Exterior painting cost calculator
Get an instant exterior painting estimate. Enter your home’s footprint, choose the storeys, the surface and the prep, and see the price at 2026 rates. Free, no sign-up.
Your estimate
$8,973 to $12,139
Before tax
Built from 2026 material and labour rates. Your contractor confirms the final quote after seeing the site.
How much does it cost to paint a house exterior?
Exterior painting is priced from the wall area, which comes from the footprint and the number of storeys, plus the prep. There’s no flat rate per house. Prices for a typical 2-storey home with a 1,600 ft² footprint, by amount of prep:
- Minor prep (clean, light touch-up)
- $7,900–$10,700
- Standard prep (washing, scraping, caulking)
- $9,000–$12,150
- Heavy prep (rot repair, tear-off)
- $11,700–$15,800
Prep makes the biggest difference on the same house. Heavy prep costs about 30% more than standard prep. Extra storeys add cost mostly through access, meaning scaffolding or a lift, on top of the extra wall area.
The condition of the siding and how hard the walls are to reach set most of the labour. Your painter confirms the final quote after seeing the house.
Related guides
- How to compare contractor bidsThree bids for the same job can come in thousands of dollars apart, usually because each contractor priced a slightly different job. Get everyone quoting the same written scope first, and the numbers become worth comparing.
- When do you need a building permit?Painting and new flooring almost never need a permit. Work on the structure, wiring, plumbing or outer shell of the house usually does, and skipping the permit tends to cost you when you sell.