Estimate Desk
Exterior painting cost estimate
Body and trim by wall area, prep level, and stories. The band is a Kitsap planning range, about ±15%, not a contract price.
Default scenario
2,200 sf, two stories, moderate prep
$9,600 – $13,000
Siding, windows, paint, insulation, gutters, and doors.
Planning band
$9,600 – $13,000
About 3 working days on site. Not a bid.
Line items, notes and what is not in the band are below the form.
Planning bandLine items and notes
$9,600 – $13,000
Point total about $11,000 · about 3 working days on site
Material and labor of the unit-priced lines: Material $3,174 · Labor $8,160
Default scenario: 2,200 sf, two stories, moderate prep. Not a contract price. The band is the point total plus or minus 15%, a planning allowance we set for early estimates, not a measured accuracy. Prices include materials, labor, JKM overhead and fee, and 9.3% Washington sales tax. Working days on site are crew days. Design, permits and material lead times add calendar time before and between them.
| Item | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Body, trim, and fascia | 2,200 sf | $11,334 |
Notes
- Lead-safe containment on a pre-1978 house is not in this rate. Ask before anyone sands.
Not in this band
- Hazardous-material abatement. Asbestos and lead are common on pre-1978 houses and are separately licensed work.
- Structural repair discovered after demolition.
- A new electrical panel, water service, or septic, unless that line is on this estimate.
- Design fees, except where a drawing line is shown.
- Financing and temporary housing. (Washington sales tax, 9.3%, is included in these prices.)
- Lead-safe work practices and full board replacement.
Planning band for Kitsap County. Not a bid. A site visit sets the number.
What the exterior painting estimate covers
The exterior painting estimate is built from the wall area of the house and three settings: the number of stories, how much prep the surface needs, and the paint grade. It prices the body, the trim and the fascia together as one line, because on a repaint they are painted in the same visit and by the same crew.
The default is a two-story house with moderate prep and standard paint, so the first band is for a normal repaint and not a restoration.
Prep is where the work is
On an exterior, the paint is the last step. What decides the price is the surface under it. Light prep assumes the existing paint is intact. Heavy prep assumes peeling paint and bare wood, and the desk adds a separate line for scraping, priming the bare wood and replacing caulk where it has failed.
That line is why two houses of the same size can have very different bands. If you are unsure which setting fits, choose the heavier one and ask us to check it at the site visit.
What moves the number
Wall area is the base. Stories add a labor factor because the work is slower at height. A premium paint grade raises the rate, and prep raises or lowers it. Days on site follow the wall area, so a larger house runs longer, and a very small painting job is lifted to a minimum.
Because wet weather limits when exterior paint can go on, schedule matters as much as the number, and a site visit is where that conversation starts.
What is not in the band
Lead-safe containment on a house built before 1978 is not in the rate. Older paint may contain lead, and disturbing it without protection spreads dust, so the notes tell you to ask before anyone sands. Lead-safe work practices and full board replacement are listed as exclusions, along with hazardous-material abatement, structural repair, design fees and financing. Washington sales tax is already included in the prices.
Whether a repaint needs a permit depends on the project, especially if it comes with siding or window work. Our permit guides explain which Kitsap office covers your address. Use the band to compare a repaint with re-siding, then ask for a site visit so we can check the surface before we write a real estimate.
Scope ladder
Exterior painting: three scopes compared
Each row is the Estimate Desk engine run on the inputs listed, so these numbers move whenever the desk does. They are planning bands, about ±15%, not bids.
| Scope and what was priced | Planning band |
|---|---|
Light prepPaint over intact paint on a two-story house in standard-grade paint, with only light prep.
| $8,200 – $11,000Point total about $9,600About 3 working days |
Moderate prepDesk defaultPaint on a two-story house in standard-grade paint, with moderate prep to deal with some wear.
| $9,600 – $13,000Point total about $11,000About 3 working days |
Heavy prep, premium paintPremium paint on a two-story house with peeling paint, including scraping, priming bare wood and spot caulk replacement.
| $18,000 – $25,000Point total about $22,000About 3 working days |
Questions
Exterior painting estimates: common questions
What does the exterior painting estimate assume before I change anything?
The starting band, $9,600 – $13,000, is the default scenario (2,200 sf, two stories, moderate prep). It prices the body, trim and fascia in one line from the wall area, the number of stories, the amount of prep and the paint grade.
How does prep level change the exterior painting estimate?
Light prep applies to paint that is intact, and moderate is the middle setting. Heavy prep, for peeling paint, raises the rate and adds a separate line for scraping, priming bare wood and replacing caulk where it has failed.
Is lead-safe work included in the exterior painting estimate?
No. Lead-safe containment on a house built before 1978 is not in the rate, and neither is full board replacement. Ask before anyone sands or scrapes an older house.
Why does the number of stories matter for exterior painting?
Taller walls take more setup and more time on ladders or lifts. The desk applies a labor factor for two stories and a larger one for three, on top of the wall area.
A site visit sets the number
Bring your result to the walk. We measure, check what is behind the walls, and replace the planning band with a written estimate.