The honest cost calculator

How much does exterior house painting cost in 2026?

Short answer: $3,200 to $14,000 depending on home size, height, and prep. To get your number — not a national average — we just need 4 photos.

NATIONAL AVERAGES BY HOME SIZE
Small (1,200 sq ft)
$1.8K – $4.2K
Medium (2,000 sq ft)
$3.2K – $7.4K
Large (3,000 sq ft)
$5.8K – $11.4K
Two-story (3,800 sq ft)
$7.8K – $14.0K
Estimate my Cost
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YOUR REPORT · #PT-4081148 Linden Ave
FAIR PRICE RANGE
$5,800$7,400
SIDING
1,840sq ft
TRIM
312lin ft
PREP SCORE
3.2of 5
Where the number comes from: local labor rate ($55/hr), SuperPaint at $58/gal × 14 gal, plus 15 hrs of prep for caulking + power wash.
§ COST DRIVERS

The 5 things that move your paint quote up or down.

Home size
+0%+220%

Square footage of siding drives the base.

Stories
+0%+45%

Two-story homes need scaffolding or boom.

Prep work
+0%+60%

Peeling, rot, caulking gaps add hours.

Surface type
−10%+30%

Stucco, brick, cedar each price differently.

Region
−25%+45%

Bay Area labor ≠ Tulsa labor.

DIY
$880 – $1,400

Paint, primer, rollers, ladder rental, drop cloths. ~45 weekend hours.

HIRE A PRO
$5,800 – $7,400

2 painters, 4–6 days. Warrantied work, paid-for prep, hauls everything away.

What 12,400 homeowners say after their scan.

★★★★★
4.9 · TRUSTPILOT
★★★★★

Walked into the quote already knowing the fair price. Saved $1,800 vs. the first bid we got.

Maya C.
OAKLAND, CA
1923 CRAFTSMAN
★★★★★

I'm doing it myself now. The prep checklist alone was worth it — I would've skipped the caulking.

Derrick B.
RALEIGH, NC
1996 COLONIAL
★★★★★

The matched painters were already in our budget. No phone calls, no high pressure.

Ana & Jeff R.
PHOENIX, AZ
2003 STUCCO

Don't pay 'national average' money. Pay your number.

Snap 4 photos. We'll tell you what your specific house should cost — and email you the report.

Estimate my Cost
FREE · REPORT IN 60 SECONDS