What an exterior repaint costs
An exterior quote is really a prep quote with paint on top — and on the Gulf Coast, sun, salt, and humidity write most of the prep list. Here's what the national data says a repaint runs, what actually moves the number, and how coastal Alabama changes the math.
What the national data says
These are published national industry ranges — not Pro 1 prices. Every figure links to its source. Your home, your prep needs, and Gulf Coast conditions set where a real quote lands, which is why ours are written in person and free.
| Scope | National range | What moves it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior repaint, national average | $3,177 | The published midpoint across all home sizes and siding types | Angi2026 data |
| Typical project range | $1,800 – $4,500 | Home size, stories, siding material, and prep condition | Angi2026 data |
| Per square foot of exterior | $1.50 – $4 / sq ft | Texture (stucco and rough-sawn drink paint), access, masking | Angi2026 data |
| Larger / heavier-prep repaints | $10,000+ | Big multi-story homes, extensive scraping, carpentry repairs in scope | NerdWallet2026 |
National published ranges from Angi and NerdWallet (2026) — a starting ballpark, not a coastal quote. Salt-air washing, longer humidity-driven schedules, and rot repair move Gulf Coast numbers; a free written Pro 1 estimate is the real answer.
The factors behind every quote
- 01
Prep condition
Washing, scraping, sanding, caulking, and spot priming are most of the labor on a repaint. A house that's five years overdue costs more than one painted on schedule — failure compounds. This is the single biggest reason two quotes differ.
- 02
Stories and access
Second and third stories, steep rooflines, and tight lot lines slow everything down and add ladder and staging work. A one-story ranch and a two-story with dormers can share square footage and not much else.
- 03
Siding material
Smooth Hardie paints efficiently. Stucco and block drink paint and want back-rolling. Old wood siding needs the most scraping and priming. Brick is porous and takes more product per square foot than anything on this list.
- 04
Carpentry in scope
Rotten fascia, window sills, and porch posts have to be repaired before paint — paint over rot is money burned. Pro 1 carries carpentry as part of paint scope, so the quote covers the repair and the finish in one written number.
- 05
Product tier
Premium exterior lines hold color and film integrity years longer under our UV load — a real difference in repaint frequency, not a label upsell. We'll show you the Sherwin-Williams options and the trade-offs at the estimate.
Why coastal Alabama isn't the national average
Salt air shortens the repaint cycle
Homes near the Gulf and Mobile Bay carry airborne salt on every surface. It holds moisture against the paint film and corrodes fasteners, so beach-zone homes in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan repaint more often than inland homes — and every repaint starts with washing the salt off.
Humidity and dew point run the schedule
Paint needs the surface dry, the air workable, and the film safely above the dew point through early cure. Summer afternoon storms and heavy morning dew shrink the daily painting window, which is why coastal exterior jobs are scheduled around weather, not just crew availability.
Hurricane season is a real planning input
June through November, smart exterior scheduling watches the tropics. Sound paint and fresh caulk are part of the home's weather envelope — the guide to hurricane-season prep covers how we sequence exterior work around storm risk.
Coastal materials, coastal prep
This market runs heavy on Hardie board and stucco. Each has its own prep rules — factory-finish color matching on Hardie, moisture management and sometimes elastomeric products on stucco — and pricing follows the material.
FAQs
- How often do Gulf Coast homes need repainting?
- It depends on exposure. Salt-zone homes near open water weather fastest; shaded inland homes with sound paint last considerably longer. UV load, mildew pressure, and caulk condition are the tells — when chalking, fading, or hairline caulk failures show up, you're in the window. A free estimate will give you a straight answer on whether it's this year's project or next's.
- What's included in a Pro 1 exterior quote?
- A written, itemized scope: pressure washing, scraping and sanding, caulking, priming where necessary, two weather-rated finish coats in Sherwin-Williams products, carpentry repairs if needed, and cleanup — backed by our 3-year residential workmanship warranty.
- When's the best time of year to paint an exterior here?
- Coastal Alabama's most reliable stretches are spring and fall — mild temperatures, lower humidity, fewer afternoon storms. Summer works with early starts and weather discipline; winter works on dry mild days with the right products. The seasonal guide covers the full calendar month by month.
- Why did I get two very different exterior quotes?
- Almost always scope: number of coats, how much prep is written in, whether carpentry is included, and product tier. National data ranges from $1,800 to $4,500 for typical projects (Angi, 2026) precisely because scope varies that much. Compare the written scopes line by line, not the bottom lines.
- Do you paint stucco, brick, and Hardie board?
- Yes — each with its own prep. Stucco gets moisture-appropriate products and back-rolling, brick gets masonry-appropriate primer, and prefinished Hardie gets color-matched and painted with the right adhesion steps. Surface-specific prep is most of what you're paying a professional for.
Want a real number for your exterior?
Free in-home estimate across Mobile + Baldwin County — we measure, check the prep list, and email a written quote within 24 hours.