Exterior House Painting cost: Aurora vs Loveland (2026)
The two metros aren't quite in sync on exterior house painting: Aurora sits 11% above Loveland, or roughly $3,550 versus $3,200 — about $350 apart.
Aurora CO
Typically around $3,550
Loveland CO
Lower costTypically around $3,200
Aurora vs Loveland: full breakdown
| Factor | Aurora | Loveland |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,550 | $3,200 |
| Estimated range | $2,000–$5,050 | $1,800–$4,550 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.1 | ×0.99 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,500 | $2,250 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,050 | $950 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
Is the gap worth worrying about?
That's a real $350 difference (11%) on exterior house painting — worth factoring in, though off-season timing and a tighter quote in Aurora can narrow it.
Exterior house painting by type: Aurora vs Loveland
We localize each exterior house painting type separately for both metros, applying the same labor, climate and permit adjustments each time, so you're comparing like for like.
| Type | Aurora | Loveland |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,900–$4,500 | $1,700–$4,000 |
| Wood siding | $2,150–$5,050 | $1,900–$4,550 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,450–$5,750 | $2,200–$5,150 |
| Stucco | $2,450–$5,600 | $2,200–$5,050 |
| Brick | $2,800–$6,200 | $2,500–$5,550 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
Exterior house painting by home size: Aurora vs Loveland
Exterior painting is priced by the siding area, which tracks home size and the number of stories. Expect roughly $1–$4 per square foot of wall area; prep — scraping, sanding, and washing — often costs as much as the paint itself.
| Size | Aurora | Loveland |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,700–$3,950 | $1,500–$3,500 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $2,000–$5,050 | $1,800–$4,550 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,450–$6,200 | $2,200–$5,550 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,350–$7,850 | $3,000–$7,050 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,250–$9,550 | $3,800–$8,550 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $5,050–$11,250 | $4,550–$10,050 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
What painting pros earn in each metro
Labor is about 70% of a exterior house painting bill, so local wages drive most of the gap. These are real metro hourly wages for skilled installers (BLS OEWS), not estimates.
Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro · about 15% above the US average installer wage.
No BLS metro wage series for Loveland; we use Colorado regional price parity instead.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metro wages for HVAC installers (used as a trade-labor index).
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Because exterior paint needs warm, dry conditions, summer bookings are unavoidable and pricier. Interior painting sidesteps that constraint entirely — schedule it in winter, when crews have far less competing work.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
Most of a paint quote is labor and prep, not paint. Our editors on where the money should go.
The coverage case
A quote that promises 'one coat, done' is usually promising a thin film that telegraphs whatever was underneath. Primer and two finish coats is what holds the color and buries the old wall. Put both in writing; otherwise the cheaper bid is just less product spread further.
The prep-first case
The finish that lasts is built before the first coat goes on — washing, sanding glossy spots, patching nail holes, caulking gaps. Skip that and the paint releases from the wall within a season, no matter whose can it came from. A bid comes in low mostly by cutting the prep hours, so read that line before you read the brand line.
The timing case
Interior work in the trade's slow winter season catches the best crews at the best price. Save exterior jobs for dry weather — rushing paint onto a damp or cold wall guarantees a redo.
Where a crew spends its hours decides how the job ages: sanding, patching and caulking up front, then full coats over primer. Time the interior work for winter and the exterior for dry weather, and the finish holds for years instead of months.
Aurora vs Loveland
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Aurora or Loveland?
Loveland comes out ahead here, at roughly $3,200 for exterior house painting compared with $3,550 in Aurora — a 11% ($350) gap as of 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Aurora than Loveland?
Labor rates explain most of it — 1.1 in Aurora vs 0.99 in Loveland. A cold climate versus cold accounts for the rest.
How much is exterior house painting in Aurora, CO?
exterior house painting in Aurora runs $2,000–$5,050 as of 2026 — most jobs land near $3,550.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
The best window is the same in both Aurora and Loveland: Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior, when demand drops and installers discount to keep crews busy — typically 10–20% (interior, off-season) off peak pricing. The most expensive time anywhere is an emergency replacement during mid-summer (exterior peak).
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
That would be a stretch. $350 is a one-time difference, not an ongoing one, and off-season buying plus apples-to-apples bids in Aurora can close a good chunk of it. What matters more long-term is energy costs, climate and the condition of the home.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik