Exterior Painting
in Southwest Florida

A typical SWFL single-family repaint runs $4,500-$12,000 for standard acrylic systems on stucco, depending on square footage, surface prep required, story count, and trim complexity. Elastomeric systems run 30-60 percent more because of material cost and milage application requirements. Larger homes, two-story work requiring lifts, or homes with significant crack repair and substrate prep can exceed $20,000. Pricing includes pressure wash, hairline crack repair, primer where bare substrate is exposed, two finish coats applied to manufacturer milage specs, trim work, and HOA color documentation. Lighter colors, smoother stucco textures, and recent prior paint all reduce cost.

Standard acrylic exterior systems in SWFL typically last 6-10 years before requiring repaint, driven primarily by UV exposure and coastal salt air. Elastomeric coatings extend that to 10-15 years when applied correctly. Coastal-facing elevations and south/west exposures fail first - look for chalking, fading, hairline cracks reopening, and any sheen loss on previously satin areas. Waiting past visible failure means more substrate prep at the next repaint because UV will have degraded the underlying primer and stucco surface. A wash-and-touch-up midway through cycle extends life and is much cheaper than a full repaint.

For stucco substrates in SWFL, Sherwin-Williams Loxon XP is our standard - a high-build acrylic with strong crack-bridging, alkali resistance for fresh stucco, and excellent UV durability. For homes with active hairline cracking or chronic moisture issues, an elastomeric like Loxon XP Smooth or Sherwin-Williams ConFlex XL bridges movement better. PPG Sun-Proof and Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior also perform well in this climate. Whatever system is chosen, the determining factors are application milage (most premature failures are under-applied film thickness, not bad paint), proper primer selection, and Tramex moisture readings under 16 percent before any coating is applied.

Elastomeric is a high-build, flexible coating - typically 10-20 dry mils versus 2-4 mils for standard acrylic - that bridges hairline cracks and accommodates substrate movement. On stucco homes with chronic hairline cracking from thermal cycling and minor settlement, it dramatically reduces water intrusion and extends repaint cycles to 10-15 years. It is not the right call for every home: applied over substrate with trapped moisture, it can blister and peel, which is why we always Tramex-test before specifying it. Cost is 30-60 percent above acrylic, but on the right home the lifecycle math favors elastomeric easily.

Always - it is non-negotiable. SWFL exteriors accumulate chalking, mildew, algae, salt, and pollen that prevent paint from bonding to the substrate. We pressure-wash with appropriate PSI for the substrate (typically 1,500-2,500 PSI for stucco, lower for soft trim), often with a mildewcide or sodium hypochlorite pretreat on shaded elevations. Wash water has to fully evaporate and the substrate has to test under 16 percent moisture content on a Tramex meter before primer or paint goes on - paint applied over wet or contaminated substrate fails within 12-24 months regardless of the product quality. Wash is included in our quoted price.

Yes - all hairline cracks are routed out, cleaned, and filled with an appropriate elastomeric patch compound (Quikrete elastomeric patching compound or Sherwin-Williams Loxon Concrete Primer with mesh on wider cracks). Larger cracks (over 1/16 inch) often signal underlying movement or moisture issues and are scoped separately. Painting over unrepaired cracks just hides them temporarily; they reopen within one or two thermal cycles and water continues to enter the wall assembly. We document all repair locations before paint goes on so the homeowner has a record of substrate condition - useful for any future insurance or HOA discussion.

A typical single-family home runs four to seven working days: day one for pressure wash and dry, day two for crack repair and substrate prep, day three for primer and trim mask, days four through six for two finish coats on body and trim, and a final day for touch-up and walk-through. Weather is the major variable - SWFL afternoon thunderstorms during summer can extend the schedule, and elastomeric coatings require longer cure windows between coats. Two-story homes requiring boom lifts and homes in HOA communities requiring ARB approval before paint can ship add additional schedule on the front end.

Yes - we handle the ARB (architectural review board) submission process for HOA communities across SWFL, which most associations require before any exterior paint work can begin. The package typically includes color chips or Sherwin-Williams swatch numbers, a paint plan diagram showing body, trim, fascia, and door colors, the product data sheet for the chosen system, and an expected start and completion window. ARB review can take 2-6 weeks depending on the association's meeting cadence. We start that process at contract signing so the approval is in hand by the time crews are scheduled, which avoids costly schedule shifts.