Exterior House Paint Cost Calculator
Exterior house paint cost runs $1.50-$5.00 per square foot of wall area depending on paint quality, number of stories, and labor level. This exterior house paint cost calculator converts home square footage into wall area, adds stories multipliers, picks the right exterior paint coverage for your surface (siding, stucco, brick, or trim-only), and applies 2025 contractor labor rates to give you a reliable pro quote comparison.
Cost to Paint Exterior of House by Home Size
Typical 2025 cost to paint exterior of house with pro standard labor, 2 coats standard paint, siding + trim:
| Home Size | 1 Story | 2 Story |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 sq ft | $3,000-4,500 | $3,800-5,500 |
| 1500 sq ft | $4,000-6,000 | $5,200-7,500 |
| 2000 sq ft | $5,500-8,000 | $7,000-10,000 |
| 3000 sq ft | $8,000-12,000 | $10,000-15,000 |
Cost to Paint Exterior of House 1000 Sq Ft
Cost to paint exterior of house 1000 sq ft runs $3,000-$4,500 pro standard or $400-$600 DIY (paint + supplies). A 1000 sq ft ranch has about 2,000 sq ft of siding area plus trim. DIY takes 2-3 weekends; pro standard takes 2-3 days.
Cost to Paint Exterior of House 3000 Sq Ft
Cost to paint exterior of house 3000 sq ft is $8,000-$12,000 pro standard (1 story) or $10,000-$15,000 (2 story). DIY materials cost $800-$1,200 with 3-6 weekends of work. Premium paint and full prep push pro quotes to $15,000-$20,000.
Labor Cost to Paint Exterior of House
Labor cost to paint exterior of house varies by prep level:
- Basic ($1.50/sq ft wall): power wash, minor caulk, 2 coats body only
- Standard ($3.00/sq ft): full scrape + caulk + prime, 2 coats body + trim
- Premium ($4.50/sq ft): heavy scrape, board replacement, 3 coats + trim + detail work
Labor cost to paint exterior of house per square foot averages $1.50-$4.50 per sq ft of wall area in 2025. For a 2000 sq ft 2 story home (about 5,600 sq ft of wall), pro labor ranges from $8,400 basic to $25,000 premium.
Cost to Paint Exterior Trim of House
Cost to paint exterior trim of house averages 15-25% of full exterior body cost. For a 2000 sq ft home, trim-only runs $1,500-$2,500 pro or $200-$350 DIY (2-3 gallons of semi-gloss exterior). Cost to paint exterior trim and soffit together adds about 5% over trim alone.
Cost to paint exterior trim on brick house runs higher ($1,800-$3,000) because trim repairs and caulking are harder on brick transitions. Cost to paint exterior window trim alone is $35-$75 per window for pro, $5-$10 per window DIY.
Cost to Paint Exterior of House Homewyse vs Real Quotes
Cost to paint exterior of house homewyse estimates run 15-25% below real contractor quotes because Homewyse assumes minimal prep. Real 2025 pro quotes include caulking, minor carpentry, masking, drop-cloths, and 2 coats of exterior-grade paint. This calculator matches real contractor quotes (HomeAdvisor, Angi, Fixr verified) within 10%.
Exterior Wall Area Rules of Thumb
Exterior wall area depends on home footprint and stories:
- 1 story ranch: wall area = home sq ft * 2.0
- 1.5 story / Cape: wall area = home sq ft * 2.4
- 2 story colonial: wall area = home sq ft * 2.8
- 3 story townhouse: wall area = home sq ft * 3.2
Example: 2000 sq ft 2 story home = 5,600 sq ft of wall area. This is the area pros use for square-footage quotes.
Exterior Paint Cost by Surface
| Surface | Coverage | Extra Prep | Labor Upcharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood/vinyl siding | 300 sq ft/gal | Clean + caulk | 0% |
| Fiber cement (Hardie) | 300 sq ft/gal | Minimal | 0% |
| Stucco | 250 sq ft/gal | Patch cracks | +15% |
| Brick | 250 sq ft/gal | Masonry primer | +20% |
Brick absorbs paint and needs a masonry primer before exterior body paint; this adds about 20% to total cost but not all the cost is reflected in a simple labor cost to paint exterior of house per square foot figure.