Exterior Painting
Exterior house painting in Huntley, IL
Exterior work is priced by the surfaces we are painting and their condition, then adjusted for the material, the number of stories and how much scraping and priming the surface needs. Every house measures differently, so the fastest way to a real number is the estimator.
Not ready for a number? Skip the estimator and schedule a call.
Priced elevation by elevation: front, right, left and back
We quote each side of the house you want painted, so two sides cost less than four. Within each side, the surfaces we are painting and their condition, material, stories and prep are what move an exterior price. Wash, scrape, caulk, spot prime and two coats of premium exterior paint are included in every one of our exterior estimates.
Price it in the estimatorExterior painting estimate
$5,421to$6,746
Real range from our rate card. No form, no sales visit needed to see it.
- Siding, trim and soffits2494 sq ft of siding at $2.10
- $5,238
- Stories
- x 1.15
What drives the number
Why one house costs more than the next
Nothing here is a mystery. These are the six things that move your price, up or down.
Siding material
Vinyl washes and sprays fast. Wood needs scraping, sanding and spot priming, and that is the single biggest swing in an exterior price.
Stories and roof pitch
Everything above the first floor takes ladders or staging. A three story gable end costs more per square foot than the same wall at ground level.
How much is failing
Paint peeling in sheets means we are removing the old finish, not just coating it. That is prep hours, and it is where cheap bids quietly cut.
Trim, soffit, fascia and shutters
A body-only repaint is the cheapest version. Every additional element, garage doors, railings, shutters, adds its own line.
Color change and coverage
Going from tan to white, or covering a dark stain, often needs an extra coat. We would rather charge for it than watch it look thin in a year.
Rot and carpentry
We flag soft trim and rotted sills before we paint. Small repairs we handle, and anything structural we tell you to get fixed first.
What does not change it
Whether you seem like you can afford it. Our rate card is the same for every house in Huntley. The size of your driveway does not move the number.
Before you book
How an exterior is priced, and what to know first
- You pay by the side of the house
- We build an exterior quote elevation by elevation: front, right, left and back. So paying to paint two sides costs less than paying to paint all four. Each side is priced by the surfaces we are painting and their condition, then adjusted for material, stories and color change.
- No per foot rate is published
- We do not publish a per foot rate, so the honest answer is to run the estimator and get a real range for your own house.
- What every exterior estimate includes
- Wash, scrape, caulk, spot prime and two coats of premium exterior paint are included in every one of our exterior estimates. Full site cleanup each evening. Our painting warranty runs five years, which is how long we expect the paint to last. The warranty terms are written on your estimate.
- Rot gets flagged first
- We flag soft trim and rotted sills before we paint. Small repairs we handle, and anything structural we tell you to get fixed first.
- Weather sets the calendar
- Late April through mid October is the season in our area. We need dry surfaces and temperatures that hold above roughly 50 degrees overnight for the coating to cure properly. Below that, we will schedule you for spring rather than take your money for a finish that may fail. If it is going to rain, we stop before the weather becomes an issue.
- Paying
- A 50% deposit books the work. We accept cash, check and card. We do not offer financing.
How it goes
Four steps, start to finish
- 01
Price it yourself
Put your square footage, stories and siding type into the estimator and see a real range immediately.
- 02
Walkaround
We walk the whole house with you, point out failing areas and rot, and write down exactly what gets painted and what does not.
- 03
Wash, prep, protect
Pressure wash, scrape, sand, caulk and spot prime. Plants, windows, roofs and driveways all get covered before a drop of paint moves.
- 04
Paint and final walk
Two coats where the spec calls for it, full cleanup each evening, then a walkaround with you before we pull off the property.
Our work
Real jobs, real houses, our own photos
Straight talk
When we would tell you not to hire us
We would rather lose the job than take money for work that will not hold up or that you do not need yet. Here are times we tell people to wait or spend their money somewhere else.
Your siding is at the end of its life
If the wood is soft or the boards are splitting, paint is a two year band-aid on a replacement job. Spend the money on siding, not on us.
It is late November in Illinois
Below about 50 degrees, most exterior coatings do not cure right. We will schedule you for spring rather than take your money for a finish that may fail.
You only need one wall touched up
A single fade-out wall usually will not match the rest of the house. Wait until the whole elevation is due.
Comparison
D'Franco versus a typical low bid
Both columns are honest. Read the last row carefully.
| What you are comparing | D'Franco | Typical low bid |
|---|---|---|
| Surface prep | Wash, scrape, sand, caulk and spot prime, all written into the estimate. | A rinse and a coat without the full prep scope. |
| Rot and soft trim | Flagged and photographed before we paint, with a repair price. | Painted over, and you find it when the trim gives out. |
| Coats and coverage | Spec is written down. If it needs two, you get two. | One coat sprayed thin is a common way to hit a low number. |
| Property protection | Plants, roofs, windows, drives and walks all masked and covered. | Overspray on the roof shingles and the neighbor's car. |
| If it fails in year three | Five year painting warranty, terms written on your estimate, and we are still in Huntley. | You are calling a disconnected number. |
| What you pay on signing day | Higher. We are not the cheapest exterior bid you will get. | Usually cheaper, sometimes by thousands. |
Last row included on purpose. If price on the day is the only thing that matters, we are not going to win, and that is fine.
Questions
Answers, including the awkward ones
What does it cost to paint the outside of a house in Huntley?
We build an exterior quote elevation by elevation: front, right, left and back. So paying to paint two sides costs less than paying to paint all four. Each side is priced by the surfaces we are painting and their condition, then adjusted for material, stories and color change. We do not publish a per foot rate, so the honest answer is to run the estimator and get a real range for your own house in about 30 seconds.
How long does exterior paint last around here?
Paint life depends on the surface, prep, coating and exposure. Check for peeling, cracking and moisture before deciding whether to repaint.
When is the best time of year for exterior painting?
Late April through mid October in our area. We need dry surfaces and temperatures that hold above roughly 50 degrees overnight for the coating to cure properly.
Do you spray or brush and roll?
Both, depending on the surface. Siding usually sprays and back-rolls, trim and doors get brushed. We tell you which method your house is getting and why.
What happens if it rains?
We are always watching the weather. The products we use dry fast, such as Sherwin Williams Latitude with a 30 minute cure time. If it is going to rain, we stop before the weather becomes an issue.
How do you know the products you use will hold up?
We test what we use in our own places first, before we use it in yours. David's kitchen is one example. We painted his cabinets with the same process and materials we use in your home, and 14 years later they still look great.
Learning Center
Keep reading before you buy
Exterior painting cost guide
Every factor that moves an exterior price, with real numbers from our jobs.
Why exterior paint fails early
Peeling, chalking and blistering, what causes each and who is at fault.
Paint versus stain on cedar
An honest look at when stain is the better call than paint.
See your exterior painting price before spring books up.
Run your own numbers first. If they work, we will come out and confirm them on your actual house.