St. Louis has a great many rentals in old brick buildings: two family flats, four family buildings and courtyard apartments, along with brick storefronts with apartments above. Painting them is about speed, durable finishes and working around people. This page is general information, not legal advice.
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 walls, wood and brick move the number 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, or $5,000 to $15,000 for 2,500 square feet. No separate figures are published for an office, a shop or a warehouse.
| Paintable area | National range |
|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft | $3,000 to $7,200 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $6,000 to $18,000 |
Exterior commercial work that needs scaffolding or a lift is published at $5 to $10 or more per square foot.
Can painters work nights or weekends so the business stays open?
Many commercial painters do, and it is often the best way to keep a shop, office or restaurant running. Work can also be phased, one area at a time, during normal hours. Ask us when you call. What we can offer depends on the job and the schedule.
How much to repaint a rental apartment between tenants?
No national figure is published for a repaint between tenants, so we price it after a walk-through. For apartments in general, HomeGuide gives $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 in the same color over sound walls sits at the simple end of the work. Smoke, heavy patching or a color change push it up.
How often should a rental be repainted?
A rental should be repainted when the walls no longer clean up, which for many units means every few years or at each change of tenant. How often a rental needs it depends on how long tenants stay and how the unit is used. No fixed rule sets the interval.
Using one standard color and sheen across all units makes touch-ups quick and cheap.
Can an apartment be painted while tenants live there?
Yes. An occupied apartment can be painted with planning. Tenants need notice, furniture is moved to the middle of each room and covered, and the work goes room by room. Low-odor paint helps.
In a pre-1978 building, work that disturbs paint in an occupied unit must follow the EPA lead-safe rule, and tenants must be given the Renovate Right pamphlet. Nearly all older St. Louis flats fall under it.
How long to paint a 10-unit apartment building or an office?
It depends on what is being painted. Empty units go fast, often a day or two each for a crew, so the interiors of a 10-unit building can take a couple of weeks. Hallways and stairwells add time. How long an office takes depends on its size and on how much furniture has to be worked around.
We give a schedule with the quote, unit by unit or area by area.
Who pays for painting when a tenant moves out?
The landlord normally pays for repainting that comes from ordinary wear when a tenant moves out. Damage beyond normal wear can be charged to the tenant, which is a matter for the lease and Missouri landlord and tenant law.
The line between wear and damage is a legal question. Landlords and tenants should read the lease and get advice if they disagree.
Do commercial painters price large jobs differently?
Yes. Large jobs are usually priced from measured areas and production rates, not by the room. Open walls and repeated units let a crew work faster, so the rate per square foot is often lower than on a small job. Access, height, working hours and the coating specified push it the other way.
The published national labor rate for commercial painting is $60 to $100 per hour, and scaffolding or lifts are $500 to $1,500 or more per day.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (314) 742-3507.