The average cost to paint the exterior of a house is $3,178, but can range between $1,819 and $4,551, depending on home size and siding type.
The average cost to paint the exterior of a house is $3,178. Many factors affect the average cost to paint a house exterior, from the type of paint you choose to how many stories your home has. Read on to learn what’s considered in the final price and how to maximize your budget.
| Paintable Area (Sq. Ft.) | Average Cost to Paint Exterior |
|---|---|
| 1,000 | $1,500–$4,000 |
| 1,500 | $2,250–$6,000 |
| 2,000 | $3,000–$8,000 |
| 2,500 | $3,750–$10,000 |
| 3,000 | $4,500–$12,000 |
It costs from $1,819 to $4,551 to paint the exterior of a house, averaging $1.50 to $4 per square foot. The bigger the home, the more money it will cost to paint the exterior. Homes with more stories and hard-to-reach areas, like dormers, will also increase costs by around 50% per story.
| Number of Stories | Estimated Paintable Area (Square Feet) | Average Cost to Paint |
|---|---|---|
| Single Story | 1,000–1,500 | $1,500–$3,500 |
| Two Stories | 1,500–2,500 | $3,000–$6,200 |
| Three Stories | 2,500–3,000 | $4,500–$10,000+ |
Painting a two-story house can cost up to 50% more than painting a one-story house. This is mainly because the additional stories are harder to reach, so setting up scaffolding and ladders will tack on extra labor costs.
Here’s what those increases could look like:
Add 30% above 8 feet.
Add 60% above 13 feet.
Add 90% above 17 feet.
Add 120% above 19 feet.
Painting your home often requires getting on a ladder, which can be dangerous. Have a friend hold you steady or entrust the job to a painting professional to ensure your safety.
Paint adheres to some materials, like concrete and vinyl, pretty well, calling for a quicker and easier job, while others (ahem, brick) are more difficult.
| Siding Type | Average Painting Cost per Square Foot | Total Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | $1–$3 | $700–$3,000 |
| Concrete | $1–$3.50 | $500–$3,000 |
| Vinyl | $1.25–$3 | $600–$3,500 |
| Metal | $1.50–$2.50 | $400–$3,500 |
| Stucco | $1.50–$4 | $1,400–$6,000 |
| Brick | $1.50–$4.50 | $3,500–$10,000 |
The cost to paint the exterior of a house with wood siding is between $700 and $3,000 on average, or about $1 to $3 per square foot. Wood siding will require sealant and occasional maintenance (about every three to seven years) to address stains or peeling paint.
Vinyl siding costs between $600 and $3,500, or $1.25 to $3 per square foot, to paint. Vinyl is an inexpensive material to paint, but the finishing you choose may increase the total cost.
Exterior painting costs for brick houses are relatively high. Expect to pay between $3,500 and $10,000, or about $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot to paint it. Brick is porous, so a gallon of paint won’t go as far on a brick house as on a vinyl one. Painting brick siding requires a primer beforehand to combat this issue.
Metal or painting aluminum siding costs between $400 and $3,500. If your metal siding looks a bit drab, a fresh coat of protective paint could revamp it while adding a pop of color to your home. But sometimes, a good cleaning will do the trick (and it will cost less).
Painting stucco costs anywhere from $1,400 to $6,000, which is nearly the same as installing new stucco siding. So if your siding is damaged, consider installing new stucco instead of painting over the water damage and cracks.
Expect to spend between $500 and $3,000 or $1 to $3.50 per square foot to paint concrete siding. Like brick, concrete is porous and fairly rough, meaning it needs a coat of primer before painting to help the paint adhere.
The final cost to paint the exterior of a house depends on the paint type, location, prep work that needs to be done, and more.
The best exterior paints for houses are oil, latex, and acrylic latex. Oil paints cost $20 to $60 per gallon while latex and acrylic latex paint cost $20 to $50 per gallon. Exterior paints come in a variety of finishes: Flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. Glossier paint is more expensive and more durable.
Hiring a professional painting team costs about $1 to $3.50 per square foot or about $25 to $100 per hour for each painter. That price includes both adding primer and painting the home’s exterior.
Paint stripping costs $0.50 to $2 per square foot, and is necessary to remove old paint in poor condition, such as paint that is cracking, flaking, or bubbling. These issues can prevent the new coats of paint from going on smoothly.
You’ll also need to prime the home before painting, and primer costs $15 to $80 per gallon, not including labor. Most pros will include primer in the project’s total cost.
Costs are different everywhere, so check with painters in your area for specifics. Here are some examples of exterior painting costs for an average 1,500-square-foot house by region:
| Region | Cost |
|---|---|
| Far West | $4,500 |
| Rocky Mountains | $2,900 |
| Southwest | $2,400 |
| Plains | $2,300 |
| Great Lakes | $3,000 |
| Southeast | $3,315 |
| Mideast | $4,300 |
| New England | $4,800 |
You’ll spend around $200 to $300 for permits to paint the exterior of your home. If you live in an area with a housing association, you’ll need to check with the HOA and secure any permits through it as well before painting.
A fresh paint job on a dirty or damaged surface looks sub-par at best, plus the paint might not adhere properly. Here are a few extra preparatory projects that could tack on extra costs:
Cost to caulk home perimeter: $200–$500
Recaulking windows: $50–$70 per window
Power washing costs: $240–$400
Mold remediation costs: $1,100–$3,400
Termite damage repair costs: $250–$3,000+
Typically, you want to do your exterior projects when there’s not too much pollen and when the weather is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
You may want to paint more than just your home’s siding. Maybe you need a fresh coat of paint on your trim, or your porch needs some TLC. Here are the costs of common exterior house painting add-ons:
| Add-On | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Trim | $2 per linear foot |
| Garage | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Porch | $1,200 |
| Window sashes | $150 |
| Gutters | $500 |
| Soffit and fascia | $2.50–$6 per linear foot |
| Exterior doors | $150–$500 each |
| Deck | $975 |
Depending on your home’s siding type and the paint you choose, you may need more frequent touch-ups or regular power washing to keep the outside of your house looking fresh.
Keeping your siding in good condition can help prolong the life of your paint job, but it will require a little extra time and money. Check for mold, rot, pests, or other damage at least once per year. You may also want to buy a pressure washer, about $100 to $1,000, to clean your home’s exterior when it looks dirty.
Siding repairs cost anywhere from $2 to $50 per square foot, with most projects costing about $600. If you’re about to paint your house, you’ll need to perform repairs first to ensure an even paint application.
The cost to paint a house yourself will be between $500 and $1,000 in total.
You’ll spend between $200 and $400 getting basic supplies, not including paint, at your local home improvement store. Paint can cost anywhere between $20 and $80 per gallon.
A high-quality power roller or sprayer can add anywhere from $100 to $2,000 to your total.
Hiring a professional home exterior painter near you will cost about $1 to $3.50 per square foot. If you’re opting for more high-quality paint, hiring a professional who can get it at a discount might be more cost-effective. It’s also a good idea to hire a professional painter if you live in a tall house that requires ladders and safety harnesses or lifts.
Work with a Pro: Professional painters get the best deals on paint, saving you money on the supplies and ensuring that your home gets a high-quality, even paint job done the first time.
Get Multiple Quotes: It’s wise to get at least three quotes from reputable companies to find the best deal.
DIY the Prep Work: If you’re not looking to DIY the whole project, you can still save money by doing things like cleaning the siding thoroughly and sanding away bubbling or flakey areas beforehand.
Maintain Your Siding: Keep the exterior of your home clean and in good condition to reduce the number (and cost) of repairs your pro has to do before painting.
Bundle Home Improvement Jobs: Instead of painting the exterior of your house now and the interior six months later, consider doing it all at once. You could get a big discount by doing the two jobs together.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed over 30,000 real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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Most exterior paints will last about five to 10 years, but how often you need to paint your home’s exterior can depend on the type of siding, your local climate, and the quality of the primer and paint. Painting over wood means the color will need refreshing more frequently, about every three to seven years, while painting on brick tends to last longer, about eight to 17 years.
Whether it’s better to roll or spray exterior house paint depends on your skill level, budget, and time constraints. Spraying produces even coverage quickly and efficiently, but mastering the technique can be challenging, and you might have to do a lot of splatter cleanup. Plus, renting or buying a sprayer costs more than budget-friendly rollers. Professional painters typically opt for spraying as it takes them less time and effort to get a flawless finish than rolling.
It takes three to four days on average for a team of two to three painters to paint an average-sized (three-to-four-bedroom) house. Larger homes, such as three-story homes and five-bedroom homes, can take two to three painters around five to six days to paint. Your contractor can provide the most accurate estimated timeline for the project.
