By the Maple Coat Painting team · Updated
Basement painting in Ottawa
Finished basements are where Ottawa families spend winter: the rec room, the guest bedroom, the home gym. They also have the least daylight and, sometimes, a history of water. Here's how to plan a basement repaint and what it costs.
How basement rooms are priced
Exactly like upstairs rooms:
| Room size | Lived-in | Empty home |
|---|---|---|
| Small (office, laundry room, or a bedroom you choose as small) | $795 | $715 |
| Medium (bedroom, dining room, kitchen) | $1,035 | $930 |
| Large (living room, open main area) | $1,270 | $1,145 |
A big open rec room is usually large; a basement bedroom or office is medium or small. Each lived-in room after the first: $665 / $905 / $1,140.
Low light: choosing colours
Basement windows are small, so the room lives under lamps most of the day. Lighter, warmer tones help. Approve colours from a physical sample or test patch, under the lights you'll actually use.
Walls-only prices include four stock whites. Adding the ceiling opens our full curated palette, and the $85-per-room premium paint upgrade opens any colour, including a custom match.
Ceilings
Basement ceilings take a beating: pot lights, old stains, patched drywall. A ceiling is $320 / $395 / $480 by room size. If there's an old, dry water stain, the ceiling stain treatment (deep clean plus stain-blocking primer) is $119 / $145 / $180. Popcorn ceilings aren't part of our standard service.
Moisture first, paint second
Mould and moisture-damaged surfaces aren't part of our standard service, and active water damage needs fixing before any painter should touch it. Show anything suspicious in your photos; a person reviews them before your price is confirmed.
Before the crew arrives
Clear small and fragile items. The crew moves larger furniture to the centre and covers it. Working electricity and heat are standard conditions. See how to prepare a room.
Once we've checked your photos, your price is locked. After you book, it never goes up unless you ask for more work or the crew finds hidden damage, and then you can say no and keep the original scope at the original price.
Get your basement price
Related: cost to paint a room, painting in winter, accent walls.
Questions from Ottawa homeowners
How much does it cost to paint a basement rec room?
A rec room is usually a large room: $1,270 lived-in, walls two coats one colour, before HST. A ceiling adds $480 in a large room.
Do you paint unfinished concrete basements?
Our standard service covers finished interior rooms. Describe the space and a person reviews it.
There's a water stain on the ceiling. Can you cover it?
The ceiling stain treatment (deep clean plus stain-blocking primer) is $119 / $145 / $180 by room size. Active water damage, mould or moisture-damaged surfaces aren't part of our standard service; fix the source first.
What colours work with small windows?
Lighter, warmer tones help. Adding the ceiling opens the full curated palette.
Do you paint popcorn ceilings?
No. Popcorn-ceiling work isn't part of our standard service.
Ready for a price on your Ottawa rooms?