Owens Corning
Paint a House Exterior
A fresh coat of paint on faded and worn siding turns heads because it's such a noticeable improvement. It's a real money saver if you do it yourself because a painting contractor will charge almost $3,000 to paint a typical 2,500-square-foot house. You can buy the materials and do it for $550, saving 80 percent.

The estimate covers the preparation work and application of two coats of paint on a one-story house with wood siding, 12 windows and two doors. The materials include two gallons of exterior primer for coating the worn and bare areas, four gallons of alkyd exterior trim enamel and 15 gallons exterior flat paint. This figure also includes three days rental ($75 a day) for a power washing machine to clean the siding and an additional $35 for incidentals like masking tape, drop cloths and mineral spirits.Pro vs DIY Cost and Time You'll need a selection of brushes, rollers and paint pans and a sturdy ladder.

It's a time-consuming job, and preparation is key, so figure you'll spend more time preparing the surfaces than actually applying paint. Budget more money and time if the siding and trim require extensive repair and priming.

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