House Painting Estimate Calculator: 2026 Exterior Cost by Home Size

Exterior house painting is one of the most-quoted, least-consistent jobs in home improvement. Two painters can bid the same house $2,000 apart because they measure paintable square footage differently, price prep differently, and use different-quality paint. The math below is how professional estimators actually build the number.

2026 House Painting Cost by Home Size

• 1,000 sq ft ranch: $2,200-$4,800
• 1,500 sq ft one-story: $3,000-$6,500
• 2,000 sq ft two-story: $4,500-$9,000
• 2,500 sq ft two-story: $5,500-$11,500
• 3,500+ sq ft two-story: $8,000-$16,500

The Formula

Paintable exterior area ≈ Home sq ft × Story factor × 0.85; Total = Paint + Prep + Trim + Labor × Regional index

Siding-Type Multipliers

1. Vinyl siding — 1.00× base labor. Fastest to spray and back-roll.
2. Fiber cement (Hardie) — 1.15×. Needs a specialty primer on raw board.
3. Wood clapboard — 1.25×. Prep is the killer — old paint scraping.
4. Stucco — 1.35×. Needs elastomeric or masonry-grade paint.
5. Brick / masonry — 1.45×. Only paint brick when there's no going back.

Exterior Paint Tier Guide (2026 US)

• Basic exterior latex: $38-$45/gal — 5-7 year life
• Mid-grade 100% acrylic: $55-$65/gal — 8-12 year life (best value)
• Premium (Sherwin Duration, BM Aura Exterior): $78-$95/gal — 12-15 year life
• Elastomeric (stucco/masonry): $95-$130/gal — bridges hairline cracks

What Drives 60% of Exterior Bid Variance

Prep. Wash, scrape, sand, prime — this is where reputable painters win 8-year jobs and where cut-rate painters get 2-year peeling. Budget $1.00-$1.50/sq ft of paintable area for prep on wood or aging paint. If a bid skips a prep line item, ask why.