How Much Does an Exterior Paint Job Cost?

In Colorado Springs, painting costs for exteriors vary greatly depending on the size of the home and the current condition of the exterior.

All prices mentioned in this article are actual prices paid prior to 2014 or very rough estimates and should not be viewed as an estimate on your property. This is for informational purposes only. We will gladly provide you an accurate estimate on your specific residence when you are ready to paint.

A full exterior paint job on average sized homes can range from $2400-6,500. We want to help you narrow that down by providing a few specific examples of pricing to help you know what to expect. Prep work is the biggest factor in pricing with home size being second. Our most recommended coating and top homeowner choice is Sherwin Williams SuperPaint®. It is a upper middle grade coating that will last about 10-12 years in our harsh climate.

^1200-1700 SQUARE FOOT TWO STORY HOMES
This home had builder grade (cheap) light tan paint almost a decade old so the finish was badly faded and there was some siding board replacement needed. It is two stories all the way around. This homeowner would have paid $2600. This price includes just over a day of prep, 2.5 days to paint, materials, and SuperPaint.

Homes this size range $2400-2800.

This homeowner also chose a $300 product upgrade to Duration® which, with annual use of our maintenance program, would extend their paint job by 5-7 years.

^2500-3500 SUARE FOOT TWO STORY
This home had extensive prep work needed because maintenance had been deferred. And the color change was dramatic from bright green trim and yellow body to this sage green with white trim. This home is two stories all the way around. This homeowner would pay around $3300 and it includes 2 days of prep, 3 days of painting, materials, and SuperPaint.

Homes this size range $2900-3300.

^3600-4600 SQUARE FOOT TWO STORY WITH WALKOUT
This home started with dark trim and a very badly faded paint. This home is two stories in the front with a walkout basement making the back 3 stories high. This homeowner would pay around $4650. The price includes 3 days of prep, 3.5 days of painting, materials, and SuperPaint.

With a walkout basement (3 stories in back, 2 in front) homes this size range $4650-5,000.
Homes this size with only two stories all the way around $3900-4300.

This homeowner opted for a trim upgrade (painting the outward facing trim and the soffit the trim color) which added $600 to their original estimated price.

All the homes in this article were built after 1978 and thus free of lead. If your home was built before 1978 and a lead test comes back positive you can easily add $2000 to an average estimate.

Homes with stucco need trim repainted and those projects range from $1200-3000 depending on the size of home.

We will gladly provide you an estimate for your project when you are getting ready to paint your exterior. You will find that we are not the least expensive painter; we usually fall somewhere in the middle. Check out our article Who is the Best Colorado Springs Painter? to make sure you are comparing apples to apples when gathering estimates for your project.

Tips for Accenting Fireplaces with Paint

Tips for Accenting Fireplaces with Paint

 

Thinking about using color to bring out your fireplace?

Let’s be honest. Sometimes neutral colors and builder paints, while nice, don’t do certain architectural features justice.

One feature is the fireplace. In many homes the fireplace is a focal point. It exudes comfort and conversation. Having a little fun with accent colors can make your interior memorable and inviting.

It is also a great place to play with bolder colors. You can really make a splash and if you want to change it in a few years, it’s less expensive and lower commitment than painting a full room.

We recently painted a fireplace for a homeowner and it completely transformed the space. Check it out!

If you’re thinking of painting your fireplace here are a few tips:

1. Does your fireplace have visual interest? If it seems boring or under scale, price out having a wood façade added to give it more presence.
2. Is the fireplace a feature you want to highlight? When you go bold your eye and the attention of your guests will be drawn there. Make sure you’re ready to accessorize so the fireplace looks intentional.
3. Choose a color you already have in your décor. If you already have accent colors in your decorating, place that color on your fireplace to pull it all together.
4. Consider painting the surround a bold color and leaving the fireplace neutral. This can achieve the same effect.

For inspiration, check out our Pinterest Board: Painted Fireplaces.

Would you paint your fireplace surround a bold color? If so, what color would you do?

Best Tip For Choosing Countertop Colors and Floor Colors

 

We’ve worked with our share of homeowners who are in the process of remodeling and upgrading their homes. You’d be surprised how many times we’re asked our opinion on home finishes.

There’s a lot to think about when choosing a surface type, including the color. In working with designers and other construction professionals we’ve learned a thing or two. This is why I’m so excited to share with you the BEST tip I’ve heard for choosing countertop colors and floor colors.

FLOORING
When Greg and I were choosing our floor we both LOVED the darker wood. It was super popular on all the decorating shows. Then we met our flooring expert. They said, “The best thing you can do is take a handful of dirt from outside, some of the debris you sweep up, and pet hair and put a little on each sample.” So the key to finding a forgiving floor is as easy as finding the one that best hides the dirt. I felt like, “DUH!”

Turns out most of Colorado’s dirt is very light—almost sand-like. It would show like crazy on a dark floor. But my chocolate lab’s hair would appear like brown fluffy hair clouds on a light floor. Not cute. The best choice for us? A medium tone wood floor with lots of grain. It is so forgiving and has made my cleaning stress level decrease. I’ve swept up considerable debris and dog hair that I couldn’t see—gross! But so cool.

COUNTERTOPS
The reasoning and process for finding a forgiving countertop is similar.

Get your samples out and lay them on your current counter.
Collect some of your crumbs and the like you’ve wiped from your countertop when cleaning.
Take those crumbs and spread them on your samples.
Now step back. Which one hides these little particles best? There you go.

We had a good friend who really wanted dark countertops that were basically one color. Those would have shown fingerprints, streaks, and crumbs all day every day. So unless he wanted to clean them all the time he needed to find a more forgiving counter surface. He still chose a dark one, but with the tip I just shared, he chose a different surface pattern (lines, specks, etc.) to hide little offenders. And he has thanked me over and over.

We are experienced painters. If you live in the Colorado Springs area, contact us NOW to get your free paint estimate!

Disclaimer: You are responsible for your choices. What we provide here is for entertainment purposes. If you choose a color of anything and you don’t like it, that’s not our fault.

Use Fun Bold Colors to Accent Your Home Exterior

To spice up your exterior and stand out from the crowd, use fun, bold paint colors to make a statement! Express your personality with great shutters, doors, or accent trim in your bolder color. This gives you impact with less expensive upkeep. And you can change colors more frequently.

HOT TIP: It’s much less expensive to remove shutters or a door every few years to repaint than it is to repaint the whole house. Trim and gutter paint jobs also cost less than entire house repaints.

The most popular bold paint colors of 2013 are mimicking fashion runways. Saturated colors like lemon, cobalt, tangerine, and the official 2013 fashion color of the year…Emerald.

 

Check out our Pinterest board Bright Exterior Accents for inspiration.

Quick DIY Inspection Can Save BIG on Exterior Painting

The BIGGEST budget-buster for exterior paint jobs is the prep work.

 

Untreated damage can lead to costly repair.

While proper prep makes or breaks the duration of your exterior paint job, what makes or breaks how much you spend on it is how much damage the painter must repair!

SECRET PRO SAVINGS TIP

The less time a painter spends repairing damage, the less money it costs you.

A simple annual check for these four common types of damage can save you big money on repainting costs. That is, of course, if you get your home repainted when the damage is minimal.

It’s super simple, too! Simply walk around your home and look for these four types of damage: peeling paint, trim and siding board damage, fading paint, and cracks between boards where they meet or overlap. (Photo examples are provided below.) Don’t forget to check your deck and fencing as well for signs of wear and tear!

When you notice one of these types of damage on your home call a local painter. Start gathering bids.

When you take care of your home’s exterior before damage gets out of hand, you save money year after year. When you choose a painter that does great prep and applies two coats of paint you will provide your home the best protection paint offers.

 

 

Disclaimer: This article assumes normal wear and tear for the Colorado Springs area and weather patterns. Massive weather events like hail, tornadoes, blizzards, etc. can accelerate and cause major damage. For more extreme weather events that cause damage, we suggest you check with your homeowner’s insurance carrier to see if they cover repairing the damage.