Painting the outside of a house costs $3,000 to $10,000 for an average 2,000 square foot home in 2026, by national published figures. In Ann Arbor the siding and the state of the old paint decide where a house falls. Old wood clapboard that has been through decades of Michigan winters needs far more prep than vinyl or newer fiber cement.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own walls or siding move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a house?
Nationally, it costs $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot to paint the exterior of a house, or $3,000 to $10,000 for an average 2,000 square foot home. Labor is listed at $25 to $75 per hour.
| House size | Paintable area assumed | National range |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | 800 sq ft | $1,200 to $4,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | $1,800 to $6,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 1,700 sq ft | $2,600 to $8,500 |
| 2,500 sq ft | 2,100 sq ft | $3,200 to $10,500 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 2,500 sq ft | $3,800 to $12,500 |
These numbers assume ordinary prep. A house with heavy peeling, rotted trim or lead paint is a different job.
How much to paint a two-story house outside?
A two-story house costs more per square foot than a one-story house, because of ladders, staging and slower work at height. HomeGuide's main exterior page gives no figure by story. Its vinyl siding page lists $1,500 to $7,900 for two stories and its brick page lists $2.50 to $3.50 per square foot for a two-story house.
Much of older Ann Arbor is two or two and a half stories on a narrow lot, often with a steep gable and a neighbor's driveway close by. Access is a real part of the price here, and we look at it during the estimate.
How much for a small single-story ranch?
A small ranch is the least costly house to paint. For a 1,000 square foot home the national range is $1,200 to $4,000, and for 1,500 square feet it is $1,800 to $6,000. The work is done from the ground or a short ladder.
Many ranches built here in the 1950s and 1960s have aluminum siding or a mix of brick and siding. Aluminum needs washing to remove the chalk before paint. See our page on siding, stucco and brick.
How much to paint just the trim, shutters and front door?
Exterior trim costs $1 to $4 per linear foot, or $1,000 to $2,500 for a house, by the national figures. Shutters are $50 to $100 per pair and a front door is $125 to $225.
As an example, six pairs of shutters at the published rate come to $300 to $600, and one front door adds $125 to $225. Eaves, fascia and soffits are listed at $2 to $6 per linear foot. A trim-only repaint is common on brick homes in Burns Park and Ann Arbor Hills, where the walls need no paint but the windows and wood trim do.
Does the exterior price include power washing, scraping and caulking?
It should, and with us the written quote includes washing, scraping loose paint, caulking and priming bare spots. Check each quote, because some list these as extras or leave them out.
Where they are priced apart, HomeGuide lists pressure washing a house at $170 to $360. It publishes no labor price for caulking alone and no per-house price for scraping, so those depend on what the painter finds.
How much more if the old paint is peeling?
Peeling paint adds cost because every loose edge has to be scraped, sanded and primed before the new coats go on. No per-house figure is published for it. HomeGuide lists paint stripping at $1.91 to $2.38 per square foot and priming at $2.63 to $7.05 per square foot on its painter page, for the areas that need it.
On a house built before 1978, peeling paint may contain lead. That changes how the scraping has to be done. See our page on lead paint rules in Michigan.
How much does it cost to paint vinyl siding, brick or stucco?
The cost to paint vinyl is $1 to $3 per square foot, brick is $1.50 to $4.50 and stucco is $1.00 to $5.50, each from HomeGuide's own page for that siding.
| Siding | Per square foot | Average house |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $1 to $3 | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Aluminum | $1 to $4 | $1,500 to $7,000 |
| Brick | $1.50 to $4.50 | $2,000 to $8,000 |
| Stucco | $1.00 to $5.50 | $2,400 to $8,100 |
| Wood | $1.50 to $5.00 | no table published |
Wood siding is the common painted surface on Ann Arbor's older streets. HomeGuide gives only the per square foot range for wood, so we price it from the measured area and the amount of prep.
Spray or roll outside: is there a cost or quality difference?
Spraying is faster, so labor is lower, but it uses more paint and needs much more masking. Rolling and brushing push paint into rough wood and old clapboard. Many painters spray and then back-roll or back-brush to get both speed and grip.
On tight city lots, overspray on a neighbor's car or windows is a real risk on a windy day. On smooth siding with room around the house, spraying gives an even finish. Ask which method a quote assumes.
How long does an exterior paint job take?
A full exterior usually takes 3 to 5 days, depending on the size of the house and the weather. HomeGuide's national figure is 4 to 5 days. Rain and cold mornings stretch the schedule in spring and fall.
What should an exterior quote list?
- The surfaces: siding, trim, soffits, doors, shutters, porch, garage.
- Washing, scraping, sanding, caulking and priming.
- Any wood repair, and how extra rot is priced.
- The paint line, the sheen and the number of coats.
- Whether the work is sprayed, rolled or brushed.
- Lead-safe work on a pre-1978 house.
- Clean-up and the payment terms.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (734) 399-4198.