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Exterior Painting Cost Estimator for Commercial Buildings in Florida
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Commercial exterior painting in Florida costs $2.00-$6.00 per square foot of paintable surface area in 2026, with typical projects ranging $25,000-$250,000 for 10,000-50,000 square foot office buildings, retail centers, and medical facilities depending on stucco preparation, stories, scaffolding requirements, and FBC-compliant mildew-resistant elastomeric coatings mandatory for humid coastal climates. Pompano Beach contractors bid $2.75-$5.50/sf for 2-3 story Class A office towers requiring power washing (1,000 PSI), epoxy primers on exposed aggregate, and two-coat 100% acrylics (Sherwin Williams Loxon XP), while Orlando single-story strip centers save at $2.25-$4.25/sf using basic latex on EIFS systems.
Accurate surface area calculations (walls + soffits + parapets excluding glass 35%) and regional labor rates ($45-75/hour certified crews) separate profitable bids from 15% losses in Florida’s $1.2B annual commercial painting market.
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Paintable Surface Area Calculation Methods
Commercial building paintable area averages 1.8-2.5x floor square footage accounting for 10-14′ wall heights, parapets (10% area), soffits (5-8%), and mechanical screens excluding 30-40% glass openings. A 20,000 sf single-story retail plaza generates 36,000-50,000 sf paintable surface—30K sf walls (12′ avg height), 4K sf soffits, 2K sf parapets. Multipliers adjust: 1-story 1.8-2.0x, 2-story 2.2-2.5x, 3-story 2.8-3.2x scaffolding costs. Pompano 25,000 sf medical office totals 55,000 sf paintable (2.2x multiplier), power washing adds $0.25-$0.45/sf removing 3-5 years atmospheric dirt/mildew.
Surface Preparation Cost Components
Power washing (1,500-3,000 PSI) costs $0.25-$0.60/sf critical Florida humidity removing efflorescence, algae, and chalking—stucco scrape/sand adds $0.50-$1.00/sf 20% surfaces, EIFS patch $5-15/sf cracks, metal flashings prime ($0.75/sf rust converter). Dupont or Krendall repair mortar $25/sq ft for spalled stucco, caulking $5-8/LF expansion joints. Miami 40,000 sf office prep totals $15K-$35K ($0.38-$0.88/sf), scaffolding 3-story $2-4/sf x35K sf = $70K-$140K access dominating 40% total bid.
Elastomeric and Acrylic Paint System Pricing
100% acrylic elastomeric (10-15 year warranty) costs $0.75-$1.50/sf two coats over primer—Sherwin Williams Loxon XP ($85/gal covers 350 sf), Dunn Edwards Ultra Spec AC ($95/gal coastal whites). Epoxy block filler exposed aggregate ($125/gal 200 sf), anti-microbial medical facilities +$0.25/sf. Cool roof whites (70% reflectivity) qualify FPL rebates $0.50/sf. Tampa 30,000 sf retail center paint materials total $30K-$60K ($1-$2/sf), primer + 2 topcoats standard commercial spec.
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Labor Rates by Building Height and Access
Certified painting crews charge $2-$4/sf labor 400-600 sf/day/man single-story swing stages, $3-$6/sf 2-3 story scaffolding (200 sf/day/man), $5-$8/sf boom lifts over glass atria. Florida CGC licensed $50-80/hour 3-man minimum, union Miami +25% prevailing wage. Orlando 15,000 sf single-story strip mall labor hits $37.5K-$60K ($2.50-$4/sf), Pompano 25,000 sf 2-story office $75K-$125K ($3-$5/sf) suspended scaffold.
Florida Regional Commercial Painting Costs
City | Single-Story/sf | 2-3 Story/sf | Stucco/sf |
Miami | $3.25-$6.25 | $4.50-$8.50 | $3.00-$5.75 |
Pompano Beach | $2.75-$5.50 | $3.75-$7.00 | $2.50-$5.00 |
Fort Lauderdale | $2.90-$5.75 | $4.00-$7.25 | $2.75-$5.25 |
Tampa | $2.50-$5.00 | $3.25-$6.50 | $2.25-$4.75 |
Orlando | $2.25-$4.50 | $3.00-$6.00 | $2.00-$4.25 |
Jacksonville | $2.00-$4.25 | $2.75-$5.50 | $1.75-$4.00 |
Coastal +20-30% access/scaffolding, inland -10-15% ground access.
Scaffolding and Access Equipment Costs
Suspended scaffolds (2-3 story) rent $1.50-$3.50/sf 4-week minimum, mast climbers $2.50-$4.50/sf high-rise, boom lifts $1,200/week x4 = $4,800/10K sf project. Swing stages $1,200/day 1,500 sf coverage, debris netting $1/LF perimeter. Miami 50,000 sf 4-story office scaffolding totals $125K-$250K (50% total bid), critical insurance requirement.
Stucco vs EIFS vs Metal Panel Pricing
Surface Type | Prep/sf | Paint/sf | Total/sf |
Smooth Stucco | $0.50-$1.00 | $0.90-$1.50 | $1.40-$2.50 |
Textured Stucco | $0.75-$1.50 | $1.10-$1.75 | $1.85-$3.25 |
EIFS/Synthetic | $0.40-$0.80 | $0.75-$1.25 | $1.15-$2.05 |
Metal Panels | $0.60-$1.20 | $0.85-$1.40 | $1.45-$2.60 |
Exposed Aggregate | $1.00-$2.00 | $1.25-$2.00 | $2.25-$4.00 |
Pompano medical plaza 60% stucco/30% EIFS/10% metal = $2.85/sf weighted average.
Complete Commercial Painting Project Examples
15,000 sf Single-Story Retail (Orlando):
Power washing (27K sf): $8,100 ($0.30/sf)
Stucco repair (10%): $4,500
Scaffolding (1-week): $3,000
Paint materials (primer + 2 coats): $22,500 ($1.50/sf)
Labor (10 days x 3-man): $36,000 ($2.40/sf)
Permits/insurance: $2,500
**Total: $76,600 ($5.11/sf floor area)**
40,000 sf 3-Story Office (Pompano):
Prep/wash (88K sf): $35,200 ($0.40/sf)
Exposed aggregate fill: $20,000
Scaffolding (4-week): $120,000
Elastomeric paint: $88,000 ($2/sf)
Labor (30 days x 5-man): $120,000 ($3/sf)
**Total: $383,200 ($9.58/sf floor area)**
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Add-On Services and Trim Painting
Metal awnings $2.50-$4/sf epoxy, parapet caps $8-12/LF, dock high doors $1,200/ea, mechanical screens $3-5/sf. Color changes +25% primer, signage removal $500/ea. 20,000 sf project trim package adds $15K-$35K (10-15% total).
FBC Compliance and Mildew Resistance
Florida Building Code mandates mildew-resistant coatings (ASTM D3273), Class A fire-rated commercial, low VOC (<50 g/L). Elastomeric 10-mil DFT bridges 1/16″ cracks, silicone hybrids +$0.50/sf 15-year warranty. Wind-driven rain testing coastal.
Seasonal Pricing and Labor Availability
Winter discounts 15-25% (Nov-Mar), summer surcharges +20% heat stress, post-hurricane surges +50% demand. OSHA 10-hour certified crews mandatory commercial >10′. Union Miami +30% prevailing wage.
Cost-Saving Commercial Painting Strategies
- Single-story ground access (save 40% scaffolding)
- Color retention skips primer (save 20%)
- Volume strip centers 15% crew discounts
- Winter scheduling 20% labor savings
- EIFS vs stucco (save $1/sf)
Maintenance Painting Cycles
Class A office: 5-7 years, retail centers: 4-6 years, hospitals: 7-10 years premium systems. Touch-up programs $0.50/sf annually prevent full repaints.
Getting Accurate Commercial Painting Estimates
Estimate Florida Consulting delivers precise exterior painting cost estimators for Pompano contractors serving offices, retail, and medical facilities statewide. Upload elevation drawings to
or call 561-530-2845 for FBC-compliant bids within 48 hours maximizing profits.
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Question Answer
Frequently Asked Question
It estimates costs based on paintable surface area, building height, surface type (stucco, EIFS, metal), preparation work, access equipment, labor rates, and Florida Building Code (FBC) requirements.
Commercial exterior painting is priced on wall, soffit, and parapet surfaces—not floor area. Most Florida buildings have 1.8–2.5 times more paintable area than floor square footage due to wall height and architectural features.
Multi-story buildings require scaffolding, swing stages, or lifts, which significantly increases labor and equipment costs. Access can account for 30–50% of the total project cost on taller buildings.
While not always mandatory, elastomeric or mildew-resistant acrylic coatings are strongly recommended—and often specified—due to Florida’s humidity, wind-driven rain, and FBC mildew-resistance standards.
Coastal areas like Miami, Pompano Beach, and Fort Lauderdale require enhanced surface prep, corrosion-resistant primers, higher wind compliance, and additional access safety measures, increasing overall costs.
Comprehensive Trade-Specific Estimates
At Estimate Florida Consulting, we offer detailed cost estimates across all major trades, ensuring no part of your project is overlooked. From the foundation to the finishing touches, our trade-specific estimates provide you with a complete and accurate breakdown of costs for any type of construction project.
Our Simple Process to Get Your Estimate
01
Upload Plans
Submit your project plans, blueprints, or relevant documents through our online form or via email.
02
Receive Quotation
We’ll review your project details and send you a quote based on your scope and requirements.
03
Confirmation
Confirm the details and finalize any adjustments to ensure the estimate meets your project needs.
04
Get Estimate
Receive your detailed, trade-specific estimate within 1-2 business days, ready for your project execution.
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