In the Puget Sound region, a 2,000 sq ft home typically runs $4,500 to $9,500. The range is wide because square footage is one of the weaker predictors of exterior cost. 

What actually drives it: siding material (cedar and older wood need substantially more prep than fiber cement or vinyl), number of stories and access difficulty, the amount of trim and architectural detail, how much of the existing coating is failing, and whether carpentry repair is needed once we wash and can see the substrate. A single-story fiber cement rambler and a two-story cedar home of identical square footage can differ by $4,000 on prep alone. 

In Western Washington, May through October. Late June through early October is the most reliable stretch. 

The real constraints are surface temperature and moisture rather than the calendar. Most quality exterior coatings need surfaces above roughly 38°F through the full cure, which in our climate means the overnight low matters as much as the daytime high. Dew forming on a coating that has not cured causes surfactant leaching — streaky brown residue that homeowners read as a failed paint job. That is why we track dew point rather than just checking the forecast, and why we will push a start date rather than paint into a marginal night. 

Preparation is the job; the paint is the easy part. A correct exterior sequence is: pressure wash to remove dirt, chalk, mildew, and loose material, then allow full dry time — typically 24 to 48 hours here, longer in shaded areas. Scrape and sand all failing coating to a sound edge. Make carpentry repairs and replace rotted trim or siding. Caulk joints, gaps, and end grain with a quality elastomeric sealant. Spot-prime all bare wood and any stains that would bleed through. Then apply two full coats of quality 100% acrylic coating. 

The steps most often skipped when a bid comes in low are dry time, spot priming, and caulking. All three are invisible on the day the crew leaves and all three determine whether the finish lasts eight years or fifteen. If one bid is dramatically cheaper than the others, the difference is almost always here — ask each bidder to specify their prep sequence in writing and compare those, not the totals. 

Seven to twelve years for most homes here, though that average conceals a lot of variation. South- and west-facing elevations take the most UV and weather and commonly need attention several years before the rest of the house. 

Our climate is hard on coatings in a specific way: sustained damp rather than extreme heat. Persistent moisture drives mildew growth and, on wood siding, wood rot behind any coating breach. Watch for chalking that transfers to your hand, hairline checking, caulk separating at trim joints, and any bare wood. Addressing those is maintenance. Waiting until siding is compromised converts a paint project into a carpentry project at several times the cost. 

Certain colors (like Navy blue and bright red) may need to be re-painted sooner than a neutral color

We stop, cover, and resume when conditions allow — and you are told the same day rather than left guessing. 

Rain on an uncured coating causes real problems: washout, surfactant leaching, and adhesion failure. This is why we build weather contingency into the schedule rather than promising dates the Pacific Northwest cannot support. A contractor who guarantees an exact completion date for exterior work in this region is either padding heavily or planning to paint in conditions they should not.