Estimate your 2026 Seattle exterior paint job by wall area — body, trim and doors on a one-, two- or three-story home. Choose the prep level, from a wash and mask to heavy scraping, add primer where the surface needs it, and pick a paint tier from builder-grade up to premium lines like Sherwin-Williams Emerald or Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior.
Choose your preferred paint quality and preparation level
Loading paint options...
Adds a primer coat over the painted area, shown as its own line in the estimate
Some changes need an extra coat, such as painting a dark color lighter. Pick both colors and the estimate includes it.
Surface Measurements
Enter your house dimensions or wall area directly
Tip: Multiply your house perimeter (feet around) by its height (typically 8 ft per story)
Paintable square feet of fascia, soffits, railings and other trim
Number of exterior doors
Your Estimate
Configure your project and click "Calculate Estimate"
No estimate yet
Enter your measurements and calculate
How Our Exterior Painting Cost Calculator Works
Professional exterior painting estimates for Seattle-area homes
Accurate Cost Estimation
Our exterior painting calculator prices a repaint from the inputs you give it: wall area, trim area and number of doors, the number
of stories (one to three), the paint tier, the surface prep level (minimal, moderate or extensive), whether a primer coat goes on, and a
color change, which adds a wall coat when the new color needs one. Paint is billed by the gallon, with two coats on walls and trim;
basic exterior paint is $42 a gallon, premium $68, and primer $38. Labor is billed by the hour from production rates: surface prep at $50
an hour, and wall, door and trim painting at $62 an hour. A two-story home adds 8% to the prep and painting hours and a three-story
home 30%. Every job also carries 12.12 hours of setup, masking and cleanup at the wall rate, whatever its size. Labor is most of the
price: on the two-story repaints we priced, from 1,800 to 2,265 sq ft of wall, it was 77% to 87% of the total.
What The Calculator Includes
Every exterior painting estimate is itemized, and the lines add up to the total. Materials are the wall paint, trim paint and
primer, each by the gallon, plus a $25 materials allowance per door. Labor comes in four lines: setup, masking and cleanup, surface
prep, wall and door painting, and trim painting, each showing its hours and hourly rate, with the story adjustment built into the
prep and painting hours. Prep is the line that moves
with condition. On wall area alone it is 30.7% of the labor hours at minimal prep, 33.5% at moderate prep and 45.3% at extensive prep.
Small jobs are raised to a job minimum, shown as its own line. The calculator does not add separate lines for scaffolding or lift
rental, pressure-washing equipment, wood or siding repair, lead-safe containment, weather delays or a contingency; work like that is
priced at the walkthrough when a house needs it.
Seattle-Specific Considerations
Seattle's climate is hard on exterior paint. The Pacific Northwest's constant moisture creates ideal conditions for mold and
mildew, so walls are washed before painting, and our rainy weather limits the painting season to roughly June through September, with
May and October possible in a dry year. Many Seattle homes have original wood siding with decades of moisture exposure; peeling, chalking
or bare wood is what the moderate and extensive prep levels are for, and bare wood usually wants the primer coat as well. Craftsman homes
with extensive trim show up in the calculator as more trim area, which is priced on its own line. Homes built before 1978 often have lead
paint, and lead-safe containment and cleanup are scoped at the walkthrough, not in the calculator. Washington requires painting
contractors to be registered with L&I, bonded and insured, and our estimates include only licensed, insured crews.
Using The Calculator Effectively
For accurate estimates, measure the paintable wall area: the perimeter of the house times the wall height, plus the gable ends,
minus large openings. Enter trim area and doors separately, and set the number of stories, since taller walls take more labor. Choose the
prep level that matches the worst of your siding: minimal for sound paint that mainly needs washing, moderate when it needs scraping and
sanding, and extensive for peeling or chalky paint. The step from moderate to extensive is the largest jump in prep time. Turn primer on
for bare wood or a large color change. Choose the paint tier by how long you want the job to last; higher tiers cost more per gallon and
last longer between repaints. The calculator updates as you modify specifications, and the estimate lists the gallons, the hours on each
labor line and a time estimate in working days.
Exterior Painting Cost Calculator: common questions
When is the best time to paint a house exterior in Seattle?
The optimal window for exterior painting in Seattle is June through September when rainfall is minimal and temperatures stay consistently above 50°F. May and October are possible but risky due to unpredictable weather. Exterior paint requires 24-48 hours of dry weather for proper curing. Trying to paint during Seattle's rainy season (October-April) typically results in poor adhesion and premature failure.
How often should I repaint my Seattle home's exterior?
In Seattle's climate, quality exterior paint jobs last 8-12 years on well-maintained homes with good drainage and overhang protection. South and west-facing walls exposed to sun and rain may need attention sooner. Homes with minimal overhang, poor drainage, or in heavily shaded areas (promoting mold growth) may need repainting every 5-7 years. Regular maintenance like annual washing and prompt repair of damaged areas extends paint life.
Why does exterior painting cost more than interior painting?
Exterior walls have to be washed, and often scraped, sanded and primed after years of weather, and in the calculator that shows up as prep hours: 30.7% of the labor hours on wall area at minimal prep, rising to 45.3% at extensive prep. Height adds labor too, with two-story homes taking 8% more hours and three-story homes 30% more. Exterior paint is formulated for weather and costs more per gallon: the calculator's basic exterior paint is $42 a gallon against $35 for basic interior paint. Scaffolding or lift rental for difficult access is not a separate line in the calculator and is priced at the walkthrough when a house needs it.
Why trust this exterior painting estimate?
Kolmo LLC, established 2025, is a licensed, bonded and insured Washington general contractor (License #KOLMOL*753JS) working across Seattle and King County. This exterior painting calculator prices from Kolmo's own material catalog and labor rates, not national averages. Every estimate returns an itemized breakdown of materials and labor, and the line items reconcile to the total so you can check the arithmetic yourself, and the cost of every option you switch on appears as its own line. Treat the result as a planning estimate rather than a quote: the final price is set after a walkthrough of the actual conditions, which is free and carries no obligation.
What this calculator captures
What the calculator returns for common Seattle homes in 2026. Every figure includes a wash, masking and two finish coats; heavier prep and primer are options you add.
1-story, about 1,500 sq ft
$2,650-$3,100
About 1,240 sq ft of wall. Builder-grade paint and minimal prep at the low end; premium paint, moderate prep and primer at the top.
2-story, about 2,500 sq ft
$4,350-$5,100
About 2,265 sq ft of wall. Builder-grade paint and minimal prep at the low end; premium paint, moderate prep and primer at the top.
Peeling paint, extensive prep
$4,400-$4,700
A two-story home with about 1,800 sq ft of wall, heavy scraping and a primer coat, in builder-grade or premium paint.
Using this calculator
Does this include power washing and scraping?
Washing and masking are in every estimate. Moderate prep adds scraping and sanding, about $0.04 more per sq ft of wall; extensive prep adds heavy scraping on peeling or chalky paint, about $0.29 to $0.31 more per sq ft. Two- and three-story homes add labor for ladders and staging.
How does Seattle climate affect paint choice?
Wet winters and UV-heavy summers are hard on low-grade paint. The calculator starts at builder-grade exterior paint ($42 a gallon), so the first number you see is the entry point; premium ($68), eco ($78), luxury ($92) and designer ($125) tiers last longer between repaints and are one click away.
Are LP SmartSide, Hardie, and wood siding priced the same?
The calculator prices by wall area and doesn't ask for the siding. Cedar and older wood usually need more prep and a primer coat, so choose moderate or extensive prep and turn primer on to see that in the number. We confirm what your siding needs at the walkthrough.
Can I price just trim or just the body?
Wall area, trim area and doors are separate inputs, so a body-only repaint is trim set to zero. The calculator needs some wall area, so a trim-only refresh is priced at the walkthrough; small exterior jobs carry a job minimum.
Does it handle lead-safe work for pre-1978 homes?
Lead-safe containment and cleanup on a pre-1978 home are scoped and priced at the walkthrough, not in the calculator.
