✓ Verified Google reviews·✓ Reviewed regularly·✓ Updated June 2, 2026
Written by Mark Reid,
Home Services Editor ·Verified June 2, 2026
Memphis has a housing stock that keeps painters busy year-round. The city's mix of early 20th-century Craftsman bungalows in Cooper-Young, postwar brick ranches across Whitehaven, and newer construction out in Cordova means local painters deal with everything from original wood siding and plaster walls to modern drywall and vinyl trim. The heat and humidity here are no joke either. Summers regularly push past 95°F, and that moisture cycle causes paint to bubble, peel, and fade faster than in drier climates. A painter who knows Memphis knows to prime properly, pick the right exterior sheen for sun exposure, and time jobs around the weather.
The businesses on this page were drawn from third-party public business listings and ranked by their public review rating and review count, with a small lift given to businesses that show a working website and phone number. Before any business appears here, we check its homepage to confirm that painting and decorating is what it primarily offers, which is how unrelated trades get filtered out. Any listing flagged as permanently closed is removed automatically. Where you see a Trust Verified badge on a listing, that business has gone further and passed our full independent verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. You can see exactly what that process involves on our How We Verify page. Businesses without that badge have not been independently verified by us, so those checks are on you before you book.
Before you commit to any painter, get at least two or three written quotes and make sure each one breaks down labor and materials separately. Ask what prep work is included, because the prep is where most jobs succeed or fail. Skipping proper sanding, priming, and caulking is how you end up repainting in two years instead of seven. Ask whether the painter carries general liability insurance and, for any interior work involving lead paint in older Memphis homes, ask how they handle lead-safe practices in line with EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rules. Check that the quote specifies the paint brand and product line being used, not just 'premium paint'. Details like that in writing protect you if something goes wrong.
How We Select & Rate The Best Painters & Decorators in Memphis, TN
Rankings on this page are driven by public review rating and review count pulled from third-party business listings, with a small lift for businesses that have a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm that painting and decorating is what they primarily offer, keeping unrelated trades off the page. Permanently closed listings are removed automatically. Businesses marked Trust Verified have additionally passed our full verification process covering qualifications, insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. See our How We Verify page for the complete list. All other businesses on this page have not been independently verified by us, and inclusion here is not an endorsement. Always do your own checks before hiring.
Positions 1–5 (Recommended and Featured) may be paid placements. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Quick Comparison — Painters & Decorators in Memphis, TN
Interior and exterior painting for residential properties in Memphis, Caldwell Painting has built a 4.9-star rating across 118 Google reviews. The company operates out of the 38018 zip code, serving homeowners with color consultation and surface prep alongside finish work. That combination of planning and execution sets it apart from crews that show up only to roll and go.
Memphis Home Painters serves residential clients across Memphis with interior and exterior painting work. The company holds a 5-star rating across 59 Google reviews, reflecting consistent results for homeowners in the area. Jobs range from single-room refreshes to full exterior repaints, with color consultation available to help clients settle on finishes before work begins.
Memphis homeowners and commercial clients turn to The Spiff Co. for interior and exterior painting work across the city. With a 5-star Google rating, the company has built a consistent reputation among local neighbors for clean, reliable results. The Spiff Co. operates out of Memphis and takes on residential repaint projects alongside larger commercial jobs.
Pros Painting Co is a painting contractor serving Memphis and the surrounding area. The company handles interior and exterior residential and commercial projects, covering everything from prep work to final coat. With a focus on clean finishes and straightforward scheduling, Pros Painting Co draws repeat business from homeowners and property managers across the 38134 corridor.
Residential and commercial painting services cover Memphis and the surrounding area, with Alvarez Bros Painting LLC handling interior and exterior work for homeowners and businesses alike. The company operates as a family-run outfit, bringing a straightforward approach to color consultation, surface prep, and finish application. Estimates are available through their website for prospective clients scoping out a project.
Transparency notice: Recommended (#1) and Featured (positions 2-5) listings may be paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears in those positions. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →
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How much does a painter and decorator cost in Memphis?
For interior painting, most Memphis painters charge somewhere between $2 and $4 per square foot for walls and ceilings, depending on condition, ceiling height, and how many colors are involved. A standard bedroom runs roughly $300 to $600 in labor. A full interior repaint of a 1,500 to 2,000 square foot home typically lands between $2,500 and $5,500 once you factor in labor and mid-grade paint. Exterior jobs vary more. A single-story ranch might run $1,800 to $3,500, while a two-story Craftsman with detailed trim and wood siding can push $6,000 or higher because of the extra prep and access time. Specialty work like wallpaper removal, skim coating old plaster, or faux finishes adds to the total. Getting two or three itemized quotes is the normal move, and it's the only way to know whether a low number reflects efficiency or cut corners.
How long does an interior paint job take in Memphis?
A single room done properly, with prep, priming, and two coats, usually takes one to two days. A full interior repaint of an average Memphis home runs three to five days for a two-person crew. Older homes with plaster walls, wood paneling, or water stains that need extra prep can add a day or two. Humidity slows dry times too, so painters working here in summer sometimes need to allow longer between coats than the can says. If a contractor promises a three-bedroom home in a single day, that's worth asking about specifically. It's not impossible with a large crew, but it can mean the prep stage is getting rushed.
What's the difference between interior and exterior paint, and does it matter?
It matters a lot. Exterior paint is formulated to handle UV exposure, moisture, and temperature swings. In Memphis that means dealing with intense summer sun on the south and west sides of a home and high humidity that can push moisture through walls from the inside out. Interior paint doesn't hold up to that. Using interior paint outside means you'll see fading, chalking, and peeling within a season or two. Exterior paint also typically has more mildewcides to handle the region's damp conditions. When you're reviewing a quote, make sure the product specified matches the surface it's going on. Ask for the exact product name so you can look up the specs yourself.
Do Memphis homes have lead paint issues, and how should that affect who I hire?
Yes, this is a real concern. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and Memphis has a significant share of older housing stock, particularly in Midtown, South Memphis, and parts of Frayser. If your home falls into that category, any painter doing scraping, sanding, or demolition work that disturbs painted surfaces should be certified under the EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) program. This is a federal requirement, not just a best practice. Before hiring, ask specifically whether the contractor holds RRP certification and how they handle containment and disposal. If they're unfamiliar with the requirement or dismissive about it, that's a problem. You can verify RRP certification through the EPA's online database.
Should I supply my own paint or let the painter supply it?
Either approach can work, but there are trade-offs. If you supply paint, you control the brand and color, and you avoid any markup. The downside is that you're responsible if the quantity is wrong or the product isn't right for the surface. Most painters are happy to work with paint you supply, but confirm that upfront because some won't warranty their labor if the product choice is yours. If the painter supplies it, expect a markup of 15 to 30 percent over retail as part of how they make their margin. Ask which brand and line they plan to use. In Memphis's climate, a quality exterior product like Sherwin-Williams Duration or Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior holds up noticeably better than builder-grade paint, and it's worth paying for.
How do I choose between painters in Memphis and know I'm hiring someone reliable?
Start by asking each painter for proof of general liability insurance and confirm the policy is current, not just that they 'have insurance'. Ask for references from jobs completed in the last year and actually call them. When you speak to past clients, ask specifically about prep work, cleanup, and whether the job matched what was quoted. Check their public reviews across multiple platforms and look at how they respond to negative feedback. If a business is listed with a Trust Verified badge on this page, those checks have already been done independently, covering qualifications, insurance, trading history, and more. For anyone without that badge, the legwork is yours. Get everything in writing before work starts: scope, product specs, number of coats, prep steps, payment schedule, and what happens if extra work is discovered mid-job. A clear contract protects both of you.
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