How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a house in Massachusetts?

Full exterior repaints on the South Shore commonly run about $4,500 to $14,000. Surface condition — how much scraping, sanding and priming bare wood is needed — usually matters more than square footage.

Is pressure washing included in exterior painting?

We include washing as part of the prep. As a standalone service, washing a house exterior generally runs about $300 to $700 in this area.

Does painting cedar shingles cost more than vinyl?

Usually yes. Shingles and clapboards have far more edges and absorb more coating, and cedar often needs a stain-blocking primer to stop tannin bleed.

When is the best time to paint an exterior here?

Late spring through early fall. Cold nights and heavy dew in the shoulder seasons interfere with cure and adhesion.

Painting Costs

Exterior Painting Cost in Massachusetts

September 2, 2026 · 6 min read

Exterior of a New England home being prepped and repainted

Full exterior repaints in this area commonly run about $4,500 to $14,000, and pressure washing a house exterior about $300 to $700. That is a wide band because two houses of the same size can need completely different amounts of work.

Salt air, freeze-thaw cycles and south-facing sun mean South Shore exteriors fail unevenly. One elevation can be sound while another is down to bare wood. The bid is really pricing that condition.

The cost drivers on a New England exterior

Siding type sets the baseline; condition sets the real price.

Clapboard and cedar shingles: more linear feet, more edges, more brushwork than flat panels
Peeling and bare wood: scraping, feather-sanding and spot-priming is the single biggest variable
Trim, rakes, soffits, corner boards and window casings: slow, detailed work
Rot and failed caulk joints: carpentry repairs come before coating
Number of stories and site access: staging and ladder work add hours
Coastal exposure in Hull, Cohasset and Scituate: more washing, more sanding, tighter caulking
Color change or going over a dark body color: often an extra coat

Why prep is most of the bill

Exterior coatings do not fail because the paint was cheap. They fail because they were applied over a surface that could not hold them — chalky old paint, damp wood, glossy unsanded trim, or peeling edges that were painted over instead of scraped back.

When a quote is thousands lower than the others, compare the prep language, not the price. Ask how bare wood is primed, whether edges are feather-sanded, and how failed caulk is handled.

Timing affects cost and results

In Massachusetts the reliable exterior window runs from late spring through early fall, when surface temperatures and overnight dew allow proper cure. Work squeezed into cold, damp shoulder weeks risks adhesion problems that cost far more to correct.

Booking earlier in the season usually means better scheduling flexibility, not a discount — the labor is the same.

What a complete exterior quote should say

Wash method and dry time before coating
How peeling areas are scraped and sanded, and how far back
Which primer is used on bare wood, knots and tannin-prone cedar
Caulking scope: which joints, which product
Rot repair handled or excluded, in writing
Surfaces included: body, trim, doors, shutters, railings, foundation
Number of coats and product line