house outside painting cost

I am planning to paint the outside of my house. It's a 2500 square feet, two story house. The siding material is cement for the upper part of both side of the house. I also want to get the deck painted. The quote I just received from a contractor is ~$6000, which is way above my budget although I don't really have a clear idea about the cost. Is there any suggestion in calculation of the total cost?

Thank you very much !

 

Remote estimation like this just generally is not reasonable as there are variables about which we are unaware. Best is to get three or more bids so you can compare and ask questions.

 

Thanks for your suggestion. I am trying to get more quotations, and this is the first one. It seemed that it's really much more expensive than I expected.

 

Labor prices can vary greatly in different locales so getting multiple estimates is the only way to get a firm handle on what it will cost you. The difference between cheap paint and quality paint is minimal especially when compared to the labor cost. The terrain and how the house is constructed can play a big part in the labor needed. Always check references before hiring a new contractor!

 

Three bids is the way to go, also check the local BBB.
No offense to professional painters, but be prepared to pay a high price even at the lowest bid.
Painters like to do the job right and must charge for it.
To save money, contact a professional painter directly and not a large company that employs very good painters.

 

You have to be careful who you hire! Locally, everyone thinks they are a painter and some pass themselves off as pro painters when I've seem inexperience homeowners that do better jobs. A good painter will do a good job. A small company where the owner is the painter or lead painter is normally cheaper than a big company ..... but you might have to wait longer for him to schedule the job in.

Some will skimp on prep and that is often a determining factor on how the job will look/last so that is something to pay attention to also.

 

I guess that if I had received a quote of only $6000, I wouldn't have started painting this house myself this year:

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/454110/Seeking_Opinions_on_House_Corn.html#Post454110

Some quotes I received exceeded $15,000, and then if I asked if they were insured (like for Workers Comp or General Liability), I'd never hear from them again.

One guy accepted my job in 2015; but then called up and cancelled because his Wife couldn't drive him over . . . . and he didn't have a Driver's License of his own.

Like Mark said, the quality of the job can vary all over the place, and the preparation for painting is critical, and makes every job different.

We're not finishing this job in 2016; but we're taking our time, having fun, and doing a "good job" !

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will contact more contractors. From homeadvisor, the cost should be roughly between $1700 and $3728.

2016 Cost to Paint a House | Average Home Exterior Painting Prices

 

I just painted one side of a 2 story house with 3" cedar clapboards (1 full day of scraping, 1 full day of painting... by hand, not sprayer), a total of 32 man hours... scrape, (it was ultra crispy) oil primer, 1 coat of paint, separate trim and fascia color, with exposed soffits... it was $1300. IMO that was a bargain for as nice of a job as we did, including cleanup.

But as mentioned, prices vary so get local estimates. The price doesn't seem outrageous to me.

 

Got another one today, even more expensive. I am wondering if I should just replace the cement siding with Vinyl. It may be cheaper.

 

This is a diy site. So why not paint it yourself?

 

As X said, painting it yourself would be a lot cheaper and we can give you guidance as needed.
As a painter I like painted siding and the fact that it's no big deal to change colors whenever you
want BUT vinyl siding does cut out a lot of maintenance! Just needs to be washed every so often.

 

Thank you very much. DIY is a good suggestion, but the siding is kind of too high. I am thinking of painting the deck and sun room by myself. I really appreciate all your suggestions.