Painting a house exterior costs $3,178 on average, or $1.50 to $4 per square foot of paintable area, according to Angi's 2026 cost guide. Most jobs land between $600 and $7,700. Size, siding, stories, and prep move the price most. Before you hire a painter, House AI Exterior Design can show new colors on a photo of your house in about 15 seconds.
Painters price by paintable area, which is the wall surface they cover, not the floor area of the home. A tall two-story house with a lot of trim can cost more than a larger ranch.
Cost by house size and siding type
Angi's figures run $1,500 to $4,000 for 1,000 square feet of paintable area, $3,000 to $8,000 for 2,000 square feet, and $4,500 to $12,000 for 3,000 square feet. By stories, a single-story home runs $1,500 to $3,500 and a two-story home $3,000 to $6,200.
Siding changes the rate. Wood and concrete start at $1 a square foot, while stucco tops out at $4 and brick at $4.50.
| Siding type | Cost per sq. ft. | Total cost range |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | $1 to $3 | $700 to $3,000 |
| Concrete | $1 to $3.50 | $500 to $3,000 |
| Vinyl | $1.25 to $3 | $600 to $3,500 |
| Metal | $1.50 to $2.50 | $400 to $3,500 |
| Stucco | $1.50 to $4 | $1,400 to $6,000 |
| Brick | $1.50 to $4.50 | $3,500 to $10,000 |
What moves the price
Labor comes first. Angi puts a professional crew at $1 to $3.50 per square foot, or $25 to $100 an hour per painter. Height adds cost too: Angi says a two-story home can cost up to 50% more than a one-story home. Prep adds more: power washing runs $240 to $400, caulking the perimeter $200 to $500, and paint stripping $0.50 to $2 per square foot. Trim runs about $2 per linear foot and each exterior door $150 to $500. Doing it yourself costs $500 to $1,000 in paint and supplies, according to Angi, though Angi still recommends a pro for ladder work.
How to see new colors before you hire a painter
Step 1: Photograph the front of the house
Stand across the street in daylight so the whole front, the roofline, and the door are in the frame.
Step 2: Try a few schemes in House AI
Open Exterior Design, upload the photo, and describe the body, trim, and door colors you want in your own words. Each design takes about 15 seconds on average, and every user gets 3 free designs a day with no credit card.
Step 3: Test real samples before you sign
Screen color is not paint color, and the AI does not measure your walls or price the job. Paint large samples on two sides of the house, then get written quotes from two or three painters.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost to paint a house exterior?
$3,178, according to Angi, with most projects between $600 and $7,700.
How much does it cost to paint a 2,000 square foot house exterior?
Angi puts 2,000 square feet of paintable area at $3,000 to $8,000. Paintable area is the wall surface, so measure the siding, not the floor plan.
Which siding is cheapest to paint?
Wood and concrete have the lowest starting rate in Angi's guide, $1 per square foot. Brick costs the most, up to $4.50 per square foot.
How often should you paint a house exterior?
Angi says most homes need it every 6 to 10 years, and suggests checking the paint every two years for cracks, bubbling, or fading.
Keep reading
- Exterior House Paint Colors for 2026, Tested on Real Homes
- Can AI Design My House Exterior From a Photo?
- AI Exterior Design
- How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room?
- House AI Pricing
Sources: Angi, "How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Exterior of a House? [2026 Data]," updated July 20, 2026, checked October 17, 2026. House AI figures come from the House AI app.