Painting the outside of a house runs $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot in 2026, or $3,000 to $10,000 for an average 2,000 square foot home, by HomeGuide's national figures. Around Stamford the siding, the trim and the state of the old paint move the price the most.
Every dollar figure on this page is a national number published by HomeGuide for 2026. None of them is a quote from The Stamford Painters. Labor rates, paint costs and the state of your own walls and siding shift the real price. We last checked these figures in October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a house?
HomeGuide's national cost to paint the exterior of a house is $3,000 to $10,000 for an average 2,000 square foot home, at $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot. It lists labor at $25 to $75 an hour and an average job at 4 to 5 days.
| Home 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 |
| 3,500 sq ft | 2,900 sq ft | $4,400 to $14,500 |
| 4,000 sq ft | 3,350 sq ft | $5,000 to $16,800 |
Many homes in Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan are larger than the biggest row in that table. For those, the table only shows the direction of travel. A walk-around and a measured quote give the real figure.
How much to paint a two-story house outside?
HomeGuide's main exterior page does not price houses by number of stories, so use the size table plus the cost of working at height. Its vinyl siding page lists a two-story house of 1,500 to 2,500 square feet at $1,500 to $7,900. Its aluminum siding page says access on taller homes can add up to 50%.
Most colonials in Stamford and the towns around it are two stories, and many have a third-floor gable or dormers. Ladders, planks or a lift, plus the time spent moving them, are what make height cost more. We price access when we see the house.
How much for a small single-story ranch?
A small ranch costs the least to paint. HomeGuide lists $1,200 to $4,000 for a 1,000 square foot home and $1,800 to $6,000 for 1,500 square feet. Its vinyl siding page gives $1,000 to $3,600 for a one-story home of 1,000 to 1,500 square feet.
Ranch houses from the 1950s and 1960s are common in Springdale, Turn of River and parts of Norwalk. Reaching the walls is easy, but old wood or aluminum siding may need scraping or a heavy wash first, and that can use up the saving on access.
How much to paint just the trim, shutters and front door?
Exterior trim runs $1 to $4 per linear foot, or $1,000 to $2,500 for a house, by HomeGuide's figures. Shutters are $50 to $100 per pair, a front door is $125 to $225 and a garage door is $150 to $550. For eaves, fascia and soffits, HomeGuide gives $2 to $6 per linear foot.
A trim-only job suits homes with vinyl siding in good shape, where the wood around windows and doors has worn out. It is also a fair choice on cedar shingle houses that are stained, where only the white trim is painted.
Does the exterior price include power washing, scraping and caulking?
Our exterior price includes washing, scraping loose paint, caulking and spot priming, and the quote lists each one. Other quotes may treat them as extras, so check. HomeGuide prices pressure washing a house at $170 to $360 as its own job, and its vinyl and aluminum pages list $90 to $250.
HomeGuide gives no figure for scraping a whole house or for caulking labor alone. Both depend on how the old paint has held up, which we judge on site.
How much more if the old paint is peeling?
Peeling paint adds cost because each loose edge must be scraped, feathered and primed before the new coats. No national figure covers scraping a whole house. The nearest ones are paint removal on trim at $1.50 to $5.00 per linear foot and stripping at $1.91 to $2.38 per square foot.
Peeling is common on old clapboard and on the sills and lower trim of houses near the Sound. On a house built before 1978, the old paint may contain lead, and then scraping must follow lead-safe rules. Our lead paint guide covers what that means.
How much does it cost to paint vinyl siding, brick or stucco?
HomeGuide's main exterior page puts the cost to paint vinyl siding at $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot, stucco at $2.00 to $5.00 and brick at $2.50 to $5.00. Wood siding is $1.50 to $5.00 and aluminum is $2.00 to $4.50.
| Siding | Per sq ft (A) | Per sq ft (B) | Average house (B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | $1.50 to $5.00 | - | - |
| Vinyl | $1.50 to $4.50 | $1 to $3 | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Aluminum | $2.00 to $4.50 | $1 to $4 | $1,500 to $7,000 |
| Stucco | $2.00 to $5.00 | $1.00 to $5.50 | $2,400 to $8,100 |
| Brick | $2.50 to $5.00 | $1.50 to $4.50 | $2,000 to $8,000 |
Column A comes from HomeGuide's main exterior page, and column B from its separate page for each siding type. A dash means nothing is published. The two sets do not match, so both are shown. Cedar shingles, the most common wall on older homes here, have no figure of their own.
Spray or roll outside: is there a cost or quality difference?
Spraying is faster, while rolling and brushing press paint into the surface better. On cedar shingles and rough clapboard the best result often uses both: spray the coat on, then back-brush or back-roll it in. HomeGuide publishes no price comparing the two.
Spraying saves labor on plain, open walls, but it takes more masking and cannot be done in a breeze. Homes on the water in Shippan, the Cove and Rowayton often have wind off the Sound, and overspray can drift onto cars, boats and neighbors' houses. On those days we brush and roll.
How much paint does an exterior need?
HomeGuide says a 1,500 square foot home needs 6 to 10 gallons for two coats, and a 2,400 square foot home needs 10 to 16. A gallon covers 350 to 400 square feet, and exterior paint costs $30 to $80 per gallon.
Cedar shingles, rough wood and bare patches drink more paint than smooth siding. Even so, paint is the small part of the bill. Labor is the large part.
For a real price on your own job, book a free estimate and get a written quote. Call or text (203) 349-9745.