Exterior paint on a UK house is doing a demanding job. It's exposed to driving rain, freeze-thaw cycles, UV, algae, and thermal movement — often simultaneously. A poor preparation job or the wrong paint specification will start failing within two to three years. A properly prepared and correctly specified finish can last ten to fifteen years with minimal maintenance.
Preparation Is Everything
Professional decorators estimate that 80% of a successful exterior finish comes from preparation. This includes:
Cleaning. Masonry must be clean, dry, and free from algae, moss, and loose material. High-pressure washing followed by application of a biocidal wash (to kill algae and prevent regrowth) is standard. Allow the surface to dry fully — typically two to four weeks after washing before painting.
Crack and defect repair. Fine cracks in render should be filled with a flexible exterior filler or, for hairline cracks, a masonry stabiliser. Larger cracks indicate movement and need investigation before painting. Painting over active cracks simply traps moisture and makes the problem worse.
Stabilising. Friable, powdery, or previously painted surfaces need a masonry stabiliser applied before topcoats. This binds the surface and improves paint adhesion significantly. Skipping this step on an old wall is the most common reason exterior paint peels within a year.
Timber prep. Window frames, fascias, soffits, and any external timber must be sanded back to bare wood or a sound existing coat, primed on all faces (including end grain), and undercoated before topcoating. Painting over flaking or peeling old paint produces a flaking or peeling new finish.
Paint Types
Masonry paint. For rendered, pebbledashed, or brick walls. Smooth or textured finish. Silicone masonry paint is the premium option — it's breathable (allows moisture vapour to escape from the wall) and highly water-repellent. Brands such as Dulux Weathershield, Sandtex, and Johnstone's Stormshield are widely used. Cheap masonry paint from builders' merchants is a false economy on exteriors.
Exterior wood paint. For timber elements. Oil-based gloss has been the traditional choice for durability, but water-based exterior gloss from premium manufacturers (Dulux Trade, Farrow & Ball exterior) has improved significantly and has lower VOC content. On fascias and soffits, a microporous exterior wood paint allows the timber to breathe and dramatically reduces paint failure from trapped moisture.
Masonry cream / water repellent. A clear penetrating treatment rather than a paint — it waterproofs brick and masonry without changing the appearance. Useful for porous or spalling brick that doesn't need a colour change. Not a substitute for paint where a decorative finish or weather protection is needed.
Scaffolding and Access
A full exterior repaint of a two-storey house requires scaffold or a properly erected tower scaffold for safe access. Ladder-only working on a two-storey exterior is unsafe and limits the quality of finish. Budget for scaffolding as part of the job: £400–£900 for a typical semi-detached house erected for 1–2 weeks.
If other external works are happening — gutter replacement, roof repairs, repointing — combine them with the exterior painting while the scaffold is up. Erecting scaffold twice costs twice as much.
Costs
| Job type | Typical cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Full exterior repaint, 2-bed terrace | £1,200 – £2,500 |
| Full exterior repaint, 3-bed semi | £2,000 – £4,500 |
| Fascias, soffits and gutters only | £600 – £1,500 |
| Scaffold hire (2 weeks, semi) | £400 – £900 |
Best Time of Year
Exterior painting needs dry conditions and temperatures above 5°C. In the UK, this typically means April to September. Avoid painting in direct strong sunlight (causes the paint to dry too quickly, forming a skin before the solvent has escaped) and never apply exterior paint if frost is forecast within 24 hours of application or if rain is imminent.