Commercial painting costs $2 to $6 per square foot in 2026, by national published figures. For offices, shops and rental buildings in Fargo, the schedule often matters as much as the price.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own surfaces move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint an office or commercial space?
Nationally, the cost to paint an office or other commercial interior is $2 to $6 per square foot, or $5,000 to $15,000 for 2,500 square feet. No separate figures are published for offices, shops or warehouses.
| Paintable area | National range |
|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft | $3,000 to $7,200 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $5,000 to $15,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $6,000 to $18,000 |
Commercial labor is listed at $60 to $100 per hour. Scaffolding or lifts add $500 to $1,500 or more per day. Exterior commercial work that needs scaffolding 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 do work nights or weekends, and it is the usual way to paint a shop, clinic or office without closing it. Whether it suits your job depends on the space, the products and the building's rules.
Ask us when you call, and tell us your opening hours. We will say plainly what schedule we can offer for your building. Low-odor paints help when staff are back the next morning.
How much to repaint a rental apartment between tenants?
No national figure is published for a repaint between tenants. The nearest published numbers are for painting an apartment: $2 to $6 per square foot, or $1,200 to $3,600 for a 600 square foot unit.
| Unit | National range |
|---|---|
| Studio, 400 to 600 sq ft | $800 to $3,600 |
| 1 bedroom, 600 to 800 sq ft | $1,200 to $4,800 |
| 2 bedrooms, 800 to 1,200 sq ft | $1,600 to $7,200 |
| 3 bedrooms, 1,200 to 1,500 sq ft or more | $2,400 to $9,000 |
An empty unit repainted in the same color is quick work, and landlords with several units usually get a set price per unit type. We quote turnovers after seeing one unit.
How often should a rental be repainted?
How often a rental is repainted depends on wear, not on a fixed rule. Many landlords repaint, or at least touch up, at each change of tenant. HomeGuide says paint in general is redone every 5 to 10 years.
Keeping one color and one sheen across all units makes touch-ups possible and saves full repaints. Fargo has a large number of rentals, with North Dakota State University in Fargo and two colleges in Moorhead, and summer turnover dates are tight. Book early.
Can an apartment be painted while tenants are living there?
Yes. An occupied apartment can be painted with planning. Tenants need notice, furniture has to be moved to the middle of each room and covered, and the work goes room by room so that the unit stays usable.
It takes longer than an empty unit. Halls, stairwells and entries of an occupied building are painted in sections so that people can always get in and out.
How long to paint a 10-unit apartment building or an office?
No published figure exists for a 10-unit building, so it comes down to crew size and access. As a guide, HomeGuide lists about 4 to 7 hours of painting time for a bedroom or living room. An empty one-bedroom unit in the same color is roughly a day's work for a small crew, and ten such units take a crew about two weeks. Hallways and stairs are extra.
How long an office takes depends on its size and on working around desks and business hours. We give you a schedule with the quote.
Who pays for painting when a tenant moves out?
In general the landlord pays for repainting due to normal wear and tear, and the tenant can be charged for damage beyond that. Faded paint, small nail holes and light scuffs after a long tenancy are normally treated as wear. Unapproved colors, crayon, smoke staining and large holes are normally treated as damage.
The law that decides it is the state's security deposit statute: section 47-16-07.1 of the North Dakota Century Code in Fargo, and Minnesota Statutes section 504B.178 in Moorhead. The two states do not have the same rules or deadlines. Read the statute or ask a lawyer before you withhold money or dispute a charge. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do commercial painters price large jobs differently?
Yes. Large jobs are usually priced as a whole project and not by the room. The price per square foot tends to fall as the area grows, because setup, travel and supervision are spread over more surface.
Large jobs also bring costs a house does not have: lifts, work outside normal hours, safety rules and proof of insurance for the building owner. We walk the building and give one written figure with the scope attached.
We paint offices, shops and multi-unit buildings across the Fargo and Moorhead area. A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (701) 502-6833.