Height changes the whole job
A single-storey house can mostly be painted from the ground and a stepladder. Add a second storey and nearly everything above the first-floor windows has to be reached from extension ladders, planks, scaffolding or a lift. Every hour up there is slower, safer work, with more setup and more moves. That is the core reason a two-storey repaint costs more than the square footage alone suggests.
The figures behind the weather days
NOAA's engineering weather data for Fort Hood/Gray AAF, near Killeen, lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 4.0 inches per hour and about 16 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. The wind and rainfall values are design figures for rare events, used to size buildings, not what a painting week will bring. They're a reminder, though, that wind and heavy rain are part of the record, and both matter on a tall job: ladders and planks aren't used in strong gusts, and fresh paint needs dry hours before rain. The freeze-thaw count is a reason to seal joints well, since water behind paint that freezes can lift it.
Access: the line to read first
Ask each painter how they'll reach the upper walls:
- Extension ladders are quick to set but slow to work from, and need firm, level ground.
- Ladder jacks and planks let a painter work along a wall instead of moving a ladder every few feet.
- Scaffolding costs more to set up and take down, but makes prep and painting on tall walls safer and more thorough.
- Lifts reach high gables quickly where there's room and firm ground to drive them.
Sloped lots, walls over a roof below, decks, pools and planting beds along the foundation all make access harder.
Prep on the high walls
Washing, scraping and caulking are the same jobs upstairs as down, but slower. Expect a proposal to cover:
- Washing the whole house, including the upper walls, soffits and eaves, then drying time.
- Scraping and sanding loose paint, feathering the edges.
- Spot-priming bare wood and patches.
- Caulking gaps at trim, corners and windows.
- Repairs to rotted trim or siding, priced separately or excluded in writing.
On high walls, it's tempting for a crew to skip prep where nobody can see it. Ask how they'll prepare the upper storey and whether you can look at it before the paint goes on.
Trim, soffits and fascia
On a two-storey house, much of the trim is high: fascia at the roofline, soffits under the eaves, upper window casings and gable vents. These take careful brush work from ladders or scaffolding and often a different sheen from the walls. The trim count can move the price as much as the wall area.
Product and number of coats
A quality exterior acrylic is the usual choice for walls; trim may get a harder-wearing satin or semi-gloss. A color change, a dark color or weathered siding usually means two coats. Spraying covers large walls fast but needs careful masking and back-rolling or back-brushing on rough surfaces. See exterior painting and paint sheens and finishes for more.
Weather days in the schedule
A tall exterior takes several working days, and weather can stop it: wind for ladder and plank work, rain for fresh paint, dew in the early morning. Ask whether the price is for the job or by the day, how weather delays are handled, and whether scaffolding rental continues while the crew waits.
Lead-safe work on older houses
If the house was built before 1978, scraping and sanding the old paint may disturb lead. Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. Outside, that means sheeting on the ground, controlling paint chips and dust, and careful cleanup, all of which take time and materials. You can ask whether the firm holds RRP certification before you sign.
Lining up the bids
Compare the access method, prep scope, repairs, primer, product names, coats on walls and trim, the schedule and how weather days are handled. The pricing guide explains how these turn into a number.