The Best Exterior House Painting Cost Estimator

On average, painting a home exterior will cost you around $2,900. The price ranges between $1,800 to $4,000 or $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot. The total cost can go as high as $8,000 depending upon factors such as the material of the wall.

The exterior of your house can easily boost its curb appeal. And exterior painting is one of the quickest and easiest ways to give your home a facelift. A fresh coat of paint can give your abode the perfect makeover.

Once you make the commitment to paint the exterior of your home, you need to know how much to paint exterior of house and what kind of an investment you require for this home renovation.

A cost exterior paint estimate helps you organize your home improvement project and effectively manage milestones and costs. You can create a realistic budget - getting you quality work at a fair price. It's also the best way to ensure that you don't stumble across any unwelcome surprises during the execution of your project.

Also, a carefully planned remodeling project can greatly increase the value of your property in the home buyer's market.

Your total exterior painting cost may vary based on the prep work, the quality of materials you use, the complexity of the project, the total square footage, the condition of your exterior wall, how many stories of the house need painting, accessibility (harder-to-reach areas mean extra setup time, more work and bigger cleanup), your zip code, local labor costs and the finishing details.

Let's explore some of these cost factors in detail.

Exterior painting cost breakdown

Painting the exterior of your house with the colors of your choice can give it a completely new look. Your total exterior paint cost will depend on a lot of parameters. Here's a cost breakdown to help you with your home improvement.

Size of the house

More square footage means a higher painting cost. Even the number of stories your house has can make a huge difference.

Labor cost to paint a house exterior

Keep in mind that the majority of your painting budget will go toward labor costs. On average, a painter will charge $30 to $100 per hour or $1 and $2 per square foot. If you have an 1,800 square foot house, you will need to hire at least two painters.

The prep and painting will take a minimum of 36 hours of work (sometimes even six days). The prep work could include repair of minor cracks or holes in the trim and siding, priming, or a power wash of the complete exterior.

In addition, scaffolding or a boom lift may need to be rented. A boom lift rental is generally $830 to $1,400 for one week.

Removal and disposal of damaged shutters or trim should also be factored in. In addition to the hourly charges, you will have to pay a premium for sending anything to a landfill.

Paint supplies and other material costs

Most painting contractors will already have the essential paint supplies. However, the choice of paint quality will always lie with you. A low-quality paint is generally $22 per gallon while a high-quality one will cost around $80 per gallon. It's always a good idea to aim for quality over quantity.

A 1,500 square foot home will require approximately 15 gallons of paint.

Other materials include paint brushes ($5 to $90), paint rollers ($15 to $30), sprayer and power rollers ($100 to $2,000), paint buckets ($2 to $5), drop cloths ($10 to $30) - to name a few.

Cost to paint exterior trim

Painting exterior trim costs approximately $1 per linear foot. A 2,000 square foot home will typically have 700 linear feet of trim.

Cost to paint exterior door

Painting an exterior door will cost you anything between $90 and $200. Count the total number of doors that need painting and get a cost estimate.

Average cost to paint siding

Painting the exterior siding of your house starts from $1 to $5 per square foot.

The kind of siding material you have plays a huge role in the type of paint required and the total painting time. Here is an estimate for a 1,500 to 2,000 square foot house.

Cost of painting extra exterior features

Before you enter into a contract with a professional painter, it's important to ask whether additional features such as gutters and shutters are included in the total painting cost. If they are being charged separately, you need to be aware of those prices.

Other cost factors

There are other factors that affect your total cost estimate. These include:

• Paint quality: A low-quality paint will need replacing every four to five years. A high-quality paint, on the other hand, can last more than eight years depending on the type and brand.
• Primer quality: The quality of primer you choose should be high. It will give your paint excellent traction and help your home resist peeling or mildew growth. Quality primers range from $9 to $19 per quarter of a gallon.
• Choice of paint color: Changing the wall color tends to cost more. If you're going from a darker to lighter shade - or vice versa - you'll need at least two coats of the new paint.
• Your zip code: If you live in an area that has a high cost of living, such as New York, San Francisco or Denver, you can expect to pay more.

Kukun's house painting cost estimator is a useful tool to help you instantly calculate the cost to paint the exterior of your house. The calculations are based on your zip code and other relevant parameters affecting the total exterior painting cost.

Simply enter your specifications and the estimator will give you a realistic estimate for your home improvement cost in minutes.

Getting an estimate through Kukun's painting cost estimator is easy. Just follow the steps below to get your confidential address-based estimate in minutes!

• 1. Select the current condition of your wall paint - whether it's peeling or not
• 2. Add your property details

Enter the full address to get the ROI/recoup value of your house and to get the total cost estimate.

(We do not share this information, but it helps us give you a better estimate because labor and material costs vary widely by geography).

• 3. Enter the home size in terms of square footage
• 4. Mention your approximate home value

And there you go! An estimate for your exterior painting cost is ready!

With this free estimate, you can analyze your finance options or hire a professional to get started on the work right away.

We are happy to offer you options for professional remodeling contractors who have worked in your neighborhood and who have been vetted by your neighbors. You can explore each contractor"s profile, check out their online reviews, view all their previous permits, and then ask around your vicinity before hiring them.

It's very important that you plan your exterior painting well in advance. Here are some tips to make the process easy and quick:

• Set a realistic home remodeling budget. Always include leeway for some surprise costs. Experts advise adding 20% extra to your existing budget.
• Plan your house painting for when it's least likely to rain, there's low humidity, and the temperature is above 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make sure that you work with quality paint tools, paint colors and equipment.
• Check your local building code for any permit requirements. Usually, a paint job will not require a permit.
• Work with expert exterior painting contractors. A professional finish goes a long way in adding to the beauty and value of your home.
• A professional painter will help you evaluate the coverage area and how many gallons of paint the project will need.
• Ensure that a coat of primer and two coats of paint are applied.
• Monitor the entire process.
• Be sure to get a warranty or guarantee from your contractor.
• Get a written contract from your contractor. The document should detail the complete schedule, deadlines for milestones and payment details.
• Maintain a timeline in order to manage a seamless exterior paint job.
• Maintain your siding and keep your home's exterior clean so that there's less repair work down the line.

You need to plan ahead and not leave anything pending - once your painting project starts, you don't want to get into unexpected hassles and issues.

How much paint do I require for my paint project?

Keep in mind that one gallon of paint covers about 400 square feet per coat of paint. Your contractor can measure the total paintable area of your home to calculate the amount of paint you'll need.

Which type of exterior paint is best - latex, acrylic, or oil-based paint?

It's a good idea to use oil paints for high-traffic areas such as porch floors. Other surfaces can be painted using less expensive latex or acrylic paint. These only require water to clean, and most of them are low-VOC. Make sure to work with your contractor while choosing paints based on your requirements and local weather conditions.

What is the cost for a painting permit, if required?

Generally, standard exterior painting jobs do not require a permit. However, if you're replacing siding or doing a major repair work, you may need a permit. A permit may cost about $200 to $300.

How much does lead paint removal cost?

Houses built before 1978 may still have lead paint on their exterior siding. You'll need specialists to remove the paint and keep everyone safe. Lead paint removal costs approximately $8 to $17 per square foot.

How long does it take professionals to paint the exteriors of a home?

House painting for an average-sized home, such as a one or two-story house with less than four bedrooms, usually takes about four to five days. Larger houses will require at least six to seven days.