How Much does Exterior Painting Cost?

From our perspective as a small painting company, we see firsthand how much of a difference a fresh exterior paint job can make. Even simply refreshing areas with fading or peeling paint can completely revive the look of your home and elevate its curb appeal. Before getting started, though, one of the most common questions we hear from homeowners is: how much does exterior painting actually cost? Using 2025 year-end conversion rates combined with existing US sources, as well as recent the company's own data, find our relevant data below!

Cost to paint the exterior of a house by method

Professional exterior house painting, depending on the method, can vary in cost. The table below can be used as a rough guide:

Charging Method	Average Cost (CAD)
Per square foot	$2-$7
Per hour	$35-$100
Total cost (2,000 sq ft)	$4000-$14000

Cost for exterior home painting by size

The most significant factor driving the cost of painting the outside of a home is dependent on size. The longer and taller a home is, the most potential surface area there is to cover, and the more trim that is likely scattered throughout.

Home size (square feet)	Approximate paintable area (square feet)	Average total cost (including labour and materials)
1,000	800	$1,650-$5,500
1,500	1,200	$2,500-$8,250
2,000	1,700	$3,600-$11,700
2,500	2,100	$4,400-$14,500
3,000	2,500	$5,250-$17,250
3,500	2,900	$6,000-$20,000
4,000	3,350	$6,900-$23,000

Variable Factors

Other than home size, what really makes the cost of fluctuate so much? A few things to keep in mind:

• Neighbourhood

• Labour costs

• Type of siding material

• Location

• Number of coats

• Type of paint/finish

• Surface Preparation

• Home height

• Trim, shutters, eaves, and other additional features

Neighbourhood

Across Ottawa, painting pricing shifts less by postal code and more by the type of homes you’ll find in each pocket. In areas like Hintonburg and parts of Nepean, where you’ll see a mix of older homes and compact layouts, interior projects can land on the lower to mid range.

In Orleans and Kanata, the scope changes. These neighbourhoods are largely newer builds with more standardized layouts, which typically keeps costs closer to the city average. Fewer surprises behind the walls and more consistent surfaces mean crews can move efficiently, keeping labour hours in check.

However, not all suburban jobs are “simple.” Larger homes in Kanata especially can push exterior costs higher purely due to square footage, even if prep is minimal. Meanwhile, certain pockets of Nepean with mature homes may require more intensive sanding, repairs, and priming, bringing them closer in scope to older central neighbourhoods.

Labour Costs

Above, you'll note that labour costs per hour can range from $25-$75 per hour. As labour costs rise, so should quality. Student painters can be affordable but might not have the same finish and attention to details as well-establish companies.

Type of Siding Material

There are many siding types that line the outside of Canadian homes, and each requires a different type of approach. Vinyl is the easiest type of siding to work on, and brick tends to be the most time consuming. The costs are reflected below:

Siding Type	Average cost (per square foot, including labour and materials)
Vinyl	$2-$7
Wood	$2-$6
Stucco	$2.75-$7
Brick	$3.5-$7

Vinyl

Depending on whether or not the surface has already been prepared previously, vinyl can be the easiest substrate to work with and paint. If it's not been painted before, the surface will likely either need to be primed first, or a high-end paint will be required to adhere without primer. If it has been painted before, the painting itself on vinyl should glide. $2-$7 per square foot.

Wood

Wood is more costly than vinyl to paint for two main reasons: prep work or new porous wood adds time. $2-$6 per square foot.

Stucco

Stucco has a reputation for being incredibly porous. Unlike wood, prep is not necessary, but the amount of paint needed, and the slow time expected for proper coverage makes painting this substrate type more expensive. $2.75-$7 per square foot.

Brick

Brick is both porous, has gaps, and if it has been painted previously, it requires scraping and sanding. $3.5-$7 per square foot.

Location

Urban area homes can involve complex ladder placement, fiberglass ladders to avoid live wires, and possibly scaffolding, and can therefore generally cost more.

Number of Coats

Every painter's standard is to use two coats on nearly any surface or project. There are, of course, exceptions. When painting vinyl for the first time, for example, a primer coat and two finish coats will likely be needed. This will increase costs but also durability.

Type of Paint/Finish

Exterior paints can range in thickness, cost, and durability. The higher the paint quality, the more the paint will last and be resistant to fading, weather, and sun, but will also cost more. And similar to interior paints, the shinier the paint, the more it will cost.

Surface Preparation

Exterior surface preparation and its interior cousin are similar. Like in our interior painting cost guide, you can expect to pay $0.80 per square foot. The major difference is that exterior requires more scraping of old wood and subsequent sanding, whereas most interior work required mudding and sanding. Powerwashing is a separate category of preparation but is used to clean decks and siding before painting. You can expect to pay between $0.11-$0.33 per square foot.

Home Height

The height of the home - and the number of stories - can massively impact the cost to paint an exterior. Why? The reach when standing on a ladder is limited. To reach higher heights with a ladder, the ladder will have to be placed several times to extend the reach and cover all required surfaces. The task of placing a ladder (or building scaffolding) can be a time-consuming operation.

Trim, shutters, eaves and soffits, and other additional features

Exterior trim includes several features including windows, doors and door frames, soffits, and shutters.

Windows

Excluding surface preparation, you can expect to pay similar amount as interior windows unless they are wide and higher up, requiring additional ladder placements. You can expect to pay $17-$85 per window.

Doors & Door Frames

Doors can be more complex than interior doors. Front doors require precise detailing given its role as the focus of the front of the house, and certain doors may require prep work depending on its age and the previous coating applied. You can expect to pay $35-$60$ per door, and $15-$25 per door frame.

Shutters

Shutters are either decorative, where they are fixed to the siding, or are on hinges and cover windows. The price, however, stays the same. You can expect to pay $22-$35 per shutter.

Eaves and Soffits

Even though this type of trim can be left alone, it can be painted. Eaves and soffits and long and linear, are high up, and can require prep. Depending on the height, the detailing, the level of perforation, you can expect to pay between $2-$6 per linear foot.

Wrapping up: exterior painting costs can range widely, from roughly $4,000 to $14,000 for an average home, depending primarily on size, but also on factors like siding type, labour quality, surface preparation, and the overall complexity of a project. While newer homes in areas like Orleans and Kanata may be more straightforward and cost-efficient, older properties in neighbourhoods like Hintonburg or parts of Nepean can require more intensive prep work that increases pricing. Other elements such as height, number of coats, trim details, and paint quality further influence the final quote. Even though general ranges are helpful, the true cost comes down to the specific condition and demands of each individual home.

Cheers and happy painting!