How Much Does Painting a House Cost?
Last Updated: January 21, 2022
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If you've owned your home for more than five years, chances are you've considered repainting it. In areas with harsh weather, a home may need to be repainted every 4-5 years. Even in places with mild weather, at some point, your exterior paint will begin to fade and peel and it will be time to seek the services of a professional painter
An estimate for a 3500 square foot home is $4500-$7500. The price will depend on the contractor and the quality of paint and other supplies used. For a rough estimate of how much house painting will cost you visit CertaPro Painters Exterior House Painting Estimator..
Paint will cost from $20-$50 per gallon. There are considerable differences between bargain and top-quality paint, and it's not advised to skimp on the cost of paint just to save a few bucks. A good estimate for paint is one gallon will cover 400 square feet of wall. For an idea of how much your home will need, check out MyHomeIdeas.com Exterior Paint Calculator .
Labor will be the biggest expense of painting a house (up to 85%). You will be billed approximately $20-$50/hour depending on the quality of the contractor.
An exterior house painting job will include the cost of materials and labor. Materials will include all paint and/or primer and prep work will consist of cleaning off mold and mildew, scraping, sanding, applying primer and a finish coat of paint.
Acrylic and water-based paints are the best bet for an exterior job because they are easiest to apply and stand up well against moisture. Oil paints are more difficult to work with and require special solvents for clean-up. However, depending on what type of wood your home is made of, oil may provide the best protection. Speak to a contractor for more details.
Shopping For Exterior House Painting? #
- It is advised to get three or four estimates. Beware of contractors whose estimates are considerably lower than the others. This may because they use inferior products and inexperienced laborers.
- Talk to a neighbor or friend who has recently had their house painted and get some contractor recommendations from them.
- When getting an estimate for house painting, make sure it includes labor and materials separately, a description of all prep work, how much paint will be needed and how long the job will take.