Cost to Paint a House Exterior (2026 Guide)

What drives the cost of painting the outside of a house, typical price ranges, and how to measure the exterior to estimate paint and labor.

Exterior painting protects your siding and trim from the weather, and it's one of the biggest curb-appeal upgrades. It's also more involved than interior work: ladders or lifts, pressure washing, scraping, and paint built for the outdoors.

Here's what drives the price and how to estimate your own house.

Typical costs (US, 2026)

• Per square foot of paintable surface: roughly $1.50–$4.50, including labor and materials.
• A typical single-story home: roughly $3,000–$7,000.
• A two-story home: roughly $5,000–$12,000 or more.

Treat these as ballpark figures. Siding type, height, access, repairs and local labor rates all change the number.

What affects the price

• Height and access: second stories, steep slopes and lifts add time.
• Siding material: wood needs more prep than vinyl. Stucco and brick soak up more paint.
• Prep: pressure washing, scraping peeling paint, caulking and spot priming.
• Trim, shutters and doors: detailed work is slower than siding.

Estimate the paint you need

Measure the perimeter of the house and multiply by the wall height. Add the triangular gable areas (width × height ÷ 2) and subtract large doors and windows. Exterior paint typically covers 250–350 sq ft per gallon, so use the lower number for rough siding. See how much paint for a house exterior for a worked example.