Exterior house painting in Del Mar, CA

Most Del Mar exteriors cost $2.50 to $5 per square foot, which is about $4,000 to $7,000 for a single-story house and $6,500 to $12,000 for a two-story. Where a home lands in that range depends on access, the amount of wood trim, and how much failed coating has to come off first. Hillside lots and tall elevations need more setup than a flat street-front house. Our exterior painting service across San Diego County uses the same ranges, and every Del Mar quote is fixed in writing.

• Per square foot: $2.50 to $5
• Single-story home: $4,000 to $7,000 typical
• Two-story home: $6,500 to $12,000 typical

It can for a new colour, while a repaint that keeps the existing colours may not need review at all. The city's Administrative Design Review guide lists like-for-like repair of an existing structure as an example of exempt work, and planning staff make the final call. The same guide treats a change of structure colour, in applicable zones, as work that can go through an Administrative Design Review. That means a notice mailed to owners within 300 feet and a 10 business day window for objections. ADRs are generally approved within a month of a complete application; a timely objection sends the project to the Design Review Board.

• Same colours, same surfaces: ask staff to confirm it counts as like-for-like
• New colour scheme: ask planning staff whether an ADR applies
• Pre-application chat: planning@delmar.ca.us, or the counter on Monday and Wednesday afternoons

Normally no, even though all of Del Mar is in the Coastal Zone. The California Coastal Act exempts repair and maintenance that does not add to, enlarge or expand the structure from needing a coastal development permit (Coastal Act, section 30610). A repaint of existing walls and trim, with nothing added, fits that wording. The same section lets the Commission require permits for extraordinary repair methods that risk substantial environmental harm, so unusual work near the bluffs is worth a question to the city first. New siding, an enlarged deck or added structure is development, which the owner arranges. We paint; we do not take on the building work.

Each surface needs its own coating system, so we specify by surface rather than painting the whole house with one product. Stucco takes a breathable masonry paint, with cracks routed and filled first. Wood siding and shingles need loose paint removed, bare wood primed and every board end sealed, because unsealed wood takes on moisture from the marine air. Painted metal needs a rust-inhibiting primer. Older Del Mar homes often mix all three on one house.

• Stucco: crack repair, then a breathable masonry coating
• Wood siding and shingles: scrape, prime bare wood, seal end grain
• Metal railings and gates: remove rust, then rust-inhibiting primer

On any home built before 1978, yes, and about 3 in 4 Del Mar homes are older than 1980. Scraping or sanding old exterior paint can release lead dust and chips. On Del Mar's tight lots that debris can land in a neighbour's yard or wash toward the street. Our EPA Lead-Safe Certified crews plan containment for the property line as well as the planting beds, so chips and dust are kept out of the next yard and the street. It makes prep slower than on a newer house, and the EPA's renovation rule requires it.

Most homes take three to six working days on site, and the calendar around those days is what to plan. If staff confirm that keeping your existing colours counts as like-for-like, the job can be booked once the quote is agreed. For a colour change, allow for the city's process first: a pre-application talk with planning staff, then an Administrative Design Review that is generally decided within a month of a complete application. Washing starts each job; for decks, hardscape or a separate wash, see power washing, and for interiors, our Del Mar painting services.