Painting a house exterior costs a national average of $3,178, with most homeowners paying $1,819 to $4,551, per Angi.1 Budget $1.50 to $5 per square foot of paintable surface, or $3,000 to $10,000 for a typical 2,000 sq ft house.2 Fixr’s full-repaint average runs higher at $6,242 to $11,617.3 Prices below are national averages* for 2026.
*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on paintable area (not floor area), stories, siding type, prep work, and local labor rates.
$3,178
national average, Angi
$1.50 – $5
per sq ft, HomeGuide
+50%
per additional story, Angi
4 – 5 days
typical project length, HomeGuide
Quick math: pros price by paintable wall area, not floor space. A 2,000 sq ft house has roughly 1,700 sq ft of paintable exterior2 — at $1.50 to $5 per square foot, that is $2,550 to $8,500, right inside HomeGuide’s published $2,600 to $8,500 range for that size.2
Cost by home size
HomeGuide prices by paintable area, which runs smaller than floor area once windows and doors come out.2 Angi’s size table runs on a similar $1.50 to $4 per-square-foot basis.1
| Home size | Paintable area | Average total (HomeGuide) | Angi range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | 800 sq ft | $1,200 – $4,000 | $1,500 – $4,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | $1,800 – $6,000 | $2,250 – $6,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 1,700 sq ft | $2,600 – $8,500 | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | 2,100 sq ft | $3,200 – $10,500 | $3,750 – $10,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 2,500 sq ft | $3,800 – $12,500 | $4,500 – $12,000 |
Fixr’s numbers land well above both: $2.84 to $5.28 per square foot of exterior wall, or $6,242 to $11,617 for a 2,200 sq ft home.3 That is roughly double Angi’s most-common range of $1,819 to $4,551.1 The gap comes from scope and method — Fixr prices a full prime-and-repaint of measured wall area with labor and materials, while Angi averages every reported project including smaller partial jobs. For budgeting, treat HomeGuide and Angi as the typical band and Fixr as the full-job, nothing-skipped ceiling.
Cost by stories
| Stories | Paintable area | Average cost (Angi) |
|---|---|---|
| Single story | 1,000 – 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,500 |
| Two stories | 1,500 – 2,500 sq ft | $3,000 – $6,200 |
| Three stories | 2,500 – 3,000 sq ft | $4,500 – $10,000+ |
Height is expensive because of ladders and scaffolding, not paint: Angi adds about 50% per story, broken down as +30% for work above 8 feet, +60% above 13 feet, +90% above 17 feet and +120% above 19 feet.1
Cost by siding type
| Siding | Per sq ft (HomeGuide) | Total range (Angi) |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | $1.50 – $5.00 | $700 – $3,000 |
| Vinyl | $1.50 – $4.50 | $600 – $3,500 |
| Aluminum / metal | $2.00 – $4.50 | $400 – $3,500 |
| Stucco | $2.00 – $5.00 | $1,400 – $6,000 |
| Brick | $2.50 – $5.00 | $3,500 – $10,000 |
Vinyl is the cheapest to paint (but check your warranty first — some are voided by painting2). Brick and stucco sit at the top because they are porous: they drink primer and paint, and brick often needs a full prime coat first.1 On stucco, HomeGuide notes fog coating at $2 to $8 per square foot as a longer-lasting alternative to paint.2
Prep and extras
| Extra | Average cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Paint stripping | $0.50 – $2 per sq ft | Angi1 |
| Power washing | $240 – $400 | Angi1 |
| Primer | $15 – $80 per gallon | Angi1 |
| Caulking (whole perimeter) | $200 – $500 | Angi1 |
| Lead paint removal (pre-1978 homes) | $6 – $17 per sq ft | HomeGuide2 |
| Permits | $200 – $300 | Angi1 |
Labor runs $25 to $75 per hour per painter (HomeGuide) or up to $100 on Angi’s top end.12 Paint itself is $20 to $80 per gallon depending on quality, with premium lines above $100; one gallon covers 350 to 400 square feet.2
Worked examples
Example 1 — 1,500 sq ft single-story ranch. HomeGuide’s table gives $1,800 to $6,000 for 1,200 sq ft of paintable area; Angi’s row for the same size is $2,250 to $6,000.12 The overlap, roughly $2,250 to $6,000, is the well-supported band. Fixr prices the same wall area at $4,256 to $7,921 — flagged above as its consistently higher full-repaint basis.3
Example 2 — adding a second story. Take Angi’s $3,178 national average as a single-story baseline: +50% for the second story gives $3,178 × 1.5 = about $4,767, which sits inside Angi’s published two-story range of $3,000 to $6,200.1 Our multiplication, their range.
Example 3 — DIY paint budget for a 2,000 sq ft house. HomeGuide estimates 5 to 10 gallons for two coats on that size (1,700 paintable sq ft at 250 to 400 sq ft per gallon checks out to about 4 to 7 gallons per coat).2 At $20 to $80 per gallon, materials alone run $100 to $800 — the rest of a pro quote is labor, prep and access equipment. Illustrative numbers, not a quote.
FAQ
How often should a house exterior be repainted? Every 5 to 10 years on average: wood every 3 to 7, stucco 5 to 7, vinyl 2 to 10, brick anywhere from 3 to 20 depending on climate and paint quality.2
How long does the job take? About 4 to 5 days for most homes including prep; small homes can finish in 1 to 2.2
When is the best season? Early summer or early fall — warm, dry, stable weather. Avoid extreme heat, high humidity and freezing temperatures.2
How do I estimate my paintable area? Measure each wall’s width times height and add them up — a 20 ft by 15 ft wall is 300 sq ft — then multiply by the per-square-foot rates above.3
How do I cut the quote? Schedule in the off-season, do your own prep (cleaning, shrub trimming, patching), skip surfaces still in good shape, and get at least three itemized quotes.2
Sources
- Angi, How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Exterior of a House? (2026 data).
- HomeGuide, How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House Exterior? (2026).
- Fixr, Exterior Painting Cost (updated January 2025).
DIY shopping: exterior paint at Home Depot (plain link, no affiliate relationship). One gallon covers 250 to 400 sq ft.
Related guides
Interior Painting Cost
Pressure Washing Cost
Deck Staining Cost
Lead Paint Removal Cost
All cost guides
Garage Door Repair Cost
Window Replacement Cost
Siding Repair Cost