Windows are the slowest thing on a house to paint
Painters often say that a house with many windows takes twice as long as one without, and the reason is plain once you look closely. Each wood window has a sash with narrow bars and putty lines, a frame, a sill, casing and sometimes a stool inside, all brushed by hand and all needing protection for the glass. On an older house, windows also carry some of the most worn paint. This guide explains what drives the price.
Count and type
The first driver is how many windows, and what kind. Double-hung sashes with divided lights take far longer than a single pane. Casements, storm windows and shutters each add their own work. Ask the painter to list the windows priced, by side of the house or by room.
Sills and friction surfaces
EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule covers anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978; EPA notes worn lead-based paint on friction surfaces such as window sills can produce hazardous chips and dust, and the rule generally does not apply to homeowners working on their own homes unless they rent them out.
On a pre-1978 house, that matters for price. Scraping and sanding sashes, sills and jambs is exactly the kind of work the rule covers. Lead-safe practice adds plastic sheeting inside and out, misting, careful handling of chips and a thorough cleanup. You can ask whether the firm holds RRP certification; the extra time it describes is part of a responsible proposal.
The weather a window faces
NOAA's engineering weather data for Springfield/Capital 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 51 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. Those are the Springfield/Capital station's figures, quoted as NOAA gives them.
Sills face up into rain, and water that soaks into cracked sill paint can freeze and thaw there through the year. That's why sills usually need the most preparation of any part of a window, and why their condition often sets the price.
Glazing putty
On older sashes, the putty that holds the glass dries, cracks and falls out. Paint won't save it. Replacing loose putty is slow work and some putty needs days to skin over before it can be painted. Ask whether reglazing is included or quoted separately.
Rot repair
Sill ends, the bottom rails of sashes and the lower corners of casing are where rot starts. Soft wood is dug out and filled with epoxy, or the piece is replaced. Repairs are often priced as found, since the extent isn't clear until the old paint comes off.
Primer and coats
Bare wood from scraping takes a primer, then finish coats. Window trim usually gets a durable enamel that resists sticking when the sash closes. Getting a sash to slide freely after painting, without the paint gluing it shut, is part of the skill.
Access and the glass
Upper-floor windows are reached by ladder, one at a time. Glass is protected with tape or scraped clean afterwards. Storm windows may need taking off and putting back. Each step adds time.
Inside and out
Some jobs cover only the outside; others include the interior side of the sash, the stool and the casing. Painting both sides means working in your rooms too, with interior containment on an older house.
Comparing proposals
- The windows included, by count and type.
- Scraping, lead-safe containment and cleanup.
- Reglazing and rot repair, and how they're priced.
- Primer and finish product, and number of coats.
See our exterior painting page and pricing guide for more.