How Much Does It Cost to Paint a 2000 Sq Ft House?

A typical 3-bedroom home in the United States has close to 2000 square feet of surface area that needs to be painted.  The majority of people know their homes will look better if they are painted, and most people understand that the paint also acts as a protective barrier against sunlight and water damage on the exterior.

One of the most frequently asked questions is how much it costs to paint a 2000-square-foot house. This question has to be broken down according to how the painting is done, the type of paint used in the process, and the application method used to apply the paint.

Average Cost of Painting a Single Story House Exterior

The Basic Costs of DIY 2000 Sq ft House Painting

To paint there are some basic costs that you cannot escape. The primer and paint, along with the painting accessories, all cost money. Some of the painting accessories you already may have in your garage or storage area, so that would save you some money.

Remember when you shop for paint that quality reduces quantity. If you buy quality paint it will create complete coverage in fewer applications. That means you will buy less paint and spend less money on supplies. Always buy the highest quality paint that you can afford.

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Paint and Primer Rates

You are going to see a lot of paints that say they are self-priming. This means that the paint has a primer combined into the color. A lot of people believe that this means that you only need one coat of paint and can skip applying primer altogether. This assumption can be very wrong.

Primer covers a lot of the imperfections on the surface area. Primer creates a protective barrier that is stronger than the barrier created by just the paint. Primer creates a consistent color so your paint color is consistent. Primer also makes paint adhere better.

Primer is applied first to get the surface prepared for paint. A professional painter who uses paint and primer combination paints still applies a separate primer to the surface before they apply the more expensive paint.

If you want a quality finish then you want to apply primer first. Let the primer dry completely, and then apply the base color paint you have chosen. You should only need one coat of primer but normally want to apply 2 or more coats of the base color.

Paint and Primer Cost Per Square Foot

Painting Supplies You Have Needs

You know that to paint you have to have a few items. You cannot apply the paint unless you have an applicator like a brush, a roller, or a paint sprayer. You also cannot usually paint without having a ladder or some method of reaching the highest points.

As a homeowner you probably already own a ladder, you may own a paint roller, a sander, and even a paint sprayer. If you do not own those items you need to consider the cost of buying or renting them in the cost of painting the house. The beautiful thing about the cost of the tools like ladders, and paint spraying equipment is that they are a one-time purchase. The next time you go to paint the house you will already have this equipment and will not have to spend the money to buy it again.

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How Much Do Painting Accessories Cost?

Another basic element of the painting is the amount you will have to pay a professional painter to do the work. Many homeowners do their own painting and save hundreds, and sometimes thousands of dollars by doing so. Still, there are times when you cannot do the work yourself, do not have time to do the work, and would prefer to hire a pro to overspend your vacation time painting.

How Long Does It Take to Paint a 2000 Sq Foot House?

One of the biggest considerations you have to make about painting the house yourself is how much time you need to do the job. You also need to remember that your time is valuable, so the amount of time you invest counts like money spent.

Normally a team of two to three people can paint a house of this size in three to four days. If the surface is in bad shape, and a lot of peeling paint must be addressed it may take you longer to do the work.

Before you decide to do your own painting work look into the amount of time you will need to have available to paint the house.

The Basic Cost Estimation to Hire a Pro

If you do not have the time or equipment to paint the exterior of your home you may want to consider hiring a professional painter to do the work. The amount of paint and primer will not change but the material cost may change due to the type of paint the painter uses. Some brands of paint like Sherwin Williams, BEHR, and Glidden cost more than other brands like Valspar, Color Place, and store brands.

It appears at first glance that store brand paints are the best option because they are normally far less expensive than the top name brand paints. This is not always the truth. There are some store brand paints that produce a quality product but the majority of these paints are thinner than the top brands, and they normally do not have the same properties like moisture protection, mildew protection, or rust protection that the top brand paints have.

When you get an estimate from a professional painter ask what brand of paint they normally use. Painters are typically faithful to one brand because they have used it before, they know how the paint goes on, and they know how well the paint lasts.

Labor Cost

Professional painters normally charge by the square foot, by the day, or by the job. When you get the estimate for the work you need to know how they are figuring the job. When they charge by the day, they normally will tell you that you have to pay a set price per day plus the cost of the materials. This is considered to be a cost-plus job. These pros usually keep the receipts from the store where they purchase the paints and supplies so they can show you how much the supplies cost. You will pay a labor rate for each day and for each worker that is on the job.

If the estimate is for the square foot ask the pro if the supplies are included with the estimate. You never want to assume anything on a job bid. You want the details so you can see how much is labor and how much the cost of the supplies is needed.

Professional Rates for Labor Only

Reducing Labor Rates

It is possible for you to reduce the number of man-hours a painter has to spend on the job and that reduction will decrease the amount of labor you are paying for. When you look at the detailed estimate you may see listings for sanding, repair, clean-up, and other things that you could do before the painters arrive.

Before the painter comes to see the job and gives you a bid you should look around the house for obstacles. Yard furniture and things that you can move should be moved or you should tell the painter that those items will be moved prior to the work beginning. The difficulty of a paint job is increased when there are obstacles in the yard that will make it harder for the painter to move their equipment safely.

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Tips From the Pros

• Never get just one estimate from a professional painter. You want to get at least three estimates.
• If the painter does not arrive at the estimated meeting on time or has to reschedule several times, then they may be too busy to do the work.
• Do not always choose the lowest price. Often new painters charge less so they can get work and establish a reputation, but sometimes the lower bids are from painters who do not do quality work.
• Never hire anyone that you have not checked out through the Better Business Bureau. You are bringing these people to the home you want to be sure they do not have complaints from previous customers that include theft, or worse.

People Also Asked

How Much Exterior Paint Do I Need for A 2000 Square Foot House?

Typically, exterior paint covers about 350 square feet per gallon. Divide 2000 by 350 and you see that you need roughly 6 gallons to make one coat of paint on 2000 square feet. Since you need to apply 2 or more square feet for perfect coverage you will need to double that figure and buy 12 gallons of paint. If you paint with a spray painter you will use about 40% more paint so you need to buy 4.8 more gallons if you use this application method. That brings the total gallons of paint up to 17 gallons.

Is It Better to Brush or Spray Exterior Paint?

The answer to this question depends on whether you are trying to save time or money. The fastest way to paint an exterior is to use a spray gun, but the brush and roller method uses less paint.

How Do Painters Arrive at Their Quote?

The painter figures the square footage and calculates how much time and materials they will need to do the work. They may also consider the difficulty of the job. Some things that make the job more difficult are certain siding materials, the height of the structure, the time of year, the number of windows and doors, and the removal of previous paint that may be peeling and blistering.

Final Thoughts

Painting the exterior of a 2000-square-foot house may seem to be expensive since it can cost between $2,000 and $9,000 to complete. You have to consider the benefits such as the water protection and the increased value of the property and weigh the benefits against the cost to determine if painting is too expensive.

Paint increases the life of the structure by 40% or longer. This means less maintenance, fewer damages, and a lot of peace of mind. A great paint job can also increase the home value by 25% or greater.