How Long Does It Take to Paint a House? Here’s What Contractors Say

Home painting is an enormous investment, not only in terms of money, but also time, effort and quality. Considering you need to refresh a single room in your house, or you are looking to give your entire home a touch up, one of the most sought after answers is how long it takes to paint a house? Depending on his expertise, contractors will inform you that the timeframe will be determined by a number of factors. In this article, we will discuss everything from how long it will take to paint a house exterior, to how long it takes to paint a house interior, and factors that influence the time taken. We will use the latest information and actual contractor experiences by 2025, allowing you to strategize.

What Affect the Time — High-Level Overview

Before getting into numbers, contractors consider a variety of variables:

1. House size - square feet, stories, architectural complexity (nooks, trims, gables).

2. Type of Surfaces - stucco, siding, brick, drywall, plaster (they require various prep).

3. State of Paint on Wall - peeling, cracking, mold, several layers influence the time needed to prep.

4. Weather/ Climate - particularly exterior painting. Humidity, temperature, rain.

5. Number of Painters / Crew Size – the more hands the faster, however, coordination is important.

6. Type of Paint & Finish - primer necessary or not, number of coats, drying time, specialty paint.

7. Access and Convenience - ladders, scaffold, height, distance to supply stores.

How Long Does It Take to Paint a House Exterior?

House exterior painting usually takes more time than interior due to weather, preparation and access issues. These are contractor estimates in 2025 common scenarios.

Type of House	Crew Size	Typical Duration
Single‐story 1,500 sq ft	Small crew (2-3 painters)	2-4 days
Two‐story 2,500-3,000 sq ft	Medium crew (3-5 painters)	4-7 days
Large / Custom (scrollwork, many trims, hard access)	Larger crew (5-7 painters)	7-10 days or more

Examples of workload:

• Prep work: cleaning, scraping, sanding, caulking - can require 1–2 days even of a small house. With the mildew or rotten wood or former painting that needs peeling away, that might be another day or two.

• Priming & Coats: If primer is needed, or if extensive bare wood/brackets require it, that adds to the timeline. Applying two finish coats generally is standard for exterior jobs.

• Drying Time: This is dependent on the temperature and humidity. Most of the paint manufacturers in 2025 have quicker-drying formulations, however, when it comes to the dew, rain, or chilly nights, things may wait. The buffer time is normally constructed by contractors.

Therefore, to answer: how long does it take to paint a house exterior? On an average two-story suburban house, it will take 4–7 days, provided it is a good weather and a moderate preparation.

How Long Does It Take to Paint a House Interior?

The home interior painting can be completed much quicker, primarily, due to the ability to regulate the condition (no rain, temperature) and easier access. But variables still matter.

Size/Scope	Crew / Person	Time Estimate
One room (ceiling, trim, walls)	One painter	4-8 hours if conditions are good.
Full interior of 1,500 sq ft house (walls + ceilings + trim)	Small crew (2-3 painters)	2-3 days
Large house or luxury finish (lots of molding, high ceilings, vaulted sections)	Larger crew	4-5 days or more

Key time-consumers inside:

• Patching walls, sanding, priming spots.

• Moving and protecting furniture, masking floors and fixtures.

• Multiple coats for rich or deep colors.

• Time taken between paint layers (particularly with low-VOC paints, nowadays, standard).

So, how long does it take to paint interior of house? On a typical single-story house with four bedrooms, it will take about 2–3 days to refresh the entire interior. One or two rooms might be less than a day (minor jobs).

Combined Projects: Exterior + Interior

When you are working inside and outside at the same time, the job tends to cross over (if different crews), or on top of that, there is the time spent on logistics coordination. In real life, a complete house (interior as well as exterior) can be completed in 1–2 weeks with sizes, complexities, and delays (weather, supply, and others).

Examples from Contractors in 2025

To give you real-world input, here are insights from contractors working currently:

• According to Contractors A in Northern California, two coats on top of a 2,800 sq ft. two-story wood-siding home, preparation (scraping and power washing), where necessary, priming and two coats take 5–6 days when the work is done by four people. In case of rot or damage, then add 1–2 days.

• According to contractor B in the southeast of the U.S., interior work is often held up not by a paint, but by getting furniture moved around, drywall patched, and the patches left to dry. They plan to spend an additional half day per room over and above estimates.

• According to Contractors C in New York metro says that the current paints are curing at a higher rate; most products in 2025 have a better formula, thus the two-coating of an outside wall can be completed in fewer hours, but still drying between coats in high moisture conditions retard its drying. They work on contingency days.

What’s the Fastest It Has Taken vs. What’s Common

• Fastest reasonable job: One bedroom, flat paint on walls only (no primer, minimal prep) — about 4-5 hours from taping to clean-up if a single painter is working.

• More common jobs: Full exterior of a medium home or full interior of a 2,000 sq ft house — those sit in the 2-5 day range depending on crew size and conditions.

How Long Does Exterior House Paint Last?

While this isn’t exactly time to paint, it’s relevant for planning your next time. Contractors generally agree that exterior house paint lasts:

• On wood siding: approximately 5–10 years, or it depends on the exposure to the sun, moisture and the quality of the paint and preparation.

• On stucco, masonry: may last 7–15 years, depending on the breathability of the paint, and its quality of application.

• Trim, doors, metal surfaces: may require touch-ups more often, perhaps every 3–5 years, depending on weather stressors.

Life can be extended with maintenance, yearly inspection and cleaning (e.g. washing off mildew).

Tips to Ensure Painting Takes the Right Amount of Time — Not More

Here are practical ways to avoid unnecessary delays:

1. Plan ahead: Pick paint, purchase all materials in advance. So Choose crew size and schedule days with good weather for exterior portions.

2. Prep well: Fix rot, clean surfaces, patch and sand beforehand. Delaying prep often causes big time overruns.

3. Restrict color shifts: When a very dark color is required to shift to a very light (or vice versa) one, additional coats are usually necessary or special primers may need to be used.

4. Use good materials: Good primers, good quality paint, good tools - yes they are expensive but less rework.

5. Communicate clearly with your contractor: Set expectations for access, furniture moving, dry times.

Summary: Rough Time Estimates

Here’s a quicker reference:

• Interior, single room: ~4-8 hours

• Interior, whole house (1,500-2,000 sq ft): ~2-3 days

• Exterior, small single-story house: ~2-4 days

• Exterior, two-story, average home: ~4-7 days

• Exterior + interior combined: ~1-2 weeks

These assume decent crew, moderate preparation, good weather, and standard finish quality.

What Contractors Mean When They Estimate

When a contractor answers how long will it take to paint a house, they usually assume:

• Perfect weather for exteriors (dry, mild).

• Materials on hand or pre-ordered.

• No hidden damage or rot.

• Standard number of coats (often two finish coats).

• Efficient crew size.

If any of these assumptions is off, timeline shifts.

Final Thoughts

So, how long does it take to paint a house, really? It varies—small scale jobs can be finished within a few hours whereas major, intricate, exterior or mixed projects can require a few weeks. Requesting breakdowns (prep, coats, drying, clean-up) of contractors will assist in creating expectations. And in estimating the time required to paint exterior of house vs. interiors of a house, keep in mind: exteriors would be more vulnerable to weather, whereas interiors would be more vulnerable to prep and logistics.

If you’re in San Francisco and need a pro who understands all these variables—and who has been rated among the best—also look into SF House Painting. Their team understands the local weather problems, buildings and puts in top quality that matches to what the contractors will tell you to expect. Poorly, no sales pitch, but merely a suggestion, founded on their experience in the field.