In their quest to breathe new life into their homes, homeowners have learned that there is one solution that has an enormous impact: a new coat of paint. A freshly painted exterior can indeed offer a rejuvenating transformation, infusing your home with renewed vibrancy and charm all year round. Welcoming visitors with such a bold statement can make your home feel new again, as well as enhance your curb appeal.
But how much does it typically cost to have your house’s exterior professionally painted? It may sound like a daunting project to completely overhaul your home’s look. That’s why we’re here. Today, we’re offering a comprehensive guide to help you estimate the cost of hiring a professional painter for your house’s exterior in the Portland, OR area.
Want to jump straight to examples of actual exterior painting costs? View the projects and their costs.
10 Factors Our Portland Painters Consider when Determining the Cost of Painting Your House’s Exterior
1. What’s included – and what’s excluded?
When quoting the cost of painting your home’s exterior, it’s crucial to clarify what’s included and excluded in the quote. This typically covers areas like gutters, downspouts, fascia boards, soffits, wood shingles, siding, foundation, corner boards, door frames, doors, garage doors, decks, railings, columns, brick, and stone. What is excluded might include major structural repairs or additional services beyond painting.
Understanding these inclusions and exclusions helps set the scope of work and avoid surprises later on. Our process is derived from a proven formula, ensuring our quotes are consistent across every home and project we complete.
2. Level of Surface Prep Needed
The extent of surface preparation required can vary significantly. Some painters will only do the bare minimum, while others (like us) go the extra mile. We consider the end result, and the prep work is a huge part of this.
Surface prep includes tasks like repairing dry rot, addressing flashing issues around windows and doors, dealing with mildew, and using special chemicals to scrub and kill organic growth.
3. Pressure Washing vs. Hand Washing
The decision to pressure wash or hand wash depends on the surfaces’ delicacy and potential for damage. Delicate surfaces or leaking windows and doors may require hand washing to prevent further issues. Protecting delicate plants and landscaping from chemicals used during cleaning is also a consideration.
4. Caulking Needs
Determining the amount and type of caulking needed is crucial. Factors include the extent of existing caulking that needs removal before re-caulking, the type of caulking used (cheap vs. high-quality), and the labor-intensive nature of the caulking process.
5. Peeling Paint, Sanding, and Scraping
Assessing the amount of peeling paint, sanding, and scraping required is essential. This impacts the time and effort needed for surface preparation before painting can begin.
6. Masking Requirements
The amount of masking required depends on the complexity of the surfaces and areas that need protection. This can include delicate landscaping, windows, and doors, as well as areas that shouldn’t be painted.
The windows themselves are a significant consideration. If you have vinyl windows that we are not painting, then we would mask the entire window. If you have wooden windows that we are painting, then we have more to consider when it comes to the masking process. Are we opening up the window, accessing the inside of your home to get to all parts of each window, masking off parts of the window, or painting the detailed components?
7. Primer and Specialty Primers
If a major color change is planned, or if there are specific issues like cracked or checked siding, the use of primer or specialty primers like Peel Bond may be necessary. This ensures a smooth and long-lasting finish.
8. Coating and Adhesion Issues
Assessing if there are coatings not adhering due to underlying adhesion issues is important. This may require stripping before repainting to ensure a durable and consistent finish.
9. Size, Layout, and Terrain
The size, layout, and terrain of your home significantly affect the cost of exterior painting. Larger, more complex homes with features like eaves, dormers, and gables require more time and materials due to their size and intricacy. Homes on sloping terrain have more surface area to paint than those on flat ground, slowing down the process.
The height of your home also matters; if ladders aren’t sufficient, scaffolding or a boom lift may be needed, adding to costs. Steep roofs and delicate landscaping add complexity, requiring additional time and care.
10. Application Methods, Number of Coats, and Paint Grade
We utilize a variety of application methods, often using all of them in a single project. These include straight spray, spray and back roll, spray and back brush, and hand painting with no spraying. Our decision on what to use depends upon the type of siding and surfaces. Different siding materials, such as Hardiplank clapboard, rough-cut vs combed cedar, raked shingles, and stucco, all require specific application methods. Each one varies in speed and efficiency.
The other factors that influence the speed of application (and the final cost) are the number of coats, number of colors used, and the grade of paint selected. As you can imagine, a house with five colors and high-grade paint will have a very different cost than a house with only two colors and mid-grade paint.
Interested in the Other Costs for Painting Your Home?
Maybe painting your home’s exterior is just the start. After you’ve taken advantage of the warm weather and beautified the outside of your home, consider bringing us back for painting the interior of your home this fall or winter. We specialize in cabinet painting and have an in-depth cost guide to painting kitchen cabinets if you’d like to plan ahead this year.
Here’s Our Pricing for Exterior Painting in 2024
When it comes to exterior painting, we carefully assess all the factors we’ve described when determining the cost of each project. Every home presents a distinct set of variables, including its size, current condition, and the materials required for a successful painting job.
Transparency is paramount in our approach. Here’s an actual exterior painting quote to illustrate the level of detail we provide. Note the comprehensive scope of work video shown below (and linked in the quote), which is a standard feature of our project estimates:
Past Exterior Painting Projects and their Costs
Looking for some inspiration? Need some real numbers to put on real homes we’ve painted? Since we’re committed to full transparency, here are some exterior house painting projects we’ve actually completed along with the cost to deliver these results in 2024:
