How much does it cost to recaulk and paint exterior trim?

Short answer

Checking and touching up the exterior window and door trim yourself costs $10 to $30, for a tube of exterior caulk, wood filler and a little paint, and takes 30 to 60 minutes for the check plus whatever the touch-ups need. A handyman charges $150 to $400 to recaulk and repaint the trim around a house. It's a once-a-year job, and the caulk is what keeps water out of the wall, so the small cost pays for itself the first time it stops a rotted sill.

Cost breakdown

The DIY column is the caulk, the filler and the paint. A caulk gun, a putty knife, a brush and a ladder are usually in the garage. The pro column is a handyman scraping out the failed caulk, recaulking every window and door, filling and priming any bare wood, and painting.

What drives the cost

• The number of openings. A handyman prices by the window and door, so a house with many windows costs more.
• The height. Trim on the second story needs a tall ladder or staging, and a handyman charges more for it.
• The condition. Caulk that's cracked but the wood is sound is a quick job. Trim that's rotted has to be cut out and replaced, which is carpentry and a separate quote.
• The caulk. A good exterior caulk costs a few dollars more a tube than the cheapest and lasts years longer, and the tube is a small part of the job either way.
• Paint matching. Touching up means matching the trim color, and a pro brings a match. For DIY, a leftover can from the last paint job is the easiest source.

DIY vs. pro

For the ground floor, do it yourself: how often to inspect exterior window and door trim is once a year, and the check is a walk around the house looking for cracked caulk, peeling paint and soft wood, followed by a tube of caulk where it's needed. The cost is $10 to $30.

Pay the handyman's $150 to $400 for the second story, where the ladder work is the risk, or when the whole house is due for recaulking at once. Any trim that's soft to a screwdriver needs replacing rather than caulking over, and that's carpentry, so get a quote for it before the rot spreads into the framing.

FAQ

How much does it cost to recaulk windows?

$150 to $400 for a handyman to recaulk and touch up the trim on a house, priced by the window and door. The caulk alone is $10 to $30.

Can I recaulk exterior trim myself?

Yes, on the ground floor. Scrape out the old caulk, run a bead of exterior caulk, and smooth it with a finger. Leave the second story to someone with staging.

How often does exterior trim need caulking?

Check it once a year. Caulk lasts several years, so most years only a few joints need redoing.

What if the trim is rotted?

It needs to be cut out and replaced, not caulked over. That's a carpentry job and a separate quote, and it's cheaper the sooner it's done.