The national figure for painting the outside of an average 2,000 square foot house is $3,000 to $10,000 in 2026. In Salinas the spread within that range comes mostly from prep. Fog, wind and dust decide how much washing, scraping and caulking a house needs before any color goes on.
Every dollar figure on this page is a national figure published by HomeGuide for 2026. None of them is a quote from us. Monterey County wages, the paint you pick and the state of your walls will push a real price above or below these ranges. Last checked October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a house?
The published national cost is $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot, or $3,000 to $10,000 for an average 2,000 square foot house. HomeGuide lists exterior labor at $25 to $75 per hour.
| House size | Paintable area | Published national range |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | 800 sq ft | $1,200 to $4,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | $1,800 to $6,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 1,700 sq ft | $2,600 to $8,500 |
| 2,500 sq ft | 2,100 sq ft | $3,200 to $10,500 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 2,500 sq ft | $3,800 to $12,500 |
Your own price depends on the wall type, the height, the amount of trim and above all the condition of the old paint. We look at every side of the house before quoting.
How much to paint a two-story house outside?
A two-story house costs more to paint than a one-story house of the same floor area, because there is more wall and it is harder to reach. HomeGuide's main exterior page does not publish a figure by number of stories.
Its vinyl siding page lists two-story homes of 1,500 to 2,500 square feet at $1,500 to $7,900, and its aluminum siding page says multi-story access can add up to 50%. Those are the nearest published figures, and they are for other wall types than most Salinas homes have. Many North Salinas tract homes are two-story stucco, where ladders or staging and our afternoon wind both slow the work.
How much for a small single-story ranch?
For a small single-story house, the published table gives $1,200 to $4,000 at 1,000 square feet and $1,800 to $6,000 at 1,500 square feet. One-story homes are the simplest exteriors, since most of the work is done from the ground or a short ladder.
Much of South Salinas and the Alisal is single-story ranch housing from the postwar decades. On these homes the eaves, fascia and exposed rafter tails often take more time than the walls.
How much to paint just the trim, shutters and front door?
Exterior trim on its own is published at $1 to $4 per linear foot, or $1,000 to $2,500 for a house. Shutters are listed at $50 to $100 a pair and a front door at $125 to $225. Eaves, fascia and soffits run $2 to $6 per linear foot.
A trim-only repaint is a sound choice when stucco walls still look good but the wood has started to peel. In Salinas the fascia and window trim nearly always fail before the stucco does, so this is a common job.
Does the exterior price include power washing, scraping and caulking?
With us, yes. Our price includes washing, scraping loose paint, caulking and priming, and the quote lists them. Not every painter works that way, so read each quote to see whether prep is included or charged as an extra.
For comparison, HomeGuide lists pressure washing a house at $170 to $360 when it is bought as a separate service. It publishes no stand-alone labor price for caulking or for scraping a whole house.
How much more if the old paint is peeling?
Peeling paint adds to the cost because all of it has to be scraped, sanded smooth at the edges and primed. No national per-house figure is published for scraping. The closest published numbers are $1.91 to $2.38 per square foot for stripping and $1.50 to $5.00 per linear foot for removing paint from trim.
How much it adds to your price depends on how much of the house is affected. A few sills are a small item. Whole walls of flaking paint on an older wood house can double the prep time. On houses built before 1978, scraping must also follow lead-safe rules, which adds setup and cleanup.
How much does it cost to paint vinyl siding, brick or stucco?
Each wall type has its own published national range. Stucco is the one that matters most in Salinas.
| Wall type | Per square foot | Average house |
|---|---|---|
| Stucco | $1.00 to $5.50 | $2,400 to $8,100 |
| Wood siding | $1.50 to $5.00 | No separate figure published |
| Vinyl siding | $1 to $3 | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Aluminum siding | $1 to $4 | $1,500 to $7,000 |
| Brick | $1.50 to $4.50 | $2,000 to $8,000 |
Stucco costs more than smooth siding because its rough face takes more paint and cracks have to be filled first. Vinyl, aluminum and full brick walls are uncommon here.
Spray or roll outside: is there a cost or quality difference?
Spraying is faster and rolling takes longer, and the quality depends on the surface and the prep, not on the tool alone. Spraying saves labor on large plain walls but needs far more masking. Brushing and rolling use less masking and more hours.
On stucco the best method is to spray the paint on and roll it back into the texture while wet. Wind is the local limit. Salinas afternoons are often too breezy to spray without overspray drifting, so we switch to brush and roller. Trim is brushed in every case.
The only real price is a written one for your own property. Estimates are free. Call or text (831) 257-0052.