Repainting the outside of a Markham house typically costs about $3.50 to $6 per square foot of wall before HST. Shade under mature trees, old paint, and a heritage-district address are what move the price.
Unionville and Markham Village are old enough that the trees have outgrown the houses. That is good for summer cooling and hard on paint. Siding that sits in shade most of the day stays damp, and damp is what shortens a paint job's life. A good quote for a house under big maples should look different from a quote for a sunny new-build street.
What a repaint typically costs
These are general market estimates from public sources, not a quote. Builders Ontario prices painting two coats on siding at about $3.50 per square foot of net wall, before HST, and stain on cedar at about $4.50. HomeStars gives a national range of about $3 to $6 per square foot for exterior work and a Toronto range of $3 to $5. Putting those together, a Markham budget of about $3.50 to $6 per square foot is a sensible starting point. On 1,800 square feet of wall that is roughly $6,300 to $10,800 before HST.
Those rates assume ordinary weathered surfaces. Stripping to bare wood, heavy rot repair, lead paint and three-storey walls are the situations where a painter quotes the house instead of the square foot, and older Unionville and Markham Village homes land in them more often than a 2010s build does.
Why mature trees change the job, not just the schedule
- Mildew and algae. Shaded siding dries slowly after rain and dew. The dark streaks that result need to be washed and treated before painting, or the new coat covers a problem that grows back.
- Earlier paint failure. Damp wood trim and siding blister and peel sooner than the same boards on a sunny wall. Expect more scraping, spot priming and caulking, and that is where a shaded house picks up cost.
- Branches against the house. Limbs touching siding or eaves trap moisture and slow ladder work. Before anyone cuts, know that Markham's Tree Preservation By-law requires a permit to injure or destroy a private tree with a trunk diameter of 20 centimetres or more, measured 1.37 metres above the ground, regardless of the tree's health. The City says applications are reviewed within 45 days of payment. A painter should not be the one deciding that a tree comes down.
- Leaves and sap. A fall repaint under maples means leaves landing on wet paint. A painter who plans around leaf drop and the forecast is worth more than the lowest number.
Check for lead before anyone scrapes
Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint, and that the exterior of a home built between 1960 and 1990 may. Its guidance is not to use sanders, heat guns or blowlamps to remove paint in older homes, because they create dust and fumes that contain lead, and not to sand, scrape or burn off leaded paint. Painting over it can be acceptable if the old paint is not disturbed. A certified inspector can measure the lead in your paint, or you can mail paint chips to a testing lab.
Much of Markham Village and Unionville was built before 1990. If yours was, ask any painter how they will prep before they quote, and be wary of a quote that simply says "sand it all back."
Heritage districts: call before you choose a colour
Markham has four heritage conservation districts: Thornhill, Markham Village, Buttonville and Unionville, each with its own Heritage District Plan. The City says owners of properties in a district must get approval for exterior alterations, new construction or demolition through a Minor or Major Heritage Permit application. Its heritage page lists altering the exterior of a building among the changes that need approval and says to call the Building Standards Department at 905-475-4870 before you begin.
What we could not find is a plain statement on repainting. Neither of those City pages mentions paint or colour by name, so do not assume either way. The Markham Village guidelines are a scanned document we could not read in full, so we cannot tell you what they say about colour. Ask the City's Heritage Section in writing whether your repaint or colour change needs a permit, and keep the answer. For work beyond paint, our guide to exterior repairs on a Main Street Unionville heritage home covers what needs sign-off.
What to ask for in the quote
- Washing and mildew treatment, written as a line item.
- Square feet of wall and trim included, and how many storeys.
- Which primer goes on bare wood, and which exterior paint goes on top.
- How old paint is handled on a pre-1990 house.
- Whether HST is in the number.
Quick answers
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a house in Markham?
General estimates run about $3.50 to $6 per square foot of wall before HST, so roughly $6,300 to $10,800 for 1,800 square feet. Prep, height and old paint push it up.
Do I need a permit to repaint my house in Unionville or Markham Village?
Markham says exterior alterations in a heritage conservation district need approval, but its pages don't say whether repainting counts. Ask the Heritage Section before you pick a colour.
Do I need a permit to prune a tree before painting in Markham?
Markham requires a permit before injuring or destroying a private tree with a trunk 20 centimetres or more across, measured 1.37 metres up. Trimming a few small branches is a different question; ask the City.
Does the paint on my Markham house contain lead?
Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably does, and the exterior of a 1960 to 1990 home may. Test it before you sand or scrape anything.
Why does exterior paint fail faster under big trees?
Shade keeps siding damp, and damp wood grows mildew and lets paint blister and peel sooner. A wall that dries slowly needs more prep and a better primer.
Related reading
- Exterior painting from Rhodex: get a fixed price
- More home repair guides for Markham
- Exterior Repairs on a Main Street Unionville Heritage Home: What Needs Sign-Off
- Window and Door Resealing Before Winter in Markham
- Want a price? Request a quote from a vetted craftsman, and ask it to say how it handles prep, old paint and any heritage check.
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