How much does it cost to patch and paint a wall in Virginia?

There is no single Virginia price for patching and painting a wall, and a number without a date and a primary source behind it would mislead you. A small nail hole costs almost nothing in materials; a patched hole that has to match a textured, older wall is a different job. What you can do is know what moves the quote and get the work priced in writing.

What decides the price

The size and kind of damage. Nail and screw holes, a dent and a hand-sized hole are handled differently. USG's instructions treat a small hole or crack, a medium hole and a large crack as separate repairs: a medium hole gets two or three strips of paper joint tape crisscrossed over the opening, then compound.^[1] More steps mean more time.

The number of visits. Compound has to dry between coats. At 75 °F and 50% relative humidity, USG allows approx. 24 hr. between applications.^[1] A patch that needs a second coat, then sanding, priming and paint, usually cannot be done in one visit, which is why a "quick" patch is often priced as a minimum charge or as two trips.

Prep and sanding. Rough spots need sanding before they are painted to ensure the paint goes on smoothly.^[4] A careful finisher also controls the dust, for example by sanding with a wet sponge to eliminate dust and scuffing of paper.^[1]

Texture. A smooth wall is the easiest to patch. Textured walls take a texture match, and a match that is a little off can show once the paint is on. Ask whether texture matching is included.

Paint and how much gets painted. A patch that is touched up can show. Benjamin Moore notes that matching color and sheen is crucial to a proper touch-up and that flatter finishes touch up better; the glossier the finish, the more challenging.^[5] That is why many painters suggest painting the whole wall, corner to corner. Your quote should say whether it covers only the patch, the whole wall or the whole room.

The age of the home. In a home built before 1978, EPA's rule says anyone paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices.^[2] That certification takes extra setup, and it can raise the price. Ask any painter or drywall finisher about it up front.

How to get a price you can compare

Walk the house and list every patch before anyone quotes: location, rough size, what caused it, and whether the wall is smooth or textured. Photos with a tape measure in the frame help. Then collect more than one quote.

Virginia's Board for Contractors advises it is advisable to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications so you can compare prices and contractors.^[3] It also says to make sure all bids are based on the same set of specifications and not to automatically accept the lowest.^[3]

If the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia contractor's license is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work.^[3] A few patches usually fall below that line, but a repair that covers several rooms may not.

For a larger job, the contract matters. Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.^[3] A good rule of thumb is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.^[3] Never sign a blank or partially blank contract.^[3]

Compare quotes line by line: the number of patches and their size, texture matching, primer, the number of paint coats, whether the whole wall is repainted, the paint brand and sheen, who buys the paint, and how the dust is handled.

Doing it yourself

Small holes and nail pops are a reasonable weekend job. The cost is a tub of spackling or joint compound, a putty knife, sandpaper or a sanding sponge, primer and a small can of matching paint. The place people slip is the paint: ask the paint store to match the color and sheen from a chip of the wall.

Stop and call a pro if

• The damage is wider than a hand or the wall feels soft. A large hole needs backing and tape; USG treats it as a separate repair from filling a small hole.^[1]
• A stain or bubbling shows water. Find and fix the leak first, or the patch will fail.
• The drywall is crumbling in an older house. If in doubt, treat the material as if it contains asbestos and leave it alone.^[6]
• The home was built before 1978 and the paint is peeling. Any renovation, repair or painting project in a pre-1978 home or building that has lead-based paint can easily create dangerous lead dust.^[2]

Next steps

To decide who to call, read whether to hire a painter or a drywall contractor. For a single pop, see how to fix nail pops in drywall. Browse more painting answers or the painting category.

To get written quotes, describe the patches and local pros will quote them.