If you've ever stood in a homeowner's driveway wondering "what do I actually charge for this?" — you're not alone. Most painters lose money not because they paint badly, but because they guess. Here's the per-square-foot reality for 2026 and the formula that keeps your bids honest.
Exterior painting runs $1.50–$4.00 per square foot of wall surface in 2026. A typical single-story home (1,500–2,000 sq ft of wall) lands around $3,000–$7,500. Two-story and prep-heavy jobs push higher. "Per square foot of floor area" is a trap — always measure wall surface, not the footprint.
| Surface | Per sq ft (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Siding, 1 coat repaint | $1.50–$2.25 | Same color, good condition |
| Siding, 2 coats | $2.25–$3.25 | Standard new-owner job |
| Stucco | $2.00–$3.50 | Absorbent, needs more paint |
| Wood / peeling / prep | $3.00–$4.50 | Scrape, sand, prime |
| Trim & doors (linear ft) | $2.50–$5.00 | Brush work, slow |
Rates are labor + materials combined, before markup. Metro areas run 20–40% above these.
Estimate = (wall sq ft × rate) + (trim linear ft × trim rate) + materials, then × (1 + markup).
Example: a 1,800 sq ft home, two coats on siding at $2.75/sq ft, 200 linear ft of trim at $3.50, paint ~$500. Materials + labor = (1,800 × 2.75) + (200 × 3.50) + 500 = $4,950 + $700 + $500 = $6,150. Add 35% markup → ~$8,300 bid.
Every number above should live in a line-item estimate the client signs. When they later say "I thought trim was included," your e-signed estimate with a timestamp ends the argument. Clovr stores every estimate, change order, and signature permanently — that audit trail is what protects the margin you just calculated.
Generate a line-item exterior estimate with real 2026 rates in under 4 minutes.
Start Free Trial →$1.50–$4.00 per square foot of wall in 2026, depending on prep and height. Most standard two-coat jobs land $2.25–$3.25.
Wall area. A 2,000 sq ft house has roughly 1,500–2,200 sq ft of paintable wall. Pricing by footprint undercharges you badly.
30–45% on materials + labor covers insurance, drive time, and profit. New crews often forget overhead and work for free.