What it costs to paint a house in 77081 (Houston, TX) in 2026
Painting the outside of the typical home in 77081 runs about $2,900–$5,300 in labor, with paint extra. The typical home here is about 2,250 sq ft, built around 1960, and 37% of homes have two or more stories.
| 77081 at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Single-family homes on county records | 1,007 |
| Median living area | 2,250 sq ft (middle half 1,720–2,870) |
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Built before 1978 | 61% |
| Two or more stories | 37% |
| Exterior paint, typical home (labor) | $2,900–$5,300 |
| Rank (most expensive first) | 54 of 213 Houston-area ZIPs |
Free, about 30 seconds. We read size and stories from public county records; no name or phone needed. After your estimate you can see painters near 77081 and ask them for quotes.
How 77081 compares
The middle of the 77081 range is 22% above the typical Houston-area home (middle $3,350) and 19% above the middle Harris County ZIP ($3,450).
| ZIP | Area | Median sq ft | 2+ stories | Exterior paint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77078 | Houston | 1,300 | 7% | $1,900–$3,400 |
| 77083 | Houston | 1,950 | 40% | $2,400–$4,300 |
| 77080 | Houston | 1,870 | 38% | $2,700–$4,800 |
| 77081 | Houston | 2,250 | 37% | $2,900–$5,300 |
| 77082 | Houston | 2,040 | 53% | $3,200–$6,200 |
| 77079 | Houston | 2,780 | 69% | $3,800–$7,300 |
What moves the price in 77081
One story or two. About 37% of homes in 77081 are two-story, so two neighbors on the same street can get very different quotes. If yours is one story, expect the lower half of the range; a two-story of the same size usually lands in the upper half.
Size varies a lot. The middle half of homes here runs from 1,720 to 2,870 sq ft. A home near 1,720 sq ft typically prices below this page's range; one near 2,870 sq ft above it.
Older homes and lead-safe rules. 61% of homes in 77081 were built before 1978. Paint on those homes may contain lead, and federal EPA rules require a lead-safe certified firm for work that disturbs it, with containment and cleanup that add time. Ask whether a painter is EPA RRP certified. Houston homes built before 1978: what the lead rules mean for painting.
Worked example
A 2,250 sq ft one-story home in 77081, mostly brick with painted siding, trim and soffits: pressure wash, caulk, two coats on the painted surfaces. Labor about $2,900–$5,300. Wood rot repair, a color change from dark to light, and paint itself are on top. That's a planning number, not a quote; a painter will confirm after seeing the house.
Questions
How much does it cost to paint a house in 77081?
For the typical home in 77081 (about 2,250 sq ft, one-story), exterior painting labor runs about $2,900–$5,300 in 2026. Paint is extra; your estimate shows it separately. Your own home can be higher or lower; enter the address on Homestimo to get its range.
Is 77081 more expensive to paint than the rest of Houston?
The middle of the 77081 range is 22% above the Houston-area typical home ($3,350 at the middle) and 19% above the Harris County ZIP median. It ranks 54 of 213 Houston-area ZIPs from most to least expensive.
What makes painting quotes in 77081 go up?
A second story, more siding versus brick, wood rot on trim, lead-safe work on pre-1978 homes, and color changes that need an extra coat.
Related guides
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- 1 in 4 Houston-area homes was built before 1978: what that means for painting (2026 data)
- New floors before Thanksgiving? LVP timing and costs in Houston (2026)
How we got these numbers: Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) 2026 roll, single-family homes from 400 to 12,000 sq ft. "Typical home" is the home closest to the ZIP's median size with its most common number of stories; the range is the live Homestimo exterior estimate for that home (default options, run 2026-10-20). Not a quote. All Houston-area ZIPs.