The honest answer to "how often should I repaint my house" is: it depends. But it doesn't depend on as many things as some painters want you to believe. Three factors drive 90% of the decision.
Factor 1: Where you live
Inside the I-95 corridor, away from the coast, exteriors typically last 10–12 years between repaints. Closer to the coast — east of A1A or anywhere within a mile of saltwater — you're looking at 7–9 years. Direct oceanfront exposure can drop that to 5–7 years even with the best products.
Factor 2: What's on the wall
Stucco can hold paint for 10+ years if it was properly elastomeric-coated. Hardie board and fiber cement do well — 8–10 years is typical. Wood lap siding is the most demanding — every joint is a potential failure point and the wood itself moves with humidity.
Factor 3: How well the last job was done
This is the variable nobody talks about. A bad paint job — thin coats, no prep, wrong product — can fail in 3 years. A great paint job — full prep, proper caulking, two coats of premium paint — can hit 12+ years even on a coastal home.
Signs it's time
- **Chalking**: rub your hand on the wall. If it comes off white, the resin has broken down. The paint is no longer protecting the substrate.
- **Fading**: noticeable color difference between the south/west walls and north/east walls.
- **Cracking**: hairline cracks in the paint film, especially around windows and doors.
- **Peeling**: this is the late stage. Peeling means moisture has gotten behind the paint and the bond is gone.
- **Caulk failure**: even if the paint looks fine, failed caulk lets water in. Walk your house once a year and check.
If you're seeing two or more of these, schedule an estimate. Catching it now is cheaper than catching it after rot starts.
Have a painting project to talk through?
Free, no-pressure estimates from Andy Feldman himself.