How to Estimate the Cost of Painting a House Exterior and Choose the Right Painter

Homeowners in Edmonton think about exterior paint in two moments: when the finish looks tired, and when peeling shows bare wood or faded stucco makes the house look older than it is. The first is cosmetic. The second is a signal to act before weather does real damage. Both cases benefit from a clear estimate and a qualified painter who understands local conditions. The goal here is to show exactly how a homeowner can estimate the cost of residential exterior painting in Edmonton, spot red flags, and choose a painter who will do durable work that stands up to Alberta’s freeze-thaw cycles.

What drives the price of exterior painting in Edmonton

Exterior painting quotes rise and fall with surface area, height, material, condition, access, and coatings. Painters work from measurements, site complexity, and prep time. In Edmonton, climate also matters. Paint moves across seasons here, so prep and the right resin system matter as much as colour.

A typical single-family home in Edmonton falls in the range of 1,200 to 2,000 square feet of floor area. The paintable exterior surface is larger than the floor area because walls are taller, and there are gables and overhangs. A practical rule: exterior wall area often ends up at 2.0 to 2.5 times the floor area for a two-story, and 1.5 to 2.0 times for a bungalow. Window and door openings reduce that area, but trim, fascias, and soffits add back complexity.

On a basic bungalow with newer siding and simple trim, homeowners can expect a more modest price. Add height, multiple colours, failing coatings, and intricate trim, and costs rise. Edmonton’s older neighborhoods like Westmount, Highlands, and Strathcona tend to have more trim and ladder time. Newer areas such as Windermere and Terwillegar often have stucco or engineered siding with cleaner lines and fewer colour breaks.

A simple way to size up your home’s paintable area

Measurements give a grounded starting point. Measure the perimeter of the house with a tape or laser measure. Multiply by wall height to get a rough wall area. If the house has gables, add the triangular section area as width times peak height divided by two. Subtract large openings if you like, or accept a small margin, since painters allow for windows and doors in their productivity rates.

For example, consider a two-story home in Summerside with a 36-by-48-foot footprint. The perimeter is 168 feet. Wall height is roughly 18 feet to the eaves. That yields about 3,024 square feet of wall. Add two gables at 12 feet wide and 8 feet tall each, which adds 96 square feet. The rough wall area is about 3,120 square feet. Trim, fascias, and columns add lineal feet of work that most painters price either as a per-linear-foot add or folded into the overall rate based on complexity.

If the house is stucco, the surface area estimate still works, but stucco consumes more coating and may require elastomeric patches or crack repair. If the house has Hardie or another fiber cement siding, the painter may use a different primer on cut ends. Vinyl siding is rarely repainted unless the homeowner wants a deeper colour change that suits the siding’s expansion characteristics; it needs specific vinyl-safe paints that reflect more infrared light.

Edmonton-specific factors that affect prep and coating choice

Edmonton has hot summers, long winters, and wide temperature swings. The sun is stronger than many expect at elevation and latitude. These conditions reward the right prep and a flexible topcoat.

• Freeze-thaw: Micro-cracks open in paint films and stucco, then close. An acrylic latex with good elongation resists splitting. On stucco, hairline cracks often need an elastomeric patch before paint.
• UV exposure: South and west elevations fade faster. Deeper reds and blues need higher-quality resins and more UV-stable pigments. Expect earlier maintenance on those faces if a lower-grade paint is used.
• Moisture management: Ice damming and wind-driven rain challenge fascias, soffits, and window trims. Prime bare wood with a slow-drying bonding primer so it penetrates deeper. Caulking needs to be paintable and flexible for cold weather.
• Application window: Exterior season in Edmonton runs roughly from late May through September, with shoulder months possible if the forecast supports cure temperatures (check the product’s minimum application temperature and cure requirements). Painters schedule around rain and overnight lows. Fast-drying products help, but rushing cure time leads to early failure.

A competent Edmonton painter will recommend acrylic latex for most substrates, oil-based or hybrid primers for bare or tannin-rich woods, and specialized masonry coatings for stucco. They will also call out the right caulks for joints and the right fill products for checks and nail holes.

Cost ranges homeowners actually see in Edmonton

Every home differs, but patterns emerge from years of quoting and completing jobs in the city.

• Small bungalow with simple trim, sound existing coating, and basic colour change: homeowners often see quotes starting in the high $3,000s to $5,500.
• Mid-size two-story with composite siding, moderate trim, minor repairs, and two colours: expect $6,000 to $9,500.
• Larger two-story with complex trim, gables, fascia/soffits, multiple colours, and visible peeling: $9,500 to $14,000 or higher.
• Stucco repaint on a typical 1,800 to 2,200 square foot home with small crack repairs: $6,500 to $11,000 depending on condition and desired coating.

Prices move up with height (third-story peaks or walkout backs), steep lots that require staging, and extensive prep. They move down if the homeowner groups work with neighbours, keeps colour count low, and the existing coating is sound.

Building your own estimate before calling painters

A quick self-estimate sets expectations and helps compare quotes:

Step one: calculate wall area as above. Let’s say 3,100 square feet.

Step two: assign a production rate and cost per square foot. In Edmonton, for walls in average condition, a combined labour and materials rate often falls near $2.00 to $3.50 per square foot for siding and stucco surfaces, including standard prep. Trim is often priced per linear foot, but as a shortcut, add 10 to 25 percent of the wall cost for trim and fascias based on complexity.

Apply the math: 3,100 square feet times $2.50 equals $7,750 for walls. Add 20 percent for trim and fascias ($1,550), and the rough estimate is $9,300.

Adjust up if there is peeling, lead-paint-era wood to handle carefully on pre-1980s homes, or if ladders will not reach safely. Adjust down for newer, smooth siding with minimal prep.

What preparation should be in the quote

Prep separates work that lasts from work that looks good on day one. A proper Edmonton exterior painting scope usually includes washing, scraping, sanding edges, spot-priming bare areas, caulking active joints, and a finish system with the correct spread rate.

Washing should remove dirt, chalky residue, and spider webs. If mildew shows up on north walls and shaded areas, a mild biocide wash treats it before paint. Scraping should be mechanical, not just a pressure wash. Sanding feather-edges old coatings so new paint does not telegraph rough edges. Priming should match the substrate and situation: stain-blocking primers for cedar bleed, bonding primers on glossy surfaces, masonry primers on raw stucco patches.

Two finish coats deliver uniform sheen and coverage. Some products allow one coat over a same-colour repaint in excellent condition, but most older exteriors benefit from two. Painters who quote a single coat to win a price will often need “touch-ups” that really amount to a second coat. That shows up later as uneven sheen in sun.

Materials that handle Edmonton weather

Acrylic latex remains the workhorse for residential exterior painting in Edmonton. It expands and contracts without becoming brittle. On wood, it breathes better than old alkyd systems, reducing blister risk. Hybrid alkyd-acrylic primers can still shine where adhesion is tricky.

Sheen choice matters more than many think. Flats hide surface imperfections but hold dirt. Satin hits a good balance; it sheds weather and washes easier. On stucco, a flat or low-sheen acrylic masonry coating looks natural but must be high quality to avoid burnishing and dirt pick-up.

Colour matters for heat gain. Very dark colours on south and west faces of vinyl or composite siding can cause movement and warping unless a vinyl-safe formulation is used. For houses in Windermere or Glenora that aim for deep charcoals and navy trims, the painter should specify heat-reflective exterior paints rated for those substrates.

Reading and comparing Edmonton painting quotes

Quotes should be easy to read and specific. The best ones tell the homeowner what prep will be done, what products will be used by brand and line, how many coats, what areas are included, and what is excluded. If soffit vents are clogged with paint already, ask whether vent cleaning or replacement is part of the scope. If there is failing caulk at window perimeters, confirm that linear feet of re-caulking is included.

Quotes to watch out for share a pattern: low number, vague scope, and allowances that push risk back to the homeowner. A line like “spot prep as needed” with a single coat price is a warning on a house with clear peeling. A painter who lists specific primers and finish coats has thought about adhesion and stain-blocking rather than just colour.

Warranties vary. Many reputable Edmonton painters offer one to three years on labour and materials. Long warranties can be real, but only if backed by a business that will answer the phone in year four. Read what is covered: peeling and blistering due to adhesion failure is reasonable; damage from ice dams or sprinkler spray is not. Product warranties from paint makers apply to the product, not the labour to repaint, and usually require correct prep and application to be valid.

Scheduling in Edmonton’s paint season

Exterior painting here is seasonal. Good crews book up by late spring. If the plan is to paint in June, start calling in April. If hail has come through St. Albert or Sherwood Park, expect a busy season. A painter who says they can start “tomorrow” in peak season may have a gap caused by rain, or they may be less in demand for a reason. Ask why the schedule is open, and judge from the answer.

Watch the forecast during the project. Responsible painters will pause for rain or when overnight lows threaten cure. A tight schedule that ignores weather hurts the coating. The right contractor explains delays in plain terms and keeps the homeowner in the loop.

Choosing the right painter: quality signals that matter

In this market, credentials, references, and site behavior tell the story. Ask for photos of similar work in Edmonton neighborhoods, not just stock images. Drive past a recent project in your part of town if possible. Paint looks different in local light and dust.

Insurance and WCB coverage matter. A fall from a second-story gable is not a hypothetical. Confirm active liability insurance and WCB clearance. Ask about lead-safe practices on older homes. Even if the home is post-1990, that question shows the painter knows rules and safety.

Crew size and supervision affect quality. A small, steady crew led by the same foreman day to day beats a revolving cast. Ask who will be on-site, and whether the estimator will check in during the job. A clean site, drop cloths, masked windows, and careful ladder placement say more than a brochure.

Product literacy is a test many painters fail. Ask which specific primer they will use on bare wood, and why. Ask for a data sheet if you like to read details. The right answer is simple: the primer must match the substrate and expected movement, and the topcoat must be compatible and applied at the right spread rate.

Red flags unique to exterior work in Edmonton

Promises of painting too early or too late in the season should prompt caution. If a painter agrees to start while nights dip below the product’s minimum cure temperature, the coating may not bond. Quotes that skip washing altogether or rely only on a power washer risk forcing water behind lap siding or into stucco https://dependexteriors.com/our-services/exterior-painting hairlines. That trapped moisture shows up later as blistering. A painter who refuses to test a suspect surface for chalking with a quick dark rag wipe is taking a guess on adhesion.

Another warning sign is a heavy up-front deposit on a small project with an immediate start date. Reputable companies often take a modest booking deposit and bill progress or completion based on size.

How Depend Exteriors approaches residential exterior painting in Edmonton

Depend Exteriors has repainted homes across Edmonton, from Laurier Heights bungalows with cedar fascias to McConachie two-stories with fiber cement siding and crisp trim lines. The team starts with a short site visit, measures the home, and checks the coating condition, caulking, and exposed wood. The estimator notes sun exposure, recent moisture marks, and any grade or drainage issues that affect the lower courses of siding or stucco. This prevents surprises.

The quote lists prep by step: wash and treat mildew where present, scrape and sand failing edges, prime bare wood with the right bonding or stain-blocking primer, re-caulk active joints with a flexible paintable sealant, and apply two finish coats at the manufacturer’s recommended spread rate. On stucco, the team fills hairline cracks with elastomeric patch before painting and selects a masonry-compatible topcoat with the sheen the homeowner prefers.

For colour changes, Depend Exteriors helps homeowners match existing colours for touch-ups or shift to a new palette. For vinyl or dark colour requests, the estimator suggests vinyl-safe paints and provides sample drawdowns to test in sun and shade. The crew protects landscaping and hard surfaces, masks windows and fixtures, and cleans up daily. The company carries full liability insurance and active WCB coverage. The warranty covers adhesion failure within the stated term and includes labour to correct those areas.

The company schedules work in weather windows that favour adhesion and cure, and it communicates delays early. That calm pacing leads to results that hold through Edmonton winters rather than quick finishes that crack in the first cold snap.

How to prepare your home and save money without cutting quality

Homeowners can reduce costs or speed the project in small ways that do not compromise durability. Trim shrubs back from walls the week before painting to allow access and airflow. Move patio furniture away from the house. Replace or tighten loose downspouts, or ask the painter to include that in the scope. Choose a sensible colour plan with minimal breaks; each extra colour adds masking time and small-batch mixing. If a south wall is badly faded but the east and north walls look good, ask the painter about a partial repaint with careful blending; it can bridge to a full repaint later if the budget is tight.

If a homeowner wants to wash the house themselves, use modest pressure and a broad fan tip, and allow several dry days before painting. Avoid forcing water up under lap siding or into soffit vents. Rushing this step can cost more than it saves.

Frequently asked, straight answers

How long does exterior paint last in Edmonton? With proper prep and quality materials, three to seven years is typical on sun-exposed faces, and up to ten on protected sides. Stucco coated with high-quality masonry paint often sits in the five to ten year band. Dark colours shorten the cycle on sunny sides.

Is two coats always required? For colour changes and older finishes, yes. On a newer home with the same colour and a sound, clean surface, a single coat may cover, but most painters in Edmonton still recommend two for uniform sheen and durability.

Can painting fix moisture problems? Paint is not a fix for leaks. If there is recurring moisture at a window head or foundation line, address flashing or drainage first. A painter can seal and coat after the cause is resolved.

Do all painters use the same paint? No. Brand lines vary widely. The difference between an entry-level exterior acrylic and a mid or top-tier line shows up in colour retention and flexibility. Ask for the exact product line, not just a brand name.

Why do some quotes vary so much? Scope and assumptions differ. One painter may include full sanding and a slow-drying oil primer for cedar bleed. Another may skip that and hope a water-based primer holds. Ask both to describe their prep and primers. The lower price often removes steps that prevent failure here.

A short homeowner checklist before choosing a painter

• Confirm insurance, WCB, and experience with your specific exterior material.
• Ask for a written scope with named products, coat counts, and prep steps.
• Check one recent project nearby and one from two or three years ago.
• Verify the schedule aligns with weather and your timeline.
• Understand the warranty terms and what triggers a call-back.

Bringing it together for your home in Edmonton

A reliable exterior paint job protects the building envelope and refreshes curb appeal without drama. Estimating costs starts with measuring area and judging condition. Edmonton’s climate adds a layer of care: respect cure temps, choose flexible coatings, and prime where the substrate demands it. Quotes that spell out prep and products point to a contractor who plans for local weather and materials, not just colour.

Depend Exteriors focuses on residential exterior painting in Edmonton and surrounding communities. Homeowners see clear numbers, clear scopes, and finishes that hold up through late falls and bright summers. For a precise quote on your house in Glenora, Riverbend, Mill Woods, St. Albert, or Sherwood Park, book a visit. The team will walk the exterior with you, explain options in plain language, and provide a detailed scope with fair pricing. Request a consultation today, and set a date that fits the season and your calendar.