I use BM exclusively and mostly their Aura paint. However, our BM dealer sold us Pittsburgh ceiling paint and said that would work very well and we'd save a bundle. If you buy the 5 gallon size, you save in any brand.
I painted one ceiling a color, so stuck to the Aura for that, but the Pittsburgh ceiling paint worked much better than any non-BM paint we have done over the years for the ceilings in our first house. Our first house was painted in all Regal, but we went cheaper for the ceilings because our budget was stretched very thin when we moved in. I had some leftover and after comparing it to the Pittsburgh, ended up giving it away.

I'm a paint snob. I don't have to use the most expensive brand (also a BM fan) but I won't use the cheapest paint. Ever. Not even on a ceiling.

Paint is the cheapest part of a bid for professional painting, IME. In the overall picture, is the price difference that significant?

Doesn't Consumer Reports have it listed as a Best Value. I've used Glidden as an exterior paint which my painter recommended as a better value than SW. It went on with one coat coverage and has held up well. I recently used Glidden on an accent wall and the paint covered much better than SW Duration for about 1/2 the cost...again one coat - Duration required two coats. I'm not a huge fan of some of the other big box store paints, but I do like Glidden.

DH has used every kind of paint there is, but couldn't say enough good things about using Aura in DD2's home.

BM paint snob here. WE used Aura throughout the house. In the cost of remodeling; I felt the cost difference between "higher end" paint and cheap paint was negligible in the scheme of things.

I've used Glidden Paint from a local hardware store for both exterior and interior use, and found it excellent. Our house paint covered well and held up great with little fading. I had it color matched to BM Hawthorne Yellow.

The interior paint has also covered well and help up great. I painted one room with SW paint and did not feel it covered any better that the Glidden. The worst ceiling paint I ever used was a BM ceiling paint and it splattered so badly I would never consider it again.

I don't like Glidden enamel paint, and much prefer SW, which I've used quite a bit.

Here's my take. I just introduced DH to BM paints during the reno based on GW. We painted every room in our house, all the ceilings, house full of new doors (all new exterior and interior), and house full of new trim. I say "we", but it was a combo of DH and pro painters. DH used cheap HD ceiling paint (couldn't tell you which brand...was just ceiling paint) and used BM Regal on the walls. He was very impressed with BM, and thats all we'll use from here on out. Painters used BM satin impervo waterborne for the new kitchen cabs, doors, and trim. For us, cheap ceiling paint has always been fine and is fine this time. No one examines the surface very carefully anyway. And if your painter is comfortable with it, I'd say save some $ there. $50 vs $175?? No question for me as we're trying to make our $ cover a whole house full of work. I could do lots of things with the extra $125. (Like pay for a few inches of my marble counters LOL!)

Another point, if you want the ceilings to match the trim in the house, there will be a slight color difference between the drywalled ceiling and wood or MDF trim even if you use the same paint because each type of material accepts paint a little differently.

I found the cheap ceiling primer and paint (I think it was Glidden) to paint like using milk, where I could see the tape color through it until the second coat. With the Pittsburgh primer and paint, it was real coverage. Since the BM dealer swore it was good, I am glad we trusted him and saved some $$$. The Aura cost more for walls, but with using no primer and doing 1 less coat of labor, that made up for it despite our tight budget.

We are empty nesters and in the last year painted the upstairs bedrooms. Used SW if we could get it on sale, HD Behr in some rooms. SW superior to Behr. I also like BM and use it a lot. But IMO Pratt and Lambert beats them all by far and I wouldn't use anything else in high traffic areas. I painted my cabs with oil base PL 14 years ago and they have held up well, even though we are redoing kitchen top to bottom now. LR, DR, and FR still look fresh after 14 years, even ceiling painted same color as walls. I may repaint these rooms when I get new furniture, but they certainly don't need it!! Tried Lowes Valspar paint and it was the worst I ever used...I would stay away from low end brands, except for maybe a spare bedroom.

Suggestion....if your painter is insisting on Glidden and you want another brand, why don't you buy the paint and just pay painter for labor.

Thanks so much everyone, much appreciated diana, lisa, emil, luv, allison, remodel, mabel & breezy -- fellow BM snobs and non-BM snobs alike. :-)

Joanie, actually that's just what I did -- asked him for labor-only price and said we can pick apart the paint brand later. Then I got on GW and asked you guys!

Comments on this question over on the Paint Forum indicate that some cheap paint (especially if watered down) can cause dust in the house.

Here is a link that might be useful: Same subject on Paint Forum

Thanks Bigdoglover for the link to the paint forum. That is interesting.

Oops....sorry BDL.... Missed that you had asked for just labor cost in your original post. I guess the bottom line is how much you trust your painter....if you have used him before and like his work, maybe he knows what he's talking about with the Glidden. If not, I'd be very suspect of his push for Glidden,....using cheap paint means more $ in his pocket? Stick to your guns and got with BM,,,otherwise you'll always be looking at the ceiling and wondering.

Joanie, sorry, I guess I did not mention that I'd said labor only (anyway, was just explaining that to you.) I don't know this painter's work at all except that he is working with my cabinet finisher, so I asked him for a bid. He was up front about how much he pays for the Glidden, so I tend to think he's honest. I think the exact paint should always be agreed on before accepting a bid, for the reason you stated. I am going to go with BM for the ceiling and at least that level for the walls. Maybe I'll give P&L a whirl again.

You're welcome, enduring. I'm wondering if it makes sense to anyone else here.

Interesting info, thanks for sharing that thread, bdl. So I've got another reason to remain a paint snob. ;-) Seriously though, I have used cheap paint - this was years ago - and without exception, I was disappointed by its coverage and its wear.