma County labor rates, the paint chosen and the condition of your own surfaces move a real price up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint an office or commercial space?
Commercial painting costs $2 to $6 per square foot by the national figures. A 2,500 square foot space is listed at $5,000 to $15,000. HomeGuide publishes no separate figures for offices, retail or warehouses.
Ceiling height, the amount of masking around fixtures and stock, the hours the work can be done and the condition of the walls set the real number. Exterior commercial work that needs scaffolding or a lift is listed at $5 to $10 or more per square foot.
Can painters work nights or weekends so the business stays open?
Many commercial painters work nights or weekends, since that is often the only way to paint a shop or office without closing it. Whether it is possible for your job depends on the building, the neighbors and the schedule.
Ask us when you call. Tell us your opening hours and any days the space is empty, and we will plan around them where we can. Low-odor paints help when staff return the next morning.
How much to repaint a rental apartment between tenants?
No national figure is published for a repaint between tenants. The closest published figures are for apartment painting in general: $2 to $6 per square foot, with a one-bedroom unit at $1,200 to $4,800 and a two-bedroom at $1,600 to $7,200.
A turnover repaint is usually at the low end of the work: same color, walls only, an empty unit. Keeping one standard color and sheen across all your units keeps the cost down and makes touch-ups possible. We price turnovers after seeing a typical unit.
How often should a rental be repainted?
A rental is usually repainted when a tenant leaves and the walls need it, not on a fixed schedule. A unit with a long-term tenant may go many years. One with frequent turnover gets at least a touch-up each time.
A scrubbable eggshell or satin in one standard color lets many marks be washed off or touched up, so a full repaint is needed less often.
Can an apartment be painted while tenants live there?
Yes. An occupied apartment can be painted while tenants are living there, with planning. The tenant needs proper notice, furniture is moved to the middle and covered, and the work is done a room or two at a time.
It takes longer than painting an empty unit. In buildings from before 1978, the lead-safe rules for renovation apply to occupied units as well, and tenants must be given the lead safety pamphlet before work begins.
How long to paint a 10-unit apartment building or an office?
It depends on the scope, so we cannot give one figure for a 10-unit building. The exterior of a small apartment building is a larger version of a house exterior, which takes us 3 to 5 days for a typical house, and more wall, more stories and more trim add to that.
Interiors go unit by unit. An empty one-bedroom unit in good shape can often be painted in a day or two. A small office can often be done over a few days. Ask for a schedule with the written quote.
Who pays for painting when a tenant moves out?
The landlord pays for repainting that is due to normal wear and tear. The tenant can be charged only for damage beyond that. California Civil Code section 1950.5 lets a landlord deduct from the deposit to repair damage, other than normal wear and tear, caused by the tenant or guests.
Faded paint, minor scuffs and a few small nail holes after a long tenancy are generally wear and tear. Large holes, unapproved colors, crayon and smoke staining are generally damage. The landlord has 21 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized statement. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do commercial painters price large jobs differently?
Yes. Large jobs are usually priced from measured areas and production rates, not by the room, and the cost per square foot tends to fall as the job grows, because setup is spread over more work.
Large jobs also carry costs a house does not: lifts or scaffolding, published at $500 to $1,500 or more per day, work outside business hours and phasing around tenants. For repeat work such as unit turnovers, ask for a set price per unit type.
For a walk-through and a written quote on a commercial or rental property, call or text (707) 205-3959.