Painting
Exterior Painting Cost Calculator
Prices exterior painting, where the weather window governs the schedule.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials and the call-out, over the building envelope. Exterior work carries height and access costs, substantial preparation on weathered surfaces, and a scheduling constraint that interior work does not: coatings have a temperature and humidity window, surfaces must be dry, and a shower a few hours after application can ruin a day's work. That makes exterior painting seasonal and the schedule weather-dependent rather than crew-dependent.
What moves the number
- Surface preparation needed, which on weathered timber is substantial.
- Access and staging for upper storeys.
- Weather window available, which limits the season in many climates.
- Substrate, since stucco, timber and fibre cement need different systems.
Where this one goes wrong
Do not paint in direct sun on a hot surface or late enough in the day that dew forms before the film sets. A surface in full sun can be far hotter than the air, which flashes the coating off before it levels and bonds, and a late application can take dew overnight which leaves a dull, poorly bonded film. Working around the building to follow the shade is normal practice. Washing is the other item that gets skipped: chalking, mildew and dirt all prevent adhesion, and pressure washing has to be followed by adequate drying time before coating.
Before you quote
- Follow the shade rather than painting surfaces in full sun.
- Stop early enough that the film sets before dew.
- Wash and allow full drying before coating.
- Confirm lead-safe practices on pre-1978 buildings.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
Can you paint in direct sunlight?
Better not to. A surface in full sun is far hotter than the air, which flashes the coating off before it levels and bonds properly, leaving poor adhesion and visible lap marks. Working around the building to follow the shade is standard practice rather than fussiness.
How late in the day can exterior painting continue?
Early enough that the film sets before dew forms. A coating still wet when dew falls takes moisture into the film, leaving a dull, poorly bonded finish. In humid conditions that can mean stopping well before dark, which is a real constraint on the working day.
Does the house need washing first?
Yes, because chalking, mildew and dirt all prevent adhesion and paint applied over them fails early. Washing also has to be followed by proper drying time, so it is usually a separate day rather than a morning task before painting the same afternoon.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 32 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $68.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $520.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 32 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $68 |
| Parts and materials | $520 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $2,791 |
| Labour | $2,176 |
| Before tax | $2,791 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $2,791: $2,176 of labour, $520 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $34 | $1,703 |
| $51 | $2,247 |
| $68 example above | $2,791 |
| $102 | $3,879 |
| $136 | $4,967 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 32 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $68.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $520.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.