Cost to Paint Exterior Walls
Exterior Painting Prices For 2021
Based on Prices From Professional Painters
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A fresh coat or two of paint and dramatically improve the appearance of any home and if your existing render or brickwork is looking tired, you might be surprised at how much of a difference it can make.
We recently published a guide to wall rendering costs that covered new and replacement wall rendering, that guide included “through-colour” render, i.e. wall render that never needs painting.
But for those of you that have regular wall render or brickwork, check out our updated prices for exterior wall painting.
On this page you’ll find:
- Prices for the professional painting of the exterior of a home.
- How much minor repairs cost.
- A look at scaffold prices and cheaper alternatives.
- A form so you can request a custom price.
The Exterior House Painting Project
We contacted 34 painters and decorators from various places around the UK and sourced prices for the painting of render to the outside of a house.
Here’s a project schedule, we’ve based this on the quotations and estimates given to us.
The house we wanted painting already had paint on the render it just needed a few minor repairs, the mould and algae removed and painting.
- Cover ground with sheet tarpaulins for protection.
- Tape plastic covers over all windows for protection.
- Erect access equipment such as platform towers to the working height.
- Brush off loose dust and dirt from walls, clean and wash with a fungicide (this inhibits mould and algae growth).
- Inspect walls for damaged render and repair as required.
- Apply stabiliser to any bare sand/cement render.
- Apply one coat of breathable masonry paint and allow to dry.
- Apply the second coat of masonry paint and allow to dry.
- Lower access equipment and remove plastic sheets and tarpaulins.
A rendered wall being repainted
The Cost to Paint the Exterior of a House
Below is an average of the price given to us for the painting of three sides of a semi-detached house.
We’ve separated the quotes by location as prices vary so much around the UK.
The figures also include a minor repair – some render had come loose and needed replacing with sand/cement, this is a relatively simple repair.
Painting Project – Paint the Exterior Walls of a Semi-Detached House
This is how much we were told it would cost to paint the exterior walls of a semi-detached house.
Key Points:
- The property is a three-bed house with three sides, including one gable end.
- Good access all round.
- We were told that the work can be completed from platform towers and that expensive scaffolding wasn’t needed.
- We were advised to use a breathable paint to prevent condensation in the home, Dulux Weathershield and Sandtex were recommended brands.
- There were a few things excluded from the prices, so keep reading to see what hidden extras could bump up the price.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £1450 | £1550 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £1200 | £1300 |
| Outer Region and North | £1000 | £1100 |
| Need a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
House Painting Cost Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of the costs to paint the outside of a house.
This is just an example but gives you an idea of how much this type of work costs.
- Expensive scaffolding wasn’t needed on this house, but platform towers can be hired for about £100 a week inc VAT.
- Materials, including sand/cement for the repair, plastic sheeting and tape, Dulux Weathershield paint, masonry stabiliser and fungicide treatment – £250 inc VAT
- Labour for two workers – £700 – £900 depending on location in the UK.
- Profit margin – £0 – £250 depending on the size of the firm or if they are just a one-person type trader.
- VAT on labour/profits – £140 – £280. This isn’t always charged but firms earning over a certain limit must register for and charge their customers VAT.
How Long Does it Take to Paint The House?
For our three-bed semi-detached house, we were advised that the work would take around three days.
Day 1 – Collect the materials from the supplier. Then sheet over the ground for protection and tape up windows with plastic. Brush the walls down, clean them and then treat them with the fungicide. Carry out the minor render repair and allow to dry. Apply the stabiliser to the render repair and any dusty or porous surfaces on the wall.
Day 2 – Apply the first coat of Dulux masonry paint.
Day 3 – Apply the second coat of Dulux masonry paint. Lower platform towers and removes the protective sheets and any wast materials.
Extra Costs to Consider:
Our exterior house painting project was fairly simple and straight-forward, but as we are sure you can imagine, not every property is the same.
You’ll probably pay more if:
Access is an issue – if the tradesperson cannot access the walls easily, perhaps there is an extension, conservatory or something similar in the way, then scaffolding may be required. We know from our research that scaffolding isn’t cheap and it can cost several hundred pounds just to bridge over a conservatory.
New render or brick face – if your exterior house walls already have paint on them then they should only need a couple of coats of masonry paint to rejuvenate them. Unfortunately, new sand/cement render and most house bricks are very porous and will require plenty of stabilising solution, a primer and up to three coats of masonry paint. For walls of this type, expect the work to take an extra day or so with additional costs for materials and labour.
The type of business you choose – there will always be painters and decorators who work exclusively from ladders (even though they shouldn’t) as this keeps their prices low and competitive. At the other end of the spectrum, there are larger firms with considerable overheads that will charge much more for the same project. Our prices are just an average of the quotes given to us for our project. As always, it’s best to get three custom quotes for your house painting project and compare the prices to our benchmark.
Get a Price For Exterior House Painting Today
We hope you found our guide to the cost of painting the outside of a house insightful.
As every project is different, the best way to get an accurate price for exterior painting is to compare quotes from local firms and tradespeople.
Tap the button below to see how we can help you get a great price for your project:
A rendered wall being repainted
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Exterior Painting FAQs
When Was This Guide to Exterior Wall and House Rendering Prices Published?
We sourced prices for exterior house painting in 2021.
Do The Prices on This Page Include VAT?
Not all of the firms we sourced painting prices from were VAT registered, some were trading below the registration threshold.
The prices on this page are from both VAT registered and non-registered firms.
Can I Have the Walls Painted in Winter?
Paint needs warm and dry conditions, otherwise, it will not adhere correctly.
While the exterior of a house can be painted in winter, dry, warmer days should be chosen and ideally, all painting should stop a lunchtime as this gives the paint time to dry before sunset when surface moisture may appear.
If the customer isn’t in a hurry to have the exterior walls painted, then waiting until spring would be the preferred option.
Do I Need Planning Permission to Paint the Outside of My House?
If the property is a listed building, then you may require planning consent to change the colour of the outside of the building.
For non-listed buildings, you shouldn’t need permission as regular painting is considered maintenance.
I'm Concerned About Condensation, Will Painting My Exterior Walls Affect it or Make it Worse?
Extra care should be taken when working on solid walls and/or any wall made with breathable materials such as lime mortar.
Such walls are designed to allow the wall to breathe. Covering the walls with non-breathable paint can cause condensation in both the home and between the paint and the wall.
While most homes in the UK are built with a cavity, older homes should be maintained and painted by a tradesperson who understands the importance of breathability.
How to Stop Green Mould, Algae and Moss Growing on Exterior Walls and Render?
There are several reasons why moss/mould and algae may grow on exterior walls, here are a few solutions:
1) Look for gutter leaks that could result in rainwater splashing onto the wall.
2) If possible and relevant, cut back trees and branches to allow more sunlight onto the wall.
3) If the paint can be wiped, use a mild detergent and then apply a mould and algae fungicide such Benzalkonium Chloride, with repeat applications every couple of years.
4) If the house is fairly modern, the exterior walls might be rendered in Monocouche which a type of render that has a very chalky surface. These walls are notorious for turning green, usually on shaded sides of the property. They should be cleaned every couple of years and can be treated with a fungicide to slow down/reduce the amount of green mould that returns.
More information on green render can be found here:
Where Can I Get a Price For Exterior House Painting?
We’ve partnered with of the UK’s leading online tradesperson vetting services where you can find approved, rated and reviewed painted decorators.
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