How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Exterior of a Commercial Building in 2025?
Painting a commercial building exterior costs an average of $12,000
On average, the cost to paint the exterior of a commercial building ranges from $5,500 to $18,500, with an average price of $12,000.
Costs shift with building size, paint type, and local labor rates.
Regular repainting protects the structure and keeps your brand looking sharp.
Budget carefully for prep work, materials, and potential repairs.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
The average cost to paint a commercial building’s exterior ranges from $5,500 to $18,500, with a national average price of $12,000. Most buildings need a fresh coat every few years to stay sharp and shield surfaces from weather damage. When you run the numbers, remember that paint type, building size, and pro labor drive the final bill.
Commercial Exterior Painting Cost Factors
How much you’ll spend to paint the exterior of your commercial building depends on a variety of factors. Here’s a closer look at how your total breaks down.
Square Footage
Exterior painting pros charge $2 to $6 per square foot of paintable surface or $50 to $100 per hour. To size up the job, they multiply wall length by height and subtract doors and windows to get the true paintable footage.
| Paintable Square Feet | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 2,000 | $4,000–$12,000 |
| 5,000 | $10,000–$30,000 |
| 10,000 | $20,000–$60,000 |
Materials
Paint for a commercial building’s exterior cost $25 to $150 per gallon. A gallon of paint covers anywhere from 75 to 400 square feet, depending on the type of surface and paint.
| Paint Type | Cost per Gallon | Coverage per Gallon (Sq. Ft.) |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic | $25–$60 | 250–400 |
| Elastomeric | $40–$80 | 75–300 |
| Epoxy | $50–$120 | 200–350 |
| Specialty paint | $75–$150 | 80–300 |
Labor
Hiring a commercial painter runs $50 to $100 per hour. A seasoned crew can coat roughly 150 to 200 square feet each hour, so labor alone quickly becomes a major slice of the budget.
Prep Work
Before your crew can begin painting, there are some preparation tasks to consider:
Crack repair: These are often included in the project cost.
Large hole repairs: Most painters fold these into the quote as line-item fees. Pricing depends on the amount of damage and the repair method required, with average costs ranging from $500 to $5,000.
Pressure washing: Your building’s surface must be properly cleaned before painting starts.
Additional Cost Factors
There are a few factors to consider when comparing estimates from professionals for your commercial painting project, including:
Accessibility: Once walls exceed 15 feet, crews add lifts or scaffolding, which raises equipment and labor costs.
Paint brand and color: Different colors and brands vary in price.
Custom work: Adding logos, murals, and signs increases your costs.
Surface type: Paintinga rough textured surface like brick requires more paint, so they have a higher cost per square foot than a smooth surface.
Budgeting for the Cost to Paint the Exterior of a Commercial Building
Consider these cost-saving strategies when planning your exterior painting project:
Get detailed quotes from at least three local exterior painting companies that specialize in commercial jobs to compare rates and ensure competitive pricing.
Book your painting job in the off-season to take advantage of potential discounts.
Choose lower-cost, standard paint over high-end brands or colors.
Clear the building area of obstacles to make the job go faster and reduce labor costs.
Regularly maintain your building’s painted surfaces to reduce the need for a full repaint job.
DIY vs. Hiring Exterior Painting Pros
Labor often makes up more than half of the total cost. If you’re working on a small, single-story building and have the bandwidth, DIY can work—but be realistic about the hours involved. For taller or more intricate properties, a local commercial painter brings the equipment, crew, and safety training needed to finish the job efficiently.
Plan on $50 to $120 for every 150 square feet when you apply two coats yourself. Factor in what your own time is worth—finishing 150 square feet can take an inexperienced DIYer eight to 12 hours. A professional crew can wrap up the same area in half that time.
Booking a professional crew for your commercial exterior painting job ensures fast results, proper surface preparation, and a durable, long-lasting finish.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.