Cost to Paint House Exterior: 2026 Prices + Smart Ways to Save

Quick answer

Cost to paint house exterior: Hiring pros to paint the outside of a typical US home costs about $3,500 to $12,000 in 2026, or roughly $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot of living space. Painting only the trim often runs $500 to $1,500. A DIY job usually costs $500 to $1,500 in paint and supplies.

Fresh exterior paint protects siding and trim from weather and gives a house instant curb appeal. Prices depend on the size of the home, the siding, and especially how much prep the surface needs. Here is what to expect.

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Interior Painting Cost Siding Cost Window Cost

Exterior painting cost by home size

Home	Typical professional cost
1,000 – 1,500 sq ft, one story	$3,500 – $7,000
1,500 – 2,000 sq ft	$4,500 – $9,000
2,000 – 2,500 sq ft, two stories	$6,000 – $12,000
3,000+ sq ft	$9,000 – $15,000+

National planning ranges for body, trim and doors with two coats. Heavy prep and repairs cost extra.

Painters measure the area of the walls, not the floor plan, but living space is a quick way to estimate. A two-story home has more wall area and needs taller ladders or lifts, so it costs more than a one-story home with the same square footage.

Cost to paint house exterior – Painter working on a house exterior — Prep takes most of the time

Painter on a ladder at a window — Prep takes most of the time

Cost by siding type

Siding	Paint notes	Relative cost
Vinyl	Use vinyl-safe colors no darker than the original	Lower
Wood	Needs scraping, sanding and primer	Higher
Fiber cement	Holds paint very well	Medium
Stucco	Needs a breathable masonry paint; uses more paint	Medium to higher
Brick	Needs masonry primer; hard to undo	Medium

Where the money goes

Labor: usually 70% to 85% of the total.
Prep: pressure washing, scraping, caulking and wood repair.
Paint: a 2,000 sq ft home often needs 10 to 20 gallons for two coats.
Equipment: ladders, lifts and drop cloths, often included.

Good exterior paint can last 7 to 10 years, but only if the prep is done right. Ask every painter exactly how they will prepare your siding.

Example: a 2,000 sq ft two-story home with wood siding

Wash, scrape, spot-prime, caulk: about $1,000 to $2,500 of the total.
Two coats on siding, trim and doors: about $5,000 to $8,500 more.
Estimated total: about $6,000 to $11,000.

Blue and white house with red shutters — A contrasting shutter or door color adds personality for little extra cost.

DIY or hire a pro?

DIY can save thousands on a small one-story house with good siding, but it is hard, slow work on ladders. Hire a pro for two-story homes, homes built before 1978 (which may have lead paint), and siding that needs heavy prep.

Grey house with a wooden door and stairs

Best Time to Paint

Choose dry weather with temperatures between about 50°F and 85°F.
Avoid painting in direct, hot sun.
Leave time for a day of drying after pressure washing.
Late spring and early fall are ideal in most areas.
Book painters early; summer fills up fast.

Choosing colors

Look at your roof, brick or stone first; they will not change.
Pick one body color, one trim color and one accent for the door.
Test large samples on two sides of the house and look at them morning and evening.
Check HOA rules before you choose.

Purple front door on a white house — A bold front door is the cheapest way to make a statement.

Questions to ask a painter

How will you prepare the surface: washing, scraping, sanding, priming and caulking?
What brand and line of paint, and how many coats?
Are trim, doors, shutters and gutters included?
How will you protect plants, windows and the driveway?
Are you insured, do you follow lead-safe practices on older homes, and what is your warranty?

How to make exterior paint last

Wash the siding every year or two with a garden hose and soft brush.
Touch up chips and cracked caulk before water gets behind the paint.
Keep sprinklers from hitting the siding.
Trim shrubs and trees so they do not rub against the walls.
Clean gutters so water does not overflow down the siding.

These small habits can add years to a paint job and push the next big repaint further away.

How much does exterior painting cost?

Exterior painting costs most US homeowners about $3,500 to $12,000 for a professional job in 2026, or roughly $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot of living space. A small one-story home with vinyl or fiber cement siding sits near the low end, while a large two-story home with wood siding that needs scraping and repairs can top $15,000. Painting just the trim usually costs $500 to $1,500.

The biggest swing factor is prep. Two houses of the same size can be thousands of dollars apart if one needs only a wash and the other needs scraping, sanding, wood repair and spot priming.

Labor cost to paint the exterior of a house

Labor is usually 70% to 85% of an exterior paint job, so the labor cost to paint the exterior of a typical house is about $2,800 to $10,000. Most painting companies price by the job rather than by the hour, but their quotes are built on crew time, which often works out to roughly $30 to $70 per painter per hour depending on your area. Paint and supplies make up the rest, usually about $700 to $2,000 for a whole house. Planning more outdoor work? Our cost to build a deck guide compares wood and composite. A new garage door also changes curb appeal fast; see our garage door replacement cost guide.

Home	Total cost	Labor (approx.)	Paint and supplies (approx.)
1,000 – 1,500 sq ft, one story	$3,500 – $7,000	$2,800 – $5,900	$700 – $1,100
1,500 – 2,000 sq ft	$4,500 – $9,000	$3,600 – $7,600	$900 – $1,400
2,000 – 2,500 sq ft, two stories	$6,000 – $12,000	$4,800 – $10,200	$1,200 – $1,800
3,000+ sq ft	$9,000 – $15,000+	$7,300 – $12,800+	$1,700 – $2,200+

Planning ranges for two coats on siding, trim and doors with typical prep. Labor and materials split based on labor at about 70% to 85% of the total.

Labor goes up when crews need lifts or scaffolding for second and third stories, when the siding needs heavy scraping, or when there is a lot of detailed trim. Homes built before 1978 may need lead-safe work practices, which add time and containment costs.

Exterior house painting cost: common add-ons

Add-on	Typical cost
Pressure washing (whole house)	About $200 – $600
Trim only (fascia, soffit, window trim)	About $500 – $1,500
Front door	About $100 – $300
Shutters	About $30 – $80 each
Minor wood or siding repair	About $200 – $1,000+
Garage door	About $150 – $400

Planning ranges when added to a full exterior paint job. Standalone visits often cost more because of setup.

What drives the price up or down

Home size and wall area. More wall area means more paint and more labor hours.
Number of stories. Two- and three-story homes need taller ladders or lifts and move slower.
Siding type. Wood needs the most prep; stucco soaks up more paint; vinyl and fiber cement are usually easier.
Surface condition. Peeling, chalking or rotted areas add scraping, sanding, priming and repair time.
Trim and detail. Lots of windows, shutters and decorative trim mean more careful brushwork.
Paint quality. Premium exterior paint costs more per gallon but can last years longer.
Color change. Going from dark to light, or light to dark, may need an extra coat.
Location and season. Labor costs more in high-cost metros and during the busy summer months.

How to save on exterior painting

Get three detailed quotes that spell out prep steps, paint brand and line, and number of coats.
Book in early spring or fall. Painters often have more openings outside peak summer.
Do some prep yourself. Trimming shrubs, moving furniture and cleaning gutters can shave off crew time.
Keep the same color family. It can save a coat compared with a dramatic color change.
Buy good paint, not the most expensive. A quality mid- to upper-tier exterior paint is usually the best value.
Paint trim and doors only if the siding still looks good. It refreshes the house for a fraction of the cost.

If your siding is failing rather than just faded, paint may not be the best fix. Compare the numbers in our siding replacement cost guide. And if gutters are overflowing onto the walls, see our gutter replacement cost guide before you repaint. If the shingles look worn while the ladders are up, our roof replacement estimate guide shows what a new roof costs.

Cost to paint house exterior: key takeaways

Cost to paint house exterior depends most on the size of the job, the materials you pick and local labor rates.
Get at least three written quotes, because cost to paint house exterior can vary a lot between contractors for the same scope.
Ask exactly what is included. Removal, permits and cleanup can change your cost to paint house exterior more than the base price.
Add a 10 to 15 percent buffer to your cost to paint house exterior estimate for surprises found once work starts.

Helpful resources: For more on cost to paint house exterior, see the ENERGY STAR and FTC tips on hiring a contractor.

Cost to paint house exterior: frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to paint the outside of a house?

Most homes cost about $3,500 to $12,000 to paint professionally, depending on size, siding and prep.

How often should a house exterior be painted?

Every 7 to 10 years for most siding, sooner in harsh sun or coastal areas, and longer for fiber cement with a quality paint.

How long does exterior painting take?

A crew can usually paint an average home in three to seven days, depending on weather and prep.

Can you paint vinyl siding?

Yes, with a paint made for vinyl. Avoid colors much darker than the original, since dark colors can make vinyl warp in the sun.

What is the labor cost to paint the exterior of a house?

Labor usually makes up 70% to 85% of the price, or about $2,800 to $10,000 for a typical home. Paint and supplies often add about $700 to $2,000.

How much does exterior house painting cost per square foot?

Exterior house painting usually costs about $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot of living space for a professional job, including prep, two coats and trim.

Sources: Inch Calculator, Resident. Prices are national planning ranges, not quotes. See how we research costs.