Exterior painting guide

Exterior house painting: cost factors and planning

Published by Clear House · Updated October 13, 2026

Short answer

Exterior painting is priced by the size and height of the house, the surface material, and how much scraping, repair and priming is needed. Prep often takes longer than painting.

Decide which surfaces you want painted, such as siding, trim, doors and shutters, and choose colors before asking for quotes. Clear House lets you plan the project and request a quote from one local painter where one covers your ZIP code.

Key points

Two-story homes and steep lots need ladders or lifts and cost more.
Peeling paint and rotted trim add prep and repair time.
Older homes may have lead-based paint, which requires lead-safe work practices.

Is there a Clear House pro for exterior painting near you?

Enter your ZIP code to check live. Anyone in the U.S. can plan a project and see a ballpark, even where no pro is available yet.

Or start planning now

What affects the cost of exterior painting

Wall area, number of stories and access.
Surface: wood, fiber cement, stucco, brick or vinyl.
Scraping, power washing, caulking and wood repair.
Number of colors, trim detail and shutters.
Paint product and number of coats.

How to plan it

Walk around the house and note peeling, cracked or soft areas.
Pick colors and check HOA rules if you have an HOA.
Plan for dry weather; most exterior paints have temperature limits.
If your home was built before 1978, ask about lead-safe practices.

Questions to ask a contractor

What prep is included: washing, scraping, priming, caulking, wood repair?
Which paint product and how many coats?
How do you protect plants, windows and walkways?
Are you certified for lead-safe work if my home was built before 1978?
What is the payment schedule?

How Clear House helps with exterior painting

Clear House is a planning app and marketplace. It does not do the work itself. You choose the project, answer a few short questions and add a photo if you have one. Clear House then shows a planning ballpark so you have a starting budget before anyone visits your home.

Photo previews are not offered for this kind of project yet, so the planning steps focus on scope and budget.

When you are ready, Clear House checks whether a reviewed independent pro covers your ZIP code and this trade. If one does, you send your project to that one pro, who can review it and send a quote in the app. You are not obligated to accept a quote, and your request is not sent to a crowd of contractors. If no pro covers your area yet, you can join the waitlist and Clear House emails you when one is available.

Common questions

When is the best time to paint a house exterior?

When temperatures and humidity are within the paint maker's limits and rain is not expected. Your painter will schedule around the forecast.

Should I paint or replace siding?

If the siding is sound, painting usually costs less. If it is warped, rotted or failing, replacement may make more sense. Compare both.

Ready to plan?

Free to plan. See a ballpark before anyone visits. Your project goes to one pro at a time, only where a pro covers your area.

Start a project

Sources

U.S. Federal Trade Commission — How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam — Advice on licenses, insurance, written estimates, contracts and down payments.

Clear House is a marketplace, not a contractor. Costs on this page are published averages or planning ranges, not quotes, and your price will differ. Always confirm licensing, insurance and permits with the pro you hire.