What is the cost to paint a bathroom including prep and moisture-resistant paint in NB?

Painting a bathroom in New Brunswick typically costs $250-$500 for a professional to complete, including proper prep, a mould-resistant primer, and two coats of bathroom-grade paint.

Bathrooms are small but they are not simple. The combination of moisture, steam, soap residue, and poor ventilation in many older NB homes makes them one of the more demanding paint surfaces in the house. Before any paint goes on, walls need to be washed with TSP or a strong degreaser to remove soap scum and body oils, any mildew patches need to be treated with a diluted bleach solution and allowed to dry completely, and peeling areas need to be scraped and sanded. Skipping this prep is why bathroom paint peels -- not because of the paint itself.

For product selection, you want a moisture-resistant interior paint -- look for products marketed for bathrooms and kitchens. In NB stores, Benjamin Moore Aura Bath and Spa, Sherwin-Williams Emerald Interior in satin, and Dulux Diamond Kitchen and Bath are strong choices, typically running $60-$75 per gallon. A small bathroom uses well under a gallon for two coats (bathrooms rarely exceed 300-400 sq ft of wall and ceiling area), so your material cost is often just one gallon of paint plus half a litre of primer -- roughly $70-$100 in materials total. Labour accounts for the rest of the professional quote.

In NB's climate, bathroom ventilation is even more critical than in warmer provinces because homes are sealed up tight from November through April, trapping humidity indoors. Many older Moncton and Saint John homes have inadequate bathroom exhaust fans -- a 50 CFM fan doing the work of a room that needs 100+ CFM. Even the best moisture-resistant paint will eventually fail if the bathroom consistently reaches 90%+ humidity after every shower. If your bathroom paint is failing repeatedly, check whether your exhaust fan is adequate and running long enough (10 minutes after the shower ends is the general recommendation).

Sheen matters in a bathroom: use at least a satin finish on walls, and semi-gloss on trim, doors, and window casings. Flat and matte paints in bathrooms are a mistake -- they cannot be wiped clean, and moisture will cause the surface to break down within a year. Ceilings can use a flat bathroom ceiling paint (some products are specifically formulated to resist sagging in humid conditions), or a satin if your ceiling gets particularly steamy.

When to hire a pro: Bathroom repaints are manageable DIY projects for homeowners who are comfortable with prep work -- the spaces are small and there is no complex cutting in around large windows. That said, if there is existing mould on the walls rather than just surface mildew, stop and get a professional assessment before painting over it. Painting over active mould is not a fix -- it is a temporary cover-up that will return.

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