How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House Exterior?

Painting a house exterior typically costs $3,000–$7,500 for a whole house at national-average prices in 2026, or roughly $1.50–$4 per square foot of painted wall surface. That range covers labor, materials, surface prep, primer, two finish coats, and cleanup for a typical single- or two-story home using a mid-range exterior paint.

This guide breaks down exterior painting costs by house size and siding material, explains what should be included in the price, what drives the price up or down, and the line items quotes most often leave out. If you are comparing painters, the Quote Checker shows what is missing from each bid before you sign.

Cost at a glance

Paintable wall area is usually close to the home's living area on a single story and roughly 1.2–1.4× the living area on a two-story, because walls stack. Ranges are national averages for professional work: surface prep, primer where needed, and two coats of mid-range exterior paint. For an estimate of how much paint your house needs based on wall area, coats, and openings, use the paint calculator.

Cost by siding material

Different sidings take different amounts of prep and paint. Here is what painters typically charge by surface:

Stucco and brick absorb more paint, so the material bill runs higher even when the per-foot labor looks similar. Painted brick cannot be unpainted, so think of it as a permanent choice. If the siding itself is failing (widespread rot, crumbling stucco), painting is money toward the wrong job: price replacement instead with the siding cost calculator.

What's included in the price

A whole-house exterior repaint should be a package, not just "two coats." Make sure each bid covers these line items:

• Power washing. The crew washes every surface to be painted so paint bonds. Usually bundled; if it is not, budget $250–$600 as an add-on.
• Scraping, sanding, and caulking. Loose paint is scraped, rough edges are sanded, and gaps at trim, windows, and corners are caulked. This prep is the step that decides whether the job lasts 5 years or 12.
• Masking and protection. Windows, doors, fixtures, and landscaping get masked or covered. Ask how they protect plants along the foundation.
• Spot or full primer. Bare wood, new caulk, and patched spots need primer. A full primer coat is needed for major color changes or weathered surfaces, and it usually adds one crew-day.
• Two finish coats. Exterior paint is specified as two coats over prep. A "one-coat" quote is a red flag: one coat rarely covers or lasts.
• Trim, doors, and shutters. Confirm whether the price includes fascia, soffits, window trim, and the front door, or body only. Trim is detailed, slow work and can be 20–30% of the total.
• Cleanup. Daily and final cleanup, plus leftover paint labeled for touch-ups.

Labor is usually 70–80% of the total on an exterior paint job. Materials run $500–$1,500 for an average house: premium exterior paint costs about $45–$80 per gallon, and a typical two-story home needs 15–25 gallons for body and trim.

What drives the cost up or down

Stories and access. Two-story homes cost noticeably more than single-story homes of the same footprint: ladder and scaffold work slows the crew and adds safety setup. Expect a two-story to run 25–50% more than a similar ranch.

Condition of the existing paint. A house with tight, chalk-free paint might need only a wash and light prep. A house with widespread peeling, alligatoring, or bare wood can add one to two full days of scraping and sanding, plus extra primer. In the worst cases, prep labor exceeds the painting labor.

Siding type and age. Weathered wood and stucco are prep-heavy; well-kept vinyl or aluminum is prep-light. Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint: if a contractor disturbs more than a small area, federal EPA lead-safe rules (the RRP rule) require a certified firm, plastic containment, and careful cleanup, which adds cost. A lead inspection before bidding avoids surprises.

Paint quality and color change. Contractor-grade paint keeps the bid low but typically needs repainting sooner. Premium lines (for example, Sherwin-Williams Duration or Benjamin Moore Aura) add a few hundred dollars in material and are the better buy if you plan to stay. Dramatic color changes — dark to white — usually need a tinted primer coat plus two full coats.

Trim, detail, and obstacles. Ornate trim, multiple colors, detached garages, sheds, fences in the contract, and heavy landscaping that slows ladder placement all push the price up. Get these priced in writing, not "we'll take care of it."

Region and season. Labor rates vary by metro; dense coastal markets run higher than the national average. Late spring through early fall is peak season, and prices are firmest then. Booking in early spring or fall can mean faster scheduling and sometimes a slightly lower price.

What quotes often leave out

• Rotted trim and siding repair. Painters find soft wood once scraping starts. Ask for a written per-piece or per-linear-foot price for trim replacement before work begins, so a surprise does not become an open-ended charge.
• Lead-safe prep on pre-1978 homes. If your house was built before 1978, confirm the contractor is EPA lead-safe certified and that containment and cleanup are in the bid.
• Detached structures. Garage, shed, and fence are usually separate line items or not included at all.
• Power washing as an add-on. Some bids list it separately at $250–$600.
• Extra coat for color change. "Two coats" may assume the same color. A major color shift needs a tinted primer; confirm it is included.
• Gutters and downspouts. Usually excluded unless specified.
• Storm windows and screens. Removing, painting around, and reinstalling them takes time; ask who does it.

Paste each bid into the Quote Checker to compare what is actually covered before you choose.

DIY vs hiring a pro

Doing it yourself costs about $500–$1,500 in materials (paint, primer, rollers, brushes, caulk, drop cloths, and possibly a rented sprayer) for an average house. That saves the labor, which is the bulk of a pro quote — but exterior painting is physically demanding, weather-sensitive, and slow. Most homeowners underestimate it by half: a careful DIY job on a two-story home is typically 2–4 full weekends.

Hire a pro when the house is two stories or taller (falls are the real risk), when prep involves widespread scraping or possible lead paint, or when you want a warranty on the work. Do the prep or the simple parts yourself only if you will genuinely finish them; a half-prepped surface under pro paint still peels. For interiors or rooms you can reach safely, see what interior painting costs for comparison.

Permits, HOA rules, and timeline

Most cities do not require a building permit for painting alone. The exceptions that matter: HOA communities often require written color approval before you paint (some only allow a palette of approved colors), and historic districts may restrict colors and finishes. Check both before buying paint.

For homes built before 1978, federal lead-safe rules apply to contractors, not to homeowners doing their own work — but follow the same containment and cleanup practices anyway if there is any chance of lead paint, and keep children and pets away from the work area.

A professional whole-house repaint takes 3–7 working days depending on size, stories, and prep, with weather windows between. Paint needs dry, mild conditions: most manufacturers specify 50–90°F and no rain within 24 hours of application. Plan the job for a dry stretch, and expect a good crew to pause rather than paint into bad weather — that is a sign of quality, not delay.

Cost numbers in this guide are planning ranges, not quotes: they cover installed work at national-average prices and include prep, materials, and cleanup. Your city's rates can move them 10–40% either way; see how we calculate costs.