Exterior Painting
Exterior House Painters in Somerville & Greater Boston
Clapboard, shingle, trim and porches — washed, scraped, primed and finished to survive a New England winter.
Exterior pricing depends on the size of the house, the number of stories and how much bare wood there is. Our projects typically run $2,500–$8,000 across all kinds of work, and a full exterior can sit above that. The estimate gives you the real number.
New England weather decides the schedule
An exterior job in Greater Boston is a race against the calendar. The season runs from roughly late April to mid-October, and within that, the weather on the day still governs what can be done.
We plan exteriors side by side rather than all at once, so that whatever gets opened up in the morning is closed up before evening. A scraped, unprimed wall left out overnight in a rainstorm is worse than one that was never touched.
Preparation is most of the job
On an exterior, preparation is not a step before the work — it is the work.
The house gets washed first, to take off the dirt, chalking and mildew that stop paint bonding. Then every failing edge is scraped and sanded back to something sound. Bare wood gets spot-primed the same day it is exposed, because bare wood left open absorbs moisture and the new paint will lift off it within a couple of seasons.
Caulk is renewed at the joints, around window casings and where trim meets siding. That is what keeps water out of the wall, and it is the single cheapest thing on the estimate that most affects how long the finish lasts.
Porches, steps and railings
Porches take a disproportionate share of the time on a New England exterior and are worth calling out separately when you ask for an estimate. Treads and handrails get walked on and gripped, so they wear faster than siding and need a harder finish.
The same goes for front doors. A door is a small surface with an outsized effect on how the house reads from the street — one of our Google reviews is about exactly that, a front door.
Materials
What the job actually needs
The product matters as much as the brand. These are what this kind of job calls for — Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams finishes, plus the standard primers the trade relies on. Ask Cayo which he recommends for your job, and why.
Bare wood
Exposed wood is primed the same day it is opened up, or it takes on moisture
Benjamin Moore Fresh Start exterior primer
Siding and trim
A 100% acrylic exterior paint rated for freeze-thaw and cold-weather adhesion
Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior or Sherwin-Williams Duration Exterior
Caulk
A paintable elastomeric sealant that moves with the building instead of splitting
A 50-year siliconised acrylic
Exterior Painting — recent work
Photos from actual jobs
Questions
Exterior Painting — common questions
When is the best time to paint a house exterior in Massachusetts?
Roughly late April to mid-October. Most exterior paints need surface and air temperatures above about 50°F to cure properly, and the surface has to be dry. In practice that makes May, June, September and early October the most reliable months in Greater Boston — July and August work, but heat and humidity limit what can be done in an afternoon.
Do you paint in the rain?
No, and we do not start a side we cannot finish before rain arrives. Paint applied to a damp surface or caught by a shower before it sets will fail, usually within a season.
How long does an exterior repaint last?
On properly prepared clapboard, eight to twelve years is a fair expectation in this climate. On a job where the scraping was rushed or bare wood was never primed, four years is more likely. Preparation, not paint, decides which one you get.
Do you paint triple-deckers and multi-family houses?
Yes. Multi-family buildings are a natural fit for how we work, and three stories means proper access equipment rather than ladders — which is planned into the estimate up front.
What about lead paint on an older house?
Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint, and the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule regulates any paid work that disturbs those surfaces. Massachusetts runs its own certification program. Talk to Cayo about your specific house at the walkthrough before any work is scheduled.
Where we work
Exterior Painting across Greater Boston
Free estimate
Get a free estimate for exterior painting
A free estimate, no obligation. Cayo looks at the job himself and talks you through what it needs.
- The price you agree is the price you pay. “Completed project and price as agreed upon” — Neal E., Google review.
- Not sure what you need? Text a photo of the room to (857) 880-7832 and Cayo will tell you what it needs — and what it doesn't.
- Rather talk? Call or text (857) 880-7832. It goes to the owner, not an office.