Exterior house paint seals out rainwater, snow, ice, and harmful sun rays, in addition to giving your home a brand-new look. The cost to paint a house exterior ranges from $3,130 to $8,740, with an average of about $5,935.
The cost varies depending on the size of the project, siding type, number of stories, project type, and your home’s location.
- Average Cost
- Cost by Size
- Other Factors That Affect Cost
- Related Services
- Pro Cost vs. DIY Cost
- Cost by Location
- How to Reduce Cost
- FAQ
Average Exterior House Painting Cost in 2023
| National Average Cost | $5,935 |
| Typical Price Range | $3,130 – $8,740 |
| Extreme Low Cost | $1,240 |
| Extreme High Cost | $12,600 |
The national average cost of professionally painting the exterior of a house ranges from $3,130 to $8,740, which averages to $5,935. This includes the cost of permits, paint supplies, prep work, and local labor rates. The final price depends on the size of your home, the prep and repair work needed, and the type of siding you have.
At the least, exterior house painting costs just $1,240 for a single-story, 800-square-foot home. The cost can go as high as $12,600 for a 3,000-square-foot house with multiple exterior surfaces to paint.
Cost by Size
The most significant factor influencing the cost of your painting project is the size of your house. On average, it costs about $1.55 to $4.20 per square foot to paint the exterior of a house. Larger homes with more exterior surface area, hard-to-reach places, and multiple stories can increase the cost by about 50% per story.
Here are the average price ranges for different home sizes:
| Paintable Area in Square Foot | Average Cost |
| 800 | $1,240 – $3,360 |
| 1,000 | $1,550 – $4,200 |
| 1,500 | $2,325 – $6,300 |
| 2,000 | $3,100 – $8,400 |
| 2,500 | $3,875 – $10,500 |
| 3,000 | $4,650 – $12,600 |
Other Factors That Affect Cost
Besides the square footage of your home, other cost-influencing factors of your exterior house painting project include:
Number of Stories
The more stories your home has, the more the square footage of the paintable area. Each additional story will increase your project’s cost by 25% to 50%. This is because every next story is harder to reach and setting up ladders and scaffolding increases labor and material costs.
Note: Scaffolding permits may add $100 to $300 to your project.
Here’s what the numbers look like:
| Number of Stories | Average Cost (Labor + Material) |
| Single Story | $1,500 – $3,500 |
| Two Stories | $3,170 – $6,130 |
| Three Stories | $4,500 – $10,700 |
Siding Type
For a more accurate estimate of the cost to paint your home’s exterior, look into the type of siding you have. Each exterior siding material requires a different amount of prep work, the number of coats, different paint types, and the number of painting supplies because paint adheres differently on each.
For instance, vinyl siding and wood siding are cheaper because they’re easier to paint and may come pre-primed. A few types of metal siding and brick may also be easy to paint, but they’re generally more expensive because they need multiple coats or finishing. So the price varies accordingly; let’s take a look.
| Type of Siding | Average Cost per Square Foot |
| Wood | $1.35 – $3.60 |
| Vinyl | $1.40 – $3.40 |
| Brick | $1.90 – $4.70 |
| Metal | $1.50 – $3.55 |
| Concrete | $1 – $3.20 |
| Stucco | $2 – $4.50 |
Additional Exterior Surfaces
The exterior of your home is more than just walls. Refreshing other exterior features of your home, such as shutters, trim, doors, etc., can enhance the curb appeal. Consider all the additional exterior features that should be painted so they don’t stand out if left as is, including window sashes, trims, gutters, etc.
Certain professional house painters charge for these features by square or linear footage, while others offer a per-project deal.
Here are the average costs to paint specific parts of your home:
| Painting Project | Average Cost |
| Soffit and Fascia | $2.50 – $6 per linear foot |
| Trim | $1 – $5 per linear foot |
| Gutters | $500 |
| Window Sashes | $150 |
| Porch | $2 – $4.50 per square foot or $1,200 |
| Exterior Doors | $125 – $410 |
| Deck | $2 – $4.50 per square foot or $975 |
| Garage | $960 – $2,950 |
Prep Work
Preparations needed to bring your home’s exterior to paintable condition also affect the cost. Paint prep work includes sanding, scraping, power washing, stripping, caulking, siding replacement, and more.
This is where you can save money simply by tackling some of the prep work on your own. You can remove old paint, wash the exterior of your home, or sand cracked, flaky, or bubbling paint. We understand that this is laborious and time-consuming, especially if you’re dealing with multiple stories or hard-to-reach areas.
Professional painting companies may charge you about $0.50 to $2 per square foot for the preparations. Don’t worry though, this cost is often included in your square footage painting cost quote.
Also Consider: Check with your painting contractor if they include the cost of priming in the project’s total cost. Priming is often a necessary preparatory step, and primer costs somewhere between $15 and $80 per gallon.
Permits
Getting a permit is not always necessary to paint a home’s exterior, but it’s always better to check with your local office or speak to your contractor about it.
In some cases, especially when you have to replace any of your siding, you’ll need to pay and obtain a permit to paint your home. If you reside in an area with a housing association, check with the HOA and ensure you have all the permits before you start.
Permits generally cost between $200 and $300.
Accessibility
Painting a single-story home is easier because painters can reach it from ground level. For second or third stories, the painting access gets trickier. It requires ladders and electric-powered lifts or scaffolding, which adds to the cost.
Multiple stories and hard-to-reach features of your home increase cost also because they take more time to prep and paint and present more safety risks.
Paint Type and Finish
The best exterior paints for houses are latex, oil, and acrylic latex. Oil paints give a smooth finish but have a higher price tag, about $20 to $60 per gallon. Exterior acrylic latex paint and exterior latex paint typically cost between $20 and $50 per gallon.
Exterior paints also come in a variety of finishes: Eggshell, flat, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. The cost varies depending on the durability and popularity of a finish.
| Paint Type | Average Cost Per Gallon |
| Flat | $20 |
| Satin | $23 |
| Semi-gloss | $29 |
| High-gloss | $55 |
Tip: Hiring a professional painter can be cost-effective for you because they usually get discounts on paints.
Labor Rates
Another major cost factor in a home painting project is labor. Local labor rates vary between painting companies, independent contractors, and locations. This is why we suggest getting at least three cost estimates to figure out a fair price for your project.
On average, homeowners pay about $1 to $3 per square foot or $30 to $95 per hour for each painter working on the site. Labor rates will hike if there’s more prep work, limited accessibility, cleaning, etc. involved.
Repairs
Your home’s exterior needs to be in its best condition to ensure you don’t seal in a problem that will sprout up later. Repairs ensure an even paint application. Siding repair costs anywhere from $2 to $50 per square foot for most projects.
Related Services
Here are some other services you may want to pair with exterior house painting:
Paint Stripping
If the previous paint is peeling, flaking, and damaged to a point where painting over it will be a waste, it’s best to strip it off. The new paint coats won’t go smoothly when painting over poor-condition surfaces. Paint stripping costs $0.50 to $2 per square foot.
Similarly, if lead paint is covering the exterior walls, it’ll become a hazard for the environment as it ages, so you need to get it removed as well. Get a lead paint test if you’re not sure.
Tree and Bush Trimming
Overlaying trees and big bushes become obstructions when painting, especially when painting a two-story home. The painter has to maneuver around the tree, which makes application a lot more difficult than it has to be and ups the labor costs.
It’s best to call a tree care pro to trim trees and bushes and tweak the landscaping a bit to make the job easier. Professional tree trimming typically costs between $315 and $700.
Exterior House Cleaning
Paint adheres better to a clean surface. For that, you can use a pressure washer with a cleaning solution or scrub down and hose (if you’re not dealing with peeling and flaking paint). The average pressure washer cost ranges from $75 to $9,550 depending on the power source. You can also rent one for $100 on average for a full day.
If your house has mold or mildew, you can either rinse the surface with a mixture of three parts water or a mildewcide or call a professional for mold remediation. Professional mold remediation costs between $1,373 and $3,325.
Note: Hand wash softwood shingles and siding with detergent and water to prevent damage.
Pro Cost vs. DIY Cost
DIYers might be tempted to paint the exterior of their homes themselves instead of hiring a painting pro. It will cost somewhere between $500 and $1,050 to paint the exterior of your home yourself.
You’ll spend around $200 to $400, excluding paint, for basic supplies, such as brushes, buckets, rollers, drop cloth, and more, from a local home improvement store. Expect paint prices to vary from $20 to $80 for a gallon of paint.
This project, however, is time-consuming. Expect to dedicate two or three weeks to this project if you’re confident in your DIY painting skills.
Here are the average costs for basic painting supplies you will need to DIY this project.
| Painting Supplies | Average Cost |
| Brushes | $34 |
| Bucket | $3.50 |
| Masking Tape | $4.50 per roll |
| Sandpaper | $24.50 |
| Caulk | $5 per tube |
| Paint Pen | $6 |
| Paint Scraper | $16 |
| Drop Cloth | $20 each |
| Paint Roller | $20 |
| Ladder | $200 |
| Paint Sprayer | $1,050 |
| Paint Tray | $4 |
On the other hand, hiring a professional only adds a few more hundreds but gives you a cleaner, more efficient paint job. Getting your house professionally painted costs $3,130 to $8,740 covering prep work, supplies, and more. These pros have all the tools and expertise to paint the exterior safely and quickly, so we recommend you save yourself from an uneven finish and hire a pro!
Cost by Location and Climate
Painting costs are different for different localities. Why? Because labor rates, demand, and cost of painting materials vary from region to region.
Cities with higher populations have a higher demand for painting projects, so you’ll find painting contractors and companies charging more for their services. Rural locations with lower population densities usually have more affordable labor rates because of low service demand.
Climate can also influence the cost of a painting project. Extreme cold or hot climates require more labor efforts or specialized equipment to meet the needs of the environment.
How to Reduce Exterior House Painting Cost
You can reduce the cost of your exterior painting project by taking just a few steps:
- Handle prep work on your own to minimize labor costs. It’s easy, simply clean or sand the sidings or power wash the exterior if needed.
- Do it off-season when the rates for primer, paint, and other painting supplies are far lower than the peak season. A majority of painting companies offer reduced prices for early spring or late fall projects.
- Get multiple quotes from well-researched companies or contractors (at least three). Different quotes will give you a general idea of your project’s cost and ensure that you get a fair price for the work.
- Regular maintenance of your home’s exterior will reduce the number of repairs, prep work, and paint coats needed to give it a new look.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many coats of paint does the house exterior need?
In most cases, a home’s exterior needs two coats of paint. The number of coats depends on the existing condition of the siding. If it’s neglected and rough or you’re making a drastic color change, you might need more than two coats.
What’s the best time to paint the house exterior?
Paint your house during the spring or fall to ensure it lasts long. The weather is dry and mild which makes it quicker for the new paint to dry and settle well.
How much does interior house painting cost?
Interior painting costs between $4,667 and $10,000 depending on the size of your home, the paint you choose, and the prep work involved.
How long does an exterior paint job last?
A properly painted house exterior should go five to ten years before it needs repainting. The lifespan of a paint job depends on the type of paint you use, the surface it’s applied to, and your local climate.
Final Thoughts and Hiring a Pro
A fresh coat of paint on your home’s exterior is the quickest way to boost your home value. Painting pros charge somewhere between $1.55 and $4.20 per square foot for exterior house painting. You can DIY this project to save some bucks too. Paint Gnome can connect you with local painting companies if you’d rather leave it to the pros.
Main Photo Credit: ozdigital / Canva Pro / License
