How much does it cost to paint a house?

Exterior painting on an average home runs $3,500 to $9,000. Prep hours, not paint, are what you're paying for.

Exterior, 2,000 sq ft

$3,500 – $9,000

Interior, per room

$400 – $1,000

Paint, per gallon

$40 – $90

Expected lifespan

7 – 12 years

What drives the price

Stories and access (ladders vs lifts), siding material, how much scraping, caulking, and priming is required, and the number of colors and trim details.

Paint itself is typically 15–20% of the bill. A quote that's cheap because of cheap paint is saving you very little.

Prep is the job

Wash, scrape loose paint, sand edges, replace failed caulk, spot-prime bare wood, repair rot. A quote that doesn't list these steps is quoting a shorter-lived job.

Before you sign

Get the number of coats, the paint product line by name, surfaces included and excluded, and the workmanship warranty in writing.