Height changes everything
The second storey of a house doesn't have more paint per wall than the first. It has more effort per wall. Every scraped patch, every caulked joint and every coat up there needs the painter on a ladder, a scaffold or a lift, moving equipment along the wall as they go. That's the heart of how a two-storey exterior repaint is priced in Owensboro.
Evansville's figures, and why they're here
NOAA's engineering weather data for Owensboro comes from Evansville, so the figures here are that station's: NOAA's engineering weather data for Evansville lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.3 inches per hour and about 48 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. In an average year at Evansville, about 30 miles from Owensboro, NOAA counts about 809 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 1,990 hours above 67°F.
On a tall exterior, those figures point at the upper parts of the house: fascia, gable trim and window heads, which a homeowner can't easily reach between repaints. Freeze-thaw and moisture tend to show up there as open joints and peeling. Humid hours affect how long washed siding needs to dry and how late in the day paint can go on.
Access: ladders, scaffolds and lifts
How a crew reaches the upper walls affects the price more than almost anything else:
- Extension ladders suit open, level ground and simple walls.
- Ladder jacks and planks let a crew work a long run of wall at height.
- Scaffolding suits big gables, steep slopes and long jobs.
- Lifts reach high walls where ground allows, at the cost of rental and setup.
Porch roofs, sunrooms, steep yards and tight side yards between houses all complicate setup. Ask how the painter plans to reach each side.
Gables, dormers and trim
The highest parts of a house are usually the most detailed: gable vents, decorative trim, dormer cheeks and window heads. These take hand brushing at height. A simple box with a hip roof is quicker than a house with several gables and dormers.
Prep, wall by wall
A painter often prices each side separately because condition varies. The side that takes the most weather may need full scraping, sanding and priming, while a sheltered side may need only washing and spot priming. Expect the proposal to describe the prep for each.
Repairs at height
Soft fascia, split trim and failed window sills are common up high. Carpentry at height takes longer than at ground level. Ask how repairs are priced and whether they're included.
Coats and products
Two finish coats over primed areas is common on a full repaint. Paint quality affects coverage and how often you'll repaint. Trim usually takes a higher sheen than siding. See paint sheens and finishes.
Lead-safe work on a tall house
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.
On a two-storey house built before 1978, chips fall farther and spread wider, so ground sheeting has to extend farther out from the wall. That adds setup time. You can ask the painter whether their firm holds RRP certification.
Weather slack
Exterior jobs pause for rain, cold and dew. On a big house, a few lost days can push the finish back. A proposal with a start window and a weather clause is more realistic than a fixed finish date.
Questions for the proposal
1. How will you reach each side and the gables? 2. What prep is planned for each side? 3. Which repairs are included, and which priced extra? 4. Which primer, paint, sheen and how many coats? 5. How far out will ground sheeting go?
See exterior painting and the pricing guide for more detail.