Seattle receives an average of 37 inches of rain per year, spread across a long gray season that runs from October through May, and that persistent moisture fundamentally shapes how painting contractors approach exterior projects in the city. Wood rot, mildew growth, and moisture infiltration behind siding are common findings on Seattle homes when exterior repaints are delayed, and satin or semi-gloss finishes with built-in mildewcide have become the professional standard for exterior applications across the metro. The average exterior repaint in Seattle runs $3,000 to $9,000, driven upward by the need for high-quality moisture-resistant coatings and the shorter dry-weather window available for outdoor work.
Seattle homeowners in neighborhoods like Wallingford, Fremont, and Phinney Ridge typically live in Craftsman bungalows and older wood-frame homes that require careful surface preparation, including scraping, sanding, and priming, before any topcoat will adhere properly through a Northwest winter. Composite and fiber cement siding has become common in newer construction across South Seattle and Beacon Hill, and those materials demand different product selections than the old-growth fir siding found on pre-1950 homes in the city’s established neighborhoods.
Seattle Painting Specialists
Founded: 1988
Address: 17111 35th Avenue SE, Bothell, WA 98012
Phone: (206) 491-3183
Website: https://seattlepainting.com
Services: Interior painting, exterior painting, exterior cleaning and pressure washing, residential painting, commercial painting
Products Used: Not specified
Founded in 1988 and operating across more than three decades in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle Painting Specialists uses exclusively in-house trained employees with no subcontracting on any project. All work is backed by a one-year warranty, and the company’s long tenure in the wet Seattle market gives its crews direct experience with the moisture-related prep challenges that shorten the life of exterior paint jobs done by less experienced operators.
Sound Painting Solutions LLC
Founded: 2012
Address: 5215 5th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98108
Phone: (206) 258-6676
Website: https://www.soundpaintingsolutions.com
Services: Interior painting, exterior painting, carpentry repair and enhancement, residential painting, commercial painting
Products Used: Not specified
Jeff DuPont and Lindsey Mueller founded Sound Painting Solutions in 2012 with a focus on customer-service-driven operations, and the West Seattle-based company has built a following through direct owner involvement in every project. The inclusion of carpentry alongside painting makes the company a practical choice for Seattle homeowners whose exterior prep work reveals rotted window sills, damaged trim, or compromised fascia boards.
Amsberry Painting
Founded: Over 50 years ago (current leadership since 2021)
Address: 500 E Main Street, Monroe, WA 98272
Phone: (425) 485-7381
Website: https://amsberrypainting.com
Services: Residential interior painting, residential exterior painting, commercial painting, multi-family painting, cabinet painting
Products Used: Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore
With over five decades of painting experience in western Washington, Amsberry Painting is among the most tenured contractors in the Seattle area, holding WA License AMSBEP1010O7 and backing all work with a 10-year workmanship warranty. The company specifies Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore products exclusively for their UV resistance and color retention, and serves clients across King, Snohomish, and surrounding counties from offices in Monroe and Redmond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does exterior painting cost in Seattle?
A: Seattle exterior painting typically runs $3,000 to $9,000 for a standard single-family home, with the range driven by home size, number of stories, surface condition, and the level of prep required. Homes with significant wood rot or multiple layers of failing paint will fall toward the upper end.
Q: What is the best time of year to paint a Seattle home’s exterior?
A: Late May through September offers the most reliable window, when temperatures stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the probability of rain drops enough to allow outdoor work to proceed. Most Seattle painting contractors schedule exterior projects exclusively during this window, which means booking a month or more in advance is advisable.
Q: Why does Seattle exterior painting cost more than the national average?
A: Higher labor rates in the Seattle metro, the need for moisture-resistant premium paint products, and the intensive surface preparation required on wood-frame homes all contribute to above-average costs. The limited dry-weather season also compresses scheduling, pushing prices up during peak summer months when demand exceeds the available pool of reputable contractors.
Seattle’s position as one of the wettest major cities in the country means that skimping on preparation or product quality in an exterior paint job carries a much higher penalty than it would in a drier climate. Homeowners who specify premium coatings, thorough prep, and work with contractors familiar with Pacific Northwest wood rot and moisture conditions typically see their paint jobs last seven to ten years, while cut-rate approaches in this climate can begin failing within two or three seasons.