Exterior Painting Cost in Metro Detroit (2026)
Exterior painting in Metro Detroit generally runs $2–$5 per square foot of wall area, which puts most single-family homes in the $3,500–$9,000 range. Prep condition is the biggest variable: a sound house paints fast, while one with peeling paint, chalking, and rot can double the labor. Here is what shapes the number.
What drives the price
Surface area and stories come first — a two-story with steep gables needs more staging and time than a ranch. Prep is the wildcard: scraping failing paint, sanding, priming bare wood, and repairing rot are slow and can outweigh the painting itself. Siding type matters too, since brick, aluminum, and detailed wood trim each demand different products and technique. Finally, the number of colors and the amount of trim detail add cutting and masking hours.
Typical ranges by surface
- Aluminum or vinyl siding, sound: $2–$3 / sq ft
- Wood siding with normal prep: $3–$4 / sq ft
- Heavy scraping, rot repair, or multi-story: $4–$5+ / sq ft
- Brick (masonry coating): priced per project; labor-heavy and permanent
Trim-only or door-and-shutter refreshes are often quoted as a flat package.
How to keep the quote honest
Insist the quote spells out the prep — washing, scraping, priming, and any rot repair — plus the product and number of coats. Exterior bids vary wildly precisely because of prep, and the cheap one usually got cheap by planning to skip it. When we match you with a crew, the estimate names what they will do to the surface before they paint, so you can judge the bid on substance rather than the bottom line.
More on Exterior Painting
Quick answers
Why are exterior quotes so different from each other?
Does painting brick cost more than siding?
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