You called three painters. You got three completely different numbers. One came in at $2,800. One at $5,400. One at $7,100. Same house. Same square footage. What's going on?
If you're shopping for an exterior painting estimate in Fort Collins, CO or anywhere in Northern Colorado, this is the situation most homeowners run into — and it creates real confusion about what's actually fair. This post breaks down what goes into a legitimate estimate, why numbers vary so dramatically, and how to compare bids without getting burned.
What an Exterior Painting Estimate Should Actually Cover
A complete estimate isn't just a number for labor and paint. A thorough bid should itemize or at minimum account for:
- Surface preparation — power washing, scraping, sanding, caulking, and priming
- Paint product and quantity — brand, product line, number of coats, and coverage calculations
- Number of coats — one coat is a touch-up, two coats is a paint job
- Trim, soffits, and doors — often priced separately or bundled (confirm which)
- Crew size and estimated timeline
- Insurance and licensing — these cost money, and legit contractors price them in
If a bid is missing any of these components, it's not an apples-to-apples comparison. It may not even be a complete job.
Why Bids Can Vary 2–3x for the Same House
This is the part that trips homeowners up the most. Here's where the spread comes from:
Paint Product Quality
Contractor-grade paint and premium paint can differ by $30–$60 per gallon. Multiply that across 10–15 gallons on a typical two-story exterior and you're looking at a $300–$900 difference in materials alone — before labor. In Colorado, where homes face 28+ freeze-thaw cycles annually and UV exposure running 10–15% higher than lower elevations, cheap paint fails faster. A 7–10 year system and a 3-year system don't cost the same.
Prep Work Included (or Not)
Prep is where paint jobs succeed or fail, and it's also where low bids cut corners. A contractor who skips thorough scraping, caulking, and priming can shave hundreds off their number. You won't notice until two years later when the paint is peeling off your siding.
Number of Coats
One coat over old paint can look fine for about a year. Two proper coats — with the right primer — is what actually holds. Some low bids are priced for one coat and don't say so upfront.
Insurance and Licensing
An unlicensed, uninsured painter can underbid a legitimate contractor by 20–30% because they're not carrying $1M–$2M in liability coverage or paying workers' comp premiums. If something goes wrong on your property, that savings disappears fast.
Overhead and Experience
Established local contractors have real overhead — office, equipment, employee wages, insurance. A solo operator doing cash jobs has almost none. That's sometimes fine. Sometimes it isn't.
How to Actually Compare Estimates
Don't just look at the bottom line. Ask each contractor:
- What paint product are you using, and how many coats? Get the brand and product line.
- What does prep include? Power wash, scrape, caulk, prime — confirm all of it.
- Are trim, soffits, and doors included?
- Are you licensed and insured? Ask for proof. In Colorado, exterior contractors should carry general liability.
- What's your timeline and crew size?
Once you have those answers, you can actually compare. A $5,400 bid with premium two-coat paint, full prep, and $2M liability coverage is not the same product as a $2,800 bid with one coat and no insurance.
What's a Fair Price in Northern Colorado?
Ballpark ranges shift with home size, condition, and material costs, but for a standard 2,000–2,500 sq ft two-story in the Fort Collins area, expect legitimate full-service exterior painting to land somewhere in the $4,000–$8,000 range depending on scope. Anything significantly below that warrants close scrutiny on what's being cut.
If you're unsure what's driving a price, ask the contractor to walk you through it line by line. A professional with nothing to hide will do it without hesitation.
Get a Straight Answer Before You Commit
At Timnath Painting, we provide free on-site quotes that spell out exactly what you're getting — product, prep, coats, and timeline. No surprises. We're licensed, insured to $2M, and our paint systems are built specifically for Northern Colorado's climate demands.
We serve homeowners throughout Fort Collins, Windsor, Timnath, and the surrounding region. Contact us to schedule your estimate — and bring your other bids. We're happy to help you understand what you're actually comparing.
