How much does it cost to have a painter scrape and sand the exterior of my older Vancouver home before repainting?

Exterior scraping and sanding costs in Metro Vancouver typically range from $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot, depending on the condition of the existing paint and the size of your home. For a standard two-storey Vancouver Special, you might expect to pay between $3,000 and $7,000 for thorough surface preparation alone. Homes with multiple layers of peeling or alligatored paint will be at the higher end, as the labour involved is significantly more intensive. Vancouver's wet climate accelerates paint failure, so many older homes in neighbourhoods like East Van, Kitsilano, and the North Shore have substantial peeling that requires careful hand scraping and power sanding before any new coating will adhere properly. A professional painter will typically use a combination of carbide scrapers for large peeling sections and orbital sanders for feathering edges smooth. They should also inspect for rot in the wood substrate underneath, which is extremely common given our rain exposure. Any soft or punky wood needs to be repaired or replaced before priming, or the new paint job will fail prematurely. Make sure your painter includes a coat of high-quality exterior primer on all bare wood as part of the prep scope. Ask your contractor for an itemized quote that separates prep work from painting so you can clearly see what you are paying for.

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