Most Canadian guides put exterior house painting at roughly $3 to $6 per square foot, which puts a typical single-family home in the low-to-mid five figures only when it is large or needs heavy repair, and in the several-thousand-dollar range when it is small and in good shape. The number on your own quote depends on siding, height, prep and repairs. The only way to get a price you can trust is a written, in-person estimate that lists what is included. Here is how to read one, when to book, and how often to repaint.
TL;DR
- Published Canadian guides cite about $3 to $6 per square foot for exterior painting, with siding type, height, access, repairs and weather moving the price.
- For a home with 2,000 sq ft of paintable surface, that range works out to $6,000 to $12,000. Treat it as an illustration, not a quote.
- Prep and repairs (scraping, wood rot, caulking, priming) are where cheap quotes cut corners and where paint lasts or fails.
- In coastal BC, book for a dry stretch from late spring to early fall, and repaint when the finish chalks, cracks or peels, not by the calendar alone.
- A written estimate should name the paint, the coats, the prep, the crew and the warranty.
Table of Contents
- What exterior painting costs in Canada
- A worked example: a 2,000 sq ft exterior
- What moves the price
- What a good exterior painting estimate includes
- The best time to paint a house exterior
- How often to repaint a house exterior
- Why a professional crew is worth the cost
- Our exterior painting service
- How to budget and plan
- FAQ
- Sources
What exterior painting costs in Canada
Exterior painting is usually priced by the square foot of surface being painted, then adjusted for the realities of the house. One 2026 Canadian guide gives an average of $3 to $6 per square foot and names the same drivers you will hear from any estimator: siding type, building height, access, repairs and weather conditions.
That is a wide range because "exterior painting" covers very different jobs. A one-storey stucco bungalow in good shape sits at one end. A three-storey cedar-sided home with rotted trim, steep grades and a lot of detail sits at the other.
Two cautions when you compare figures online:
- Many pages quote a city (Toronto, Saskatoon) or a national average. Labour rates, access and the length of the painting season differ in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
- Some figures are per square foot of floor area, others per square foot of wall surface. The two are not the same number. Ask which one a quote uses.
Prices also change from year to year with paint, labour and demand. Use any figure in this article to sense-check a quote, then rely on a written estimate for your house.
A worked example: a 2,000 sq ft exterior
Suppose a painter measures 2,000 square feet of paintable exterior surface: walls, trim, fascia and doors added together. At the published $3 to $6 per square foot:
| Scenario | Rate per sq ft | Total for 2,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Low end | $3 | $6,000 |
| Middle | $4.50 | $9,000 |
| High end | $6 | $12,000 |
Where your house lands depends on what is on the wall:
- Low end: smooth, sound siding, one or two storeys, easy access, minimal scraping, a similar colour to what is there now.
- High end: heavy scraping, many repairs, multiple storeys needing lifts or scaffolding, intricate trim, or a major colour change that needs primer.
Note what the example does not include: repairs beyond routine prep, such as replacing rotted boards or fascia, are usually scoped separately, and so is GST. Ask for both to be itemized.
What moves the price
Siding and surface condition
Wood, fibre cement, stucco, vinyl and brick each take paint differently. Weathered cedar may need extensive scraping and priming. Stucco absorbs a lot of paint and needs good crack repair. Previously painted fibre cement is often straightforward if the old coating is sound. Brick is a different job again: painting or staining it permanently changes how it looks and breathes.
Prep work
Prep is typically the largest share of the labour and the least visible. Washing, scraping loose paint, sanding edges, filling, caulking gaps and spot-priming bare wood all take hours. A quote that is much lower than the others often has far less of this in it.
Height, access and landscaping
Two-storey and three-storey homes need ladders, scaffolding or lifts. Steep lots, tight side yards, dense hedges and decks against the wall all slow the work.
Repairs
Rotted trim, damaged fascia and failed caulk should be fixed before painting, otherwise you are painting over a problem. Government of Canada housing guidance notes that wood siding that is not maintained keeps deteriorating, and that moisture moving out through the wall from the house can make paint fail faster. Painting is protection, but only on a sound surface.
Paint quality and number of coats
A premium exterior paint costs more per litre but covers better and is formulated to hold up to sun, rain and temperature swings. Whether a quote includes primer and two finish coats matters more than the brand name alone. If you are unsure how exterior products differ from interior ones, our short guide to interior versus exterior paint explains it.
Colour change
Going from dark to light, or the reverse, usually needs primer and sometimes an extra coat.
Scope
Some homeowners paint walls only. Others add trim, doors, garage doors, soffits, fascia and railings. Each is a line on the estimate, and each affects the total.
What a good exterior painting estimate includes
A price on the back of a card is not an estimate. Look for a written document that covers:
- Surfaces included: walls, trim, fascia, soffits, doors, garage door, railings. Anything excluded should be stated.
- Prep: washing, scraping, sanding, caulking and priming, in plain words.
- Repairs: what is included, and how extra repairs found during the job are priced and approved.
- Paint: the product, the number of coats and the colours.
- Schedule and crew: who is doing the work and roughly how long it takes.
- Protection and cleanup: how plants, windows, decks and the property are protected and left.
- Warranty: what is covered, for how long and in writing.
- Payment terms and whether GST is included.
If you want a ready-made list of what to ask when you meet a painter, we put one together: 7 questions for exterior painters in Tsawwassen.
How we handle estimates
At Texora, two partners manage estimates, and we book a job after a written, in-person estimate. The same dedicated crew then carries the project from estimate to completion, so the person who walked your house and scoped the work is part of the same process that delivers it. That continuity is why scope, prep and expectations do not get lost between the quote and the first coat.
The best time to paint a house exterior
In coastal BC and much of Canada, the practical answer is a dry, mild stretch from late spring through early fall. Exterior paint needs a dry surface, and it needs to dry and cure before rain, heavy dew or a cold night arrives. Fall can work well when days are dry, but daylight shortens, mornings get damp and the margin for error narrows.
The things that decide whether a given day works:
- Surface moisture. Siding must be dry. After rain, wood and stucco can hold water for a day or more.
- Rain in the forecast. Fresh paint needs time to set before it gets wet.
- Overnight temperature and dew. Cold, damp nights can interfere with drying, so the evening matters as much as the afternoon.
- Humidity. High humidity slows drying.
- Direct sun and wind. Painting in hot sun on a wall can make paint dry too fast. Wind blows dust onto wet paint.
Every exterior paint lists a minimum application temperature on the can, and that is the number to follow rather than a general rule of thumb. A professional crew schedules around the forecast, so a rain delay moves the job rather than compromising it.
There is a budget angle too. Spring and summer are the busiest months, so booking early gives you a better choice of start dates. Planning in winter for a spring start is common.
How often to repaint a house exterior
There is no single interval. The right moment depends on the siding, the exposure and the quality of the last paint job. The Government of Canada housing guidance linked above pairs a repaint interval of about four to five years for wood siding with advice about sealing and ventilation. Modern coatings on well-prepared surfaces can last longer, and south and west walls facing sun and rain usually fail first. For a BC-specific view, see how long exterior paint lasts in BC.
Instead of counting years, walk around the house once a year and look for:
- Chalky residue that rubs off on your hand
- Fine cracks or alligatoring in the paint
- Peeling or blistering, especially near the bottom of walls, window sills and trim
- Failed or cracked caulk around windows, doors and joints
- Soft or dark wood at the trim, fascia and decks
- Mildew or green growth that returns quickly after washing
Catching these early often means a lighter prep job and a lower bill. Waiting until bare wood is exposed means more scraping, priming and carpentry.
Why a professional crew is worth the cost
Painting a house exterior looks simple until you are on a ladder at a second-storey soffit. The cost of a professional job pays for the parts homeowners underestimate: safe access, proper prep, consistent coverage and the time it takes to do it right. It also pays for accountability. A written warranty means problems get resolved instead of becoming your weekend project.
For homeowners in Delta, Tsawwassen and Ladner, the sea air, rain and sun exposure make the preparation stage especially important. Our crews work in uniform, keep the job site tidy, and communicate throughout the project.
Our exterior painting service
We paint house exteriors across Tsawwassen, Ladner and Delta, and take on jobs in other parts of Metro Vancouver, including Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Our work includes full exterior repaints, trim, doors and fascia, wood rot and fascia repair, and brick staining. Each job is managed from estimate to completion by the same dedicated crew, using premium paints.
We back our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and up to a 5-year workmanship warranty, which you can read on our workmanship warranty page. Our clients have left more than 50 five-star reviews.
To see what a finished project looks like, read our Tsawwassen exterior house painting case study or the Port Coquitlam exterior repaint. When you are ready for a price on your own house, our exterior painting page for Delta explains what we do, and you can contact us for a written estimate. Local pages are also available for Tsawwassen, Ladner and Port Moody.
How to budget and plan
- Measure the scope. List which surfaces you want painted: walls only, or trim, fascia, doors, garage door and railings as well.
- Walk the house. Note rot, peeling, failed caulk and mildew. These are the items that move the estimate.
- Choose your window. Aim for a dry stretch in late spring to early fall, and request an estimate well before so you can pick a start date.
- Get a written, in-person estimate. Make sure it lists prep, repairs, paint, coats, crew, schedule and warranty.
- Set aside a repair allowance. Wood repairs are the usual surprise, so having room in the budget keeps the job on track.
- Compare like with like. Two prices only compare if the scope, prep and number of coats are the same.
FAQ
How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a 2,000 sq ft house?
Using the published Canadian range of $3 to $6 per square foot, 2,000 square feet of paintable surface works out to $6,000 to $12,000. Your price depends on siding, height, repairs and prep. A written in-person estimate gives you the real figure.
What is the best time of year to paint a house exterior?
Choose a dry, mild period, typically late spring through early fall in coastal BC. The surface must be dry and the paint needs time to cure before rain or cold nights. Book early, since these months fill up fastest.
What temperature is best for exterior painting?
Follow the minimum application temperature printed on the paint can, and avoid days with rain, heavy dew or cold nights ahead. Humidity and direct sun matter too, because they change how the paint dries.
How often should I repaint my house exterior?
It depends on the siding and exposure. Government of Canada housing guidance cites about four to five years for wood siding, and finishes on other siding can last longer. Check yearly for chalking, cracking, peeling and failed caulk, and repaint when they appear.
Why do exterior painting quotes vary so much?
Scope and prep. One quote may include scraping, caulking, priming and two coats, while another covers a light wash and one coat. Ask each painter to list what is included so you can compare the same job.
Sources
- Painting Cost Per Square Foot in Canada: A 2026 Guide
- About Your House, Government of Canada housing publication