Exterior House Painting cost: Fort Collins vs Longmont (2026)
Budget-wise, exterior house painting in Fort Collins ($3,200) runs 2% less than in Longmont ($3,250), a roughly $50 spread.
Fort Collins CO
Lower costTypically around $3,200
Longmont CO
Typically around $3,250
Fort Collins vs Longmont: full breakdown
| Factor | Fort Collins | Longmont |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,200 | $3,250 |
| Estimated range | $1,800–$4,550 | $1,850–$4,600 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.99 | ×1 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,250 | $2,300 |
| Materials/equipment | $950 | $950 |
All figures are 2026 localized planning estimates for exterior house painting — get an actual quote before you commit.
Is the gap worth worrying about?
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: Fort Collins vs Longmont
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 | Fort Collins | Longmont |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,700–$4,000 | $1,750–$4,100 |
| Wood siding | $1,900–$4,550 | $1,950–$4,600 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,200–$5,150 | $2,250–$5,200 |
| Stucco | $2,200–$5,050 | $2,250–$5,100 |
| Brick | $2,500–$5,550 | $2,550–$5,600 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
Exterior house painting by home size: Fort Collins vs Longmont
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 | Fort Collins | Longmont |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,500–$3,500 | $1,550–$3,550 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,800–$4,550 | $1,850–$4,600 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,200–$5,550 | $2,250–$5,600 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,000–$7,050 | $3,050–$7,150 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,800–$8,550 | $3,900–$8,650 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,550–$10,050 | $4,600–$10,200 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Summer's exterior-painting rush is really a weather requirement, not a preference, and prices reflect it. Interior work has no such requirement, making the trade's quiet winter months the cheapest time to book it.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
The paint can is almost beside the point. Our editors on what actually drives a painting budget — and where corners get cut.
The coverage case
One-coat quotes win on price by putting less paint on the wall, and you see the difference within months as the old color ghosts through. The defensible standard is primer plus two finish coats. Get coat count and primer named in the contract so a lower number can't quietly mean thinner coverage.
The timing case
Book interior rooms during the slow winter stretch and you get first-string crews without the summer premium. Outside work can't be pushed against the weather: wait until the siding is dry and temperatures hold, or the coat fails to bond and the whole wall comes back around.
The prep-first case
Most of a durable coat is what happens to the surface first: filling holes, scuffing old sheen so the paint grips, sealing seams. Premium paint over an unwashed, unsanded wall fails just as fast as the bargain stuff. Spend on the hours a crew puts into the wall, not the label on the bucket.
Don't shop a painting quote on price alone — shop it on prep and coat count. Get those two right and the season timed correctly, and the result beats a bargain bid every time.
Fort Collins vs Longmont
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Fort Collins or Longmont?
Fort Collins comes out ahead here, at roughly $3,200 for exterior house painting compared with $3,250 in Longmont — a 2% ($50) gap as of 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Longmont than Fort Collins?
It comes down to labor: Longmont indexes at 1 against Fort Collins's 0.99. The cold-vs-cold climate difference adds to the gap.
How much is exterior house painting in Fort Collins, CO?
In Fort Collins, exterior house painting typically runs $1,800–$4,550 in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $3,200.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
The best window is the same in both Fort Collins and Longmont: 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?
Rarely. The $50 difference is real but one-time, and you can often close most of it in Longmont by buying in the off-season and getting tighter, apples-to-apples bids. Ongoing factors — energy prices, climate and home condition — matter more over the life of the system.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik