What is the average cost per square foot to paint the exterior of a two story house in northern Michigan?

Answer 1

• Just the paint: If you own a 3,500 square-foot home, it'll take 20 or more gallons of paint to get the job done. That's assuming that a gallon of paint will typically cover about 350 square feet, and that a quality paint job includes two coats of paint. Taking that into consideration, good paint costs between $15 and $30 per gallon, and very high-end paints costs about $35-$75 per gallon. So, depending on the quality of paint you choose, it can cost as little as $300 or as much as $1,500 just for the paint on this size of home.
• Painting labor: This is the part of a house-painting job that carries the most weight on the price tag. Professional painters will typically charge $1,500-$3,000 to paint an average single-story home. However, if your home is up to 3,500 square feet with multiple levels, you can expect to pay $5,500 or more for exterior painting labor. Keep in mind that labor often includes all of the prep work like power washing, caulking, sanding, and more, plus the materials to do the prep work.
• Do-it-yourself: Painting your own home can be a challenging and messy, but fun, task, and many homeowners enjoy the money they save doing it on their own. DIYNetwork.com describes exterior painting as being moderately difficult, and estimates the DIY cost of painting this home to be $500 to $1,000.

Low-End Estimate for Exterior House Painting

• Just paint: About $300 for an average 3,500 square-foot home.
• Paint and labor: About $1,800 to paint a 3,500 square-foot home.

High-End Estimate for Exterior House Painting

• Just paint: About $1,500 for an average 3,500 square-foot home.
• Paint and labor: About $7,000 to paint a 3,500 square-foot home.