How To Calculate Paint Needs
For a rough estimate of your paint needs, divide the square footage of your homes paintable surface by the coverage of a gallon of paint. A gallon of paint covers 250 and 400 square feet, and a gallon of primer can cover 200 to 300 square feet. The exact coverage varies and is often listed on the can.
For example, a 1,500 square foot home will need five gallons of paint for a single coat with a 300 square foot coverage . There are also free paint calculators available online to assist with this calculation. Keep in mind that most homes will need two coats of paint.
Consider The Skill Level Youll Need
Painting your house exterior doesnt require special skills, but having some experience or knowledge of painting techniques is always helpful. Newer painters may benefit from watching tutorials online or reading how-to guides to familiarize themselves with the basics. Experienced painters may find that their existing knowledge saves them time and money.
How Do I Know If My Home Has Lead Paint
Many homes built before 1978 contain some kind of lead-based paint. Before doing any sanding or scraping that could cause the old paint to become airborne, its a good idea to have a professional inspection performed by a certified lead-based paint inspector. This step will give you an idea of the safety precautions needed when painting your home.
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Cost To Paint A Garage Exterior
The average cost to paint a detached 2-car garage is around $1,500 to $3,000. If your garage is attached to the house, it will be included in the total cost to paint the siding. Todays garage doors are often made of different materials than the rest of the home. They may have windows or some type of design. Detached garages, while unique, have separate costs.
Valspar Exterior Paint Cost

Valspar is a Lowes-exclusive paint and offers most exterior finishes ranging from $26 to $80 per gallon. All of their paints are easy to apply with a roller as it is much thinner. However, that means you may need to apply more than one coat to protect your home properly. Valspar paints resist mildew due to their high-quality fillers, but it does not resist dirt with the same level of success. Since Valspar paint is thin, it dries very quickly. This can be a good thing, but it also can cause streaks.
Type of Paint |
---|
$45 – $78 |
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Stucco Painting Average Pricing
The average cost range to paint exterior stucco is $6,428 to $10,253. Often, exterior stucco exists on a Tudor-style home which increases the cost to paint by 20% on average. This is because of the intricate trim detail that needs to be painted in addition to the stucco.
In order to properly paint stucco, youll want to hire a painter that is focused on prep work and has done stucco homes before. First, you must gently wash down the surface, making sure not to push water into any cracks. This moisture will compromise the stucco paint jobs integrity.
Then you will have to properly patch and caulk any cracks in the stucco. You should use a quality exterior acrylic latex paint to ensure the stucco is allowed to breathe. To learn more, check out our stucco painting guide. This useful guide outlines the best stucco paint to use and the prep required.
Is It Cheaper To Paint The House Exterior Myself
It may appear cheaper to paint the house exterior yourself, but you could lose time and money overall. It depends on your skill level and the paint job size. DIYers can save money on labor costs but may not access the same tools and resources as professional painters, so its essential to research and compare prices before deciding.
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Cost To Paint Exterior Of A 2
House Size | |
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2,500 3,000 Sq. Ft. | $3,100 $7,000+ |
A two-story home with square footage between 1,500 and 3,000 feet can cost on average $1,700 to $3,600.
If you want to paint a three-story home between 3,000 and 6,000 square feet youll be looking at an average cost of between $2,500 to $7,000 or even as much as $10,000.
Remember that the square footage of your home doesnt always equal the square footage of the paintable exterior. A 2,500 square foot home might, on average, have anywhere from 1,600 to 2,700 square feet of paintable exterior walls.
Exterior House Paint Cost by Siding Type
Stucco Paint | |
Brick Paint | $2,900 $7,000 |
If you want to calculate the amount of paintable exterior square footage on your home, try the following method.
First, measure the perimeter of your home and multiply it by the height. This will give you the total finished area.
Next, measure the area of the doors and windows. A standard door measures 21 square feet. A standard window measures 12 square feet.
Now, subtract the total area of the doors and windows from the total finished area you calculated earlier. The total finished area minus the doors and windows will give you the total paintable area.
The 3 Major Variables When Considering The Painting Cost For The Exterior Of Your Home Is:
Texture & Condition
- The texture and condition of the stucco or siding on your home. This can range from the simple “Smooth” or Scratch Coat that is flat with a sand finish, then the typical Rough texture, and then there is Synthetic Stucco finish which really drinks up the paint!
Height – Single Story & Two Story or higher
- The height of your home. This ranges from 8 to 12, and then 2nd stories 16-32′ homes in Northeast Florida.
Difficulty & Accessibility
- The third factor is accessibility. Level 1 would be complete accessibility, meaning minimal bushes, pipes, rails, AC units, or shutters. Level 2 has mild bushes. Level 3 has bushes, pipes, rails, AC units, and shutters. The rare Level 4 is complicated and accessible, and that could mean uneven ground or the need for a lift to get to the hard-to-reach areas.
These are approximate prices and each project has its own unique circumstances, material selections, expectations, and job scope. Please call for a free in-home estimate 615-6599!During our visit, we can better understand your needs and the areas being painted. Our exterior painting prices listed below are for 8-12 foot high walls. 2 story homes will range in cost depending on accessibility.
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Cost To Paint Exterior Of House: Price Per Gallon
Since youll be buying your paint by the gallon, its useful to know how much each gallon will cost. In order to calculate the cost to paint exterior of house, you need to know the brand of paint you will use. Here is the average price by brand per gallon.
All of these brands are reputable. Those that are more expensive are generally higher quality, but all are acceptable.
Glidden $20
ECOS $60
Benjamin Moore $80
But how much does a gallon of paint cover? About 400 sqft of space. On average, you need about 10 gallons of paint for a 1500 sq ft home. However, this depends on window size, how many stories, and more.
What Does It Cost To Paint Your House Exterior
Every house is a different size and provides a different challenge when it comes to exterior residential painting. That being said, one this is for certain You get what you pay for!
Perhaps, the better answer to what does it cost to paint a house exterior in Denver? is that you need to decide for yourself what value you place on your project. We deal with all types of people and projects and the fact is that not everyone needs or wants the more expensive bid. We have found it is best to take a consultative approach with our customers so we can make the best recommendations for their specific project and give the fairest pricing for what all it entails.
If you want the short answer to What does it cost to paint the exterior in Denver? or a typical house in Colorado, we can tell you that the range is typically between $3,000 $5,000.
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Cost To Paint Exterior Soffit And Fascia
Your fascia board is the trim that the gutters attach to, just below your roofline. It is painted like the rest of the trim on your home and has a painting cost per linear foot of between $1 and $3.
The soffit is found behind the fascia board on the underside of your roof deck. This is also considered part of your homes trim. It helps conceal your eaves and is usually perforated for ventilation. The cost to paint is between $5 and $6 per linear foot.
The Cost Of Paint Prep

When a painter says they will scrape any failing paint they are talking about physically going in with a metal scraper to remove paint from the surface area that is showing significant signs of wear. Typically, painters are looking to remove any paint where the seal has been visibly broken and the edges of the paint are lifting away from the substrate. Once paint has been scraped, youre left with raw edges and bare wood. Its very important that these areas are primed before being painted, otherwise the paint will not adhere to the substrate. With that in mind the more scraping required on your home will require more primer to be used, adding to the overall cost.
Depending on how frequently youve painted your home and what state its in there can be an additional charge for prep. If your home requires additional or significant prep you can typically expect to see anywhere from $500.00-$2,000.00 added on to your project. This will account for the additional time, labor, and materials that go into the prep prior to painting. Keep in mind, great prep leads to a longer lasting paint job so this may not be the place to save money on your project.
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Labor Cost To Paint House Exterior
While some people may believe that painting a home is easy, its actually a time-consuming job that is best done by a professional. A professional painter will tape off and protect specified areas, clean the exterior and prep it before painting, and will know the right type and amount of paint to use for the job. Theyll also know when to use and how many coats of paint may be necessary for a particular type of siding.
Most painters charge for their services per painter by the hour. The average rate is between $25 and $100 per hour and painter. If you have two painters working on your home, you can expect to pay between $50 and $200 per hour, while three painters would cost between $75 and $300 per hour. The more painters you have, the faster they can get the work done, reducing the total number of hours on the job. For priming and painting of the complete exterior of a 1,500 sq.ft. home, including the siding and the trim, the total number of hours needed is around 16 to 32 for a two-person team. This makes the labor portion of this job around $1,600 to $3,200 of the $2,500 to $6,000 total. If there is no need for priming, labor costs can be cut by half.
How Often Should You Paint Your House The Interesting Answer
Your home is one of the most important investments you will ever make, so it stands to reason that you want to protect it. Some protective measures include repairs, cleaning, and painting.
That said, all paintwork has a life span, after which it begins to look tired and weary. Thats why it is essential to take proper care of your home by regularly painting the exterior and interior. With these regular paint jobs, your home will maintain its value and look great for years.
Here we will look at some simple repainting frequency rules that you should observe to keep your paintwork looking fresh and new.
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How Can I Save Money On Painting
There are a few tips and tricks to saving money on painting the exterior of your house.
When youve chosen your colour buy a sample pot and try it out. Always try out the colour first, as when you see it on the surface of your home you might not like it.
It is better to pay around £5 for a sample pot than pay between £15 and £35 on paint that you dont like when the job is halfway through.
If you enjoy DIY, then you could do the job yourself. You do have to consider that you will be working at height.
Youll still need scaffolding, but youll save the cost of labour which will be between £500 and £1225 on the whole job if your painter has a day rate of £175.
Always get at least three or four quotes when you want a job done. Make sure each quote lists the same things, that way comparing quotes will be easier.
If you need to find a painter to give you quotes, use HouseholdQuotes. Simply fill in the online form which takes less than a minute and tell us briefly about your project.
Well then find you painters to give no-obligation quotes for your exterior house painting.
Comparing Quotes Could Save You Up To 40%:
Do The Prep Work Yourself
If theres a lot of prep work to do in order to get your walls in a good condition to paint, its going to take the painters longer to complete the job and your cost will likely go up.
So, if youre walls are not in great condition, consider doing some of the scraping, sanding and filling before you get the professionals in.
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Exterior Woodcare Paint Cost
Exterior woodcare paint tends to cost around £1 to £12 per litre and is normally used to paint fences, sheds, decking, soffits and fascias.
This type of paint is designed to replenish the look of your outdoor wood fixtures, while also protecting them from rotting and prolonging the lifespan.
One of the main problems with using exterior woodcare paint is that some products can trap moisture.
This can cause wood to expand and contract, which may cause damage and can also result in paint failure.
How Long Does It Take To Paint A House Exterior By Yourself
Painting the exterior of a house can be a time-consuming project. Depending on the size and complexity of your home, it could take anywhere from several days to multiple weeks for you to finish.
To speed up the process, have all the necessary paint and materials before starting the job. It also helps to familiarize yourself with painting techniques before starting the project.
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How Much Does Exterior Painting Cost
When calculating the cost of a project, most painters will use a formula based on the square footage of the body of the home and the linear footage of the trim. This will give them an idea of how much paint will be needed on the home. Once your painter has this base number then they will start to look at things that will add materials, labor, or time to the job and adjust pricing from there.
Cost Of Painting Supplies

Even if you pay someone to paint your exterior, you’ll still have to pay for paint. When it comes to buying paint for your exterior, it’s important to consider both quality and quantity. Quality exterior paint will increase the longevity and durability of your painted exterior, even if it costs more initially.
How do you know your exterior paint is a quality one? Look for paints that are 100% pigment latex and paints that are high in pigments and binders, also called volume solids. These paints are often branded as premium or super-premium at your local home improvement store.
Another thing to consider is the quantity of your paint. Each gallon of paint normally covers 300 to 400 square feet. You’ll probably need at least two coats of paint for your exterior, so double the number of gallons you think you’ll need.
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What Factors Into The Price Of An Exterior Paint Job
The largest factor that goes into determining the cost of the project is the amount of material that is going to be used on the home. This means the larger the home, the more it will cost. Naturally, when there is more product being used on a home there is also an increase in the labor and time it takes to apply those materials to the home. As mentioned above, most painters have a standardized method to calculate the size of the home on every estimate as the foundation to their cost.
What Type Of Warranty Does The Painting Company Offer
A New Leaf Painting Offers a 2, 5, 7, and 10 Year Material and Labor Warranty
At New Leaf Painting, we have the unheard-of 10-year material and labor warranty*. However, if you are not interested in the 10-year warranty*, We offer all our customers a 2-year warranty on ALL work performed in writing. This will save you a few hundred dollars.
Speaking of warranties, when companies tell you they offer a warranty, ask yourself :
- Is the warranty in writing?
- Is it a certificate signed by the company and the paint manufacturer?
- Is your specific address printed on the certificate?
- Is the certificate transferable to the next owner, should you move?
- Is it a NON-pro-rated warranty?
- For A New Leaf Painting, the answer to all 5 questions is a resounding, YES!
We suggest any time you receive an estimate and you are concerned with the price, just ask where the numbers come from. We believe in win-win situations. We are not interested in win-lose ! Lets see, how we can come to a win-win! Well always be happy to tell you!
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