Exterior painting cost in Dallas–Fort Worth (2026): labor, paint and the first-freeze deadline
Painting the outside of a typical 2,000 sq ft one-story Dallas–Fort Worth home costs about $2,500–$4,500 if it is mostly brick and $4,300–$8,100 if it is all siding, in Homestimo's October 2026 pricing; labor is roughly 80–90% of that. The National Weather Service puts DFW's average first freeze on November 22, so fall jobs are best booked now.
North Texas gives exterior painters a shorter fall than the Gulf Coast does. The heat breaks in October, and by late November the first freeze usually arrives. If peeling trim or sun-faded siding has been on your list since summer, here is what a DFW exterior repaint costs right now, how much of it is labor, and how to fit it in before the cold.
2026 prices for a one-story home
A 2,000 sq ft one-story home, priced with the pro supplying the paint:
| Walls | Labor | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Brick* | $2,000–3,900 | $2,500–4,500 |
| Half | $2,600–5,000 | $3,000–5,600 |
| Siding | $3,500–7,000 | $4,300–8,100 |
*Mostly brick: only siding, gables and trim are painted. "Half" is about half brick, half siding. Good surface condition, two coats, one garage door, typical home built around 1990. Source: Homestimo pricing model, October 2026.
Paint and supplies are the gap between the two columns: about $500–$600 on a mostly brick house and $800–$1,100 on an all-siding one. That is why a cheaper paint rarely changes an exterior quote much. Prep time, ladder work and the number of surfaces do.
One story or two? Check what the county has on file
Stories move an exterior price more than square footage does. Homestimo's DFW data covers about 1.8 million homes across Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Johnson, Kaufman, Rockwall and Ellis counties. The appraisal records in Dallas, Denton, Johnson and Rockwall counties list the number of stories. Tarrant, Collin, Kaufman and Ellis records generally do not, so for homes there we assume two stories at 2,800 sq ft and up and one story below that, and we ask you to confirm.
It is worth the click. Here is the same 3,000 sq ft home both ways:
| Walls | 1 story | 2 stories |
|---|---|---|
| Brick* | $3,100–5,700 | $4,000–8,100 |
| Half | $3,900–7,100 | $5,300–10,500 |
| Siding | $5,500–10,100 | $7,800–15,800 |
Totals with paint supplied by the pro, good condition. A two-story home has more wall area for the same living area and needs ladders or scaffolding for the upper floor, which the model prices at 15–25% more.
A worked example
Take a 2,000 sq ft one-story that is about half brick, with some peeling and failed caulk on the trim. Homestimo prices it at $3,300–$6,800: about $2,800–$5,900 for labor and $500–$900 for paint and supplies. Behind that number:
- About 1,770 sq ft of outside wall after windows and doors, half of it painted siding.
- Roughly 230 ft of soffit and fascia, 20 window surrounds, two entry doors and one garage door.
- Paint for two coats: about 6 gallons of exterior acrylic for the siding and 3 gallons for soffit and trim.
- Extra prep for the peeling areas (the model adds 10–20% for "some" condition problems). Wood rot repair is not included.
If the same house were in good shape, the range drops to $3,000–$5,600. If the brick is painted too, it rises well above both.
Why DFW runs a little above Houston
Homestimo's DFW ranges start from the same model as Houston and add a local labor adjustment of about 3–6%. On the 2,000 sq ft mostly brick home, that is $2,500–$4,500 in DFW versus $2,400–$4,200 in the Houston area. The adjustment is an estimate for now; as we collect more local bids, we will tighten it. Materials are priced the same, and the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth charge the same 8.25% combined sales tax as Houston.
The North Texas calendar: paint before the freeze
- First freeze. The National Weather Service Fort Worth office lists November 22 as DFW's average first freeze. The earliest on record came on October 22, so a cold snap in early November is not unusual.
- Thanksgiving week. The same office lists DFW's normal Thanksgiving high and low as 63°F and 43°F. Afternoons can still work; early mornings often will not.
- Paint limits. Sherwin-Williams says some newer exterior latex lines can go on as low as 35°F, while traditional latex needs warmer air. It also says most products need about 4 hours of dry time before dew or moisture settles on them.
In practice, a late-fall DFW job runs on short days: start after the dew dries, stop early enough for the last coat to dry before evening, and skip days with a hard freeze in the forecast. A crew booked in October has room to wait for good days. One booked for December may push your job to spring.
What to ask a DFW painter
- Which surfaces are in the price: siding, gables, soffits, fascia, window trim, doors, garage door? Is any brick painted?
- Which product line, and what is its minimum application temperature? What happens to the schedule if a cold front comes through?
- How is wood rot priced if they find it during prep: per board, per foot, or a set allowance?
- If you live in an HOA community, does the color need approval first? Repainting the same colors is usually simpler.
- Already have a quote? Quote Compare compares it with a fair range for your home. Or get a free estimate for your own address, with labor and materials shown apart.
Painting in Houston instead? See fall exterior painting costs in Houston.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a house in Dallas–Fort Worth?
For a typical 2,000 sq ft one-story home, about $2,500 to $4,500 if it is mostly brick and $4,300 to $8,100 if it is all siding, in Homestimo's October 2026 pricing. Two-story homes cost more.
How much of an exterior painting quote is labor?
Most of it. On a 2,000 sq ft one-story DFW home, Homestimo estimates paint and supplies at about $500 to $1,100 depending on how much siding there is; the rest is labor, prep and ladder work.
When is too late to paint a house exterior in North Texas?
The National Weather Service lists DFW's average first freeze as November 22. Some newer exterior paints can be applied as low as 35°F, but days get short and mornings cold, so booking in October gives your painter room to work around the weather.
Why does a two-story house cost so much more to paint?
A two-story home has more outside wall for the same living area, and the upper floor needs ladders or scaffolding. In Homestimo's model that adds 15 to 25 percent on top of the larger wall area.
Prices are Homestimo's Dallas–Fort Worth planning ranges (pricing updated October 2026), not contractor quotes. DFW prices use a local labor adjustment of about 3–6% above our Houston baseline; that adjustment is an estimate until we have more local bids. Freeze dates and Thanksgiving normals are from the National Weather Service Fort Worth office's DFW climate pages; application and dry-time guidance is from Sherwin-Williams' exterior product application FAQ, checked October 2026. Home counts and story data come from 2026 county appraisal district records in Homestimo's database. Your price depends on your home, your contractor and the exact scope; get several written quotes before you hire.