painters san diego

How Much Does It Cost To Paint A House?

painters san diego

Are you planning to revive the look of your home with the touch of a new coat of paint, and do you wish to know how much painting companies in San Diego will charge you to get the job done? Then you are on the right page. This article will enlighten you about the cost of painting a house and the factors that influence the cost.

Suppose you’re hiring an expert and highly experienced painter to help you paint your house. You should expect to be charged about $4,000 for materials and labor to paint the exterior of a 2,500-square-foot two-story building. Most painters charge hourly rates that range between $20 to $60.

Cost Estimates Of Painting A House

A trade organization, The Painting and Decorating Contractors of America has outlined possible cost estimates for painting a home’s interior and exterior. The cost estimate puts into consideration factors such as labor and materials.

  • Exterior painting cost

500 square feet cost $1,000-$1,500

One-story 1,000 square feet cost between $1,000-$3,000

Two-story 2,500 square feet cost between $3,000-$5,000

Three-four story 4,000 square feet cost between $4,000-$7,000

  • Interior painting cost

500 square feet buildings cost between $750-$1,500

One-story, 1,000 square feet cost range, is between $1,500-$3,000

Two-story 2,500 square feet buildings cost between $3,750-$7,500

Three – Four-story 4,000 square feet cost between $6,000-$12,000

Calculating The Cost Of Painting A House

Learning about the calculation of the cost of painting a house will enable you to create a budget and compare it with the price quote from your professional painter.

To begin the calculation, find out about the area’s measurements that require painting (paintable area). To get the paintable area, you first need to get the measurements of the finished area (total measurements of the perimeter of the house multiplied by the height of the building). After that, you can then subtract the areas of the windows, doors, and other architectural designs from the measurements of the finished area. The result you get is the paintable area.

Once you have the measurements of the paintable area, the next step is to divide the paintable area by the coverage of a gallon of paint. One gallon of paint can cover an average of 350 square feet; however, note that painting the exterior of the building requires 2 layers of paint, so you’ll need a double quantity of paint.

The final formula for calculating the cost of painting a house is; Square feet of paintable area divided by square feet of paint coverage = the gallons of paint. For an exterior painting that requires double coats, the gallons of paint will be multiplied by two. 

Factors That Affects The Cost Of Painting A House

Several factors affect the cost of painting a house. Some of the factors include

  • Labor costs


Labour significantly affects the cost of house painting. When you hire an expert painter, the painter will spend a lot of time scraping off old paints from the surface of the house and performing all necessary preparation. Because expert painters charge hourly, the time spent on sanding, patching, caulking, cleaning, and painting will cause an increase in the cost of painting. The best way to cut labor costs is to ask the professional painter to reduce the time spent preparing the house for painting.

  • Material and Paint type

The paint cost depends on the grade, sheen, and other features such as mold resistance. Some paints have a lifetime warranty to reduce odor, and some might require fewer coats. The quality of paint tends to increase the price of paint. Also, the type of materials used for the painting affects the cost of painting a house. Materials such as tapes, rollers, brushes, and several other types of equipment are often added up in the price quote of your paint contractor.

In addition, the type of exterior building material also affects the cost of painting. The cost of painting concrete, stucco, and brick are dependent on the amount of primer and paints that’ll sufficiently cover the paintable area. Some building materials require specific types of paint and some building materials absorb paint differently. All these factors will be considered when determining the cost of house painting.

  • Geographic Location and Climate

The climate and weather in your location influence the type of paint you’ll use on your house. Suppose you reside in a place that experiences high sunlight. It’s best to choose paint that can withstand heat. Also, if you’re residing in a place that experiences high humidity, you should buy moisture-resistant paints. Most paint with specific qualities is often a little more expensive than regular paints.

  • Condition and size of your house


If your house has damaged places on the wall, it’ll take more time and specific materials to repair those areas before applying paints. Also, if your house is large, it’ll require more paint to cover the paintable areas and cost more.

  • Trim

Trims are painted with a different color to make the overall painting more attractive. The cost of painting trims is always added to the overall cost of painting the house, but if you painted the trims at a different time, the price would be billed separately. The cost of painting trim per linear foot ranges between $1 and $3

  • Permits and inspection

Interior house painting doesn’t require a permit but painting the exterior may require you to obtain a permit. Permits are essential if there’s a specific color theme in your location. Also, permits are essential for painting the siding replacement. The average cost for obtaining a permit is about $260. When your painting is completed, you’ll be asked to pay between $100 to $200 for inspection.

  • Preparation work

Preparation work might include filling holes, replacing siding, sanding, and many more. The average cost for patchy ranges between $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot. Also, the average cost for stripping and sanding ranges between $0.50 to $1.50. For power washing, the price range is between $220 to $380. All these prices add up to make house painting more expensive.

To learn more about painting cost and other factors to consider before hiring a painter, you should visit our website here https://stubbinspaintingsandiego.com.

Stubbins Painting San Diego,

10635 Calle Mar De Mariposa San Diego CA 92130,

(858) 926-4076

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top