Exterior House Painting cost: Collierville vs Knoxville (2026)
Budget-wise, exterior house painting in Collierville ($3,000) runs 2% more than in Knoxville ($2,950), a roughly $50 spread.
Collierville TN
Typically around $3,000
Knoxville TN
Lower costTypically around $2,950
Collierville vs Knoxville: full breakdown
| Factor | Collierville | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,000 | $2,950 |
| Estimated range | $1,700–$4,300 | $1,700–$4,200 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.95 | ×0.94 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Mixed |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,100 | $2,050 |
| Materials/equipment | $900 | $900 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Is the price difference a dealbreaker?
2% is within noise for exterior house painting — contractor selection and timing move the price more than which of these two metros you're in.
Exterior house painting by type: Collierville vs Knoxville
Below, each exterior house painting option is priced independently for both cities, with identical local labor, climate and permit logic applied — so the comparison holds up.
| Type | Collierville | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,600–$3,800 | $1,600–$3,750 |
| Wood siding | $1,800–$4,300 | $1,800–$4,200 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,100–$4,850 | $2,050–$4,800 |
| Stucco | $2,100–$4,750 | $2,050–$4,700 |
| Brick | $2,400–$5,250 | $2,350–$5,150 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
Exterior house painting by home size: Collierville vs Knoxville
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 | Collierville | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,450–$3,350 | $1,400–$3,300 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,700–$4,300 | $1,700–$4,200 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,100–$5,250 | $2,050–$5,150 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $2,850–$6,650 | $2,800–$6,550 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,600–$8,100 | $3,550–$7,950 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,300–$9,500 | $4,200–$9,350 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
What painting pros earn in each metro
With labor making up about 70% of a exterior house painting job, wage differences between metros do most of the work here. These figures are real BLS OEWS installer wages, not modeled estimates.
Memphis metro · about 7% below the US average installer wage.
No BLS metro wage series for Knoxville; we use Tennessee 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
Summer is peak season for exterior painting because the weather demands it, and prices follow demand. Interior painting isn't weather-dependent at all, which makes it the cheapest job to book in a slow winter month.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
A painting bid can look cheap and still deliver a bad result, because the number rarely reflects the prep behind it. Here's how our editors think about it.
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 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 timing case
Winter is dead season for interior painters, and the good crews will take your rooms then at a rate they won't quote in July. Exterior work runs the opposite calendar — it needs dry, mild days, so hold it for spring or fall. Paint rolled onto a cold or damp wall never cures right, and you end up paying for the job twice.
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.
Collierville vs Knoxville
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Collierville or Knoxville?
Yes — Collierville costs more. Expect around $3,000 for exterior house painting there against $2,950 in Knoxville, about $50 (2%) apart in 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Collierville than Knoxville?
It comes down to labor: Collierville indexes at 0.95 against Knoxville's 0.94. The mixed-vs-mixed climate difference adds to the gap.
How much is exterior house painting in Collierville, TN?
In Collierville, exterior house painting typically runs $1,700–$4,300 in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $3,000.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
No, the seasonal pattern is the same in Collierville and Knoxville: book during Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior for about 10–20% (interior, off-season) in savings. Mid-summer (exterior peak) is the priciest stretch in both cities, mostly due to emergency replacements.
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Probably not. Yes, $50 is a real gap, but it's a one-time cost you can partly offset in Collierville with off-season timing and tighter bids. Long-term factors like energy prices and home condition matter more than this one number.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik