Exterior House Painting in Charleston, SC
VMS Home Painting does exterior house painting in Charleston, SC and the nearby islands: siding, trim, porches and piazzas, shutters, doors and garage doors, from the peninsula to Kiawah Island and Mount Pleasant. Every job starts with washing and surface prep, because salt air and humid summers decide how long a coat of paint lasts here.
5.0 stars from 21 Google reviews (Google Business Profile, checked October 2026) and more than a dozen exterior projects published on this site, each with its location and square footage.
Signs your exterior is due for a repaint
Most homeowners call when one of these shows up. The earlier the call, the less wood has to be replaced before painting.
- Paint lifting on porch ceilings, railings and column bases. Horizontal parts hold water longest, so they fail first.
- Chalky residue that rubs off on your hand when you touch the siding on the sunny side of the house.
- Dark spots on shaded walls, often mildew, which has to be cleaned off before new paint goes on.
- Open caulk joints around windows, trim and corner boards, where rain gets behind the paint.
- Soft wood at window sills, door frames and the bottom of columns. Rot is repaired before priming, not painted over.
Approvals that come before the first coat
In parts of the Charleston area, the color on your house is not only your choice. Sorting this out first keeps the schedule from stalling with a crew already booked.
Charleston's historic districts
The City of Charleston asks for a Board of Architectural Review application for exterior painting in its review areas. When colors change, a color change form goes with it, listing each part of the house: body, trim, sash, shutters, doors, and the piazza columns, deck and ceiling.
Painting brick, stone or stucco that was never painted needs approval from the full Board, not only staff (form read October 9, 2026).
Old Village in Mount Pleasant
The Town of Mount Pleasant's Historic District Preservation Commission lists paint work in its staff approvals. Its February 2026 agenda includes the repainting of front-facade shutters, and the February 2025 agenda a change of paint color (both read October 9, 2026).
Neighborhoods with a review committee
Many planned communities and condominium associations have their own architectural rules. Get the color approved in writing before the job is scheduled, and keep the color names and codes from the approval with your estimate.
How the job runs, from estimate to the last coat
- Free estimate at the house. We look at every side of the house, the trim and the porches to see what needs prep, repair and paint.
- Colors and approvals. You choose the colors; if a board or association has to approve them, that happens before the start date.
- Washing and surface prep. Walls are cleaned, loose paint is removed and gaps are sealed so the new coating bonds to a sound surface.
- Protection. Plants, walkways and pavement are covered. One customer noted in a review that the crew also covered the neighbors' cars.
- Access. Ladders, scaffolding or lifts are set up for each height; elevated homes and three-story townhouses need more of it than a ranch house.
- Coats and detail work. Body, trim, railings, columns and shutters are painted. Shutters can be taken down and painted separately, which a reviewer mentioned on a new-construction exterior that got two coats in about a day and a half.
Request your exterior painting estimate or call (843) 452-1860.
Exteriors we have painted around Charleston
Every project below has its own page with photos, location and square footage.
- Kiawah Island estate, 5,100 sq ft: an elevated Lowcountry home with porches and balconies on three levels, painted in a soft sage green with white columns and railings.
- Elevated home on Mary Ellen Drive: yellow-green body, white trim and stacked porches, the house in the photo at the top of this page.
- Brick house in Coosaw Creek: red brick changed to a pale green with masonry paint, with scaffolding for the upper walls and the detached garage painted to match.
- Old Village home on Bennett Street: white body with dark shutters and trim on a traditional house in the historic district.
- Daniel Island home, 5,200 sq ft: white stucco, mansard roof lines with dormers and three arched garage doors.
- Ranch house in Charleston: terracotta and gold on the stucco, a brown stain on the wood siding and black window trim.
Siding, masonry, stucco and wood: what we paint outside
The projects on this site include wood and lap siding, vertical board siding on a three-story Downtown Charleston townhouse, brick, stucco, porch ceilings, columns and railings, shutters, garage doors and stained wood. Each surface takes a different primer and paint system, which is why the estimate lists them separately.
Condominium buildings and other multi-unit exteriors are run as commercial jobs, with phased schedules around residents. See HOA and condo painting in Charleston.
What changes the price of an exterior repaint
We do not publish prices, because every house is different and material costs change. These are the things that move an exterior quote up or down:
- size of the house and number of stories, and whether it sits on an elevated foundation;
- access: ladders, scaffolding or a lift, and tight lots downtown;
- condition: peeling, mildew, open joints and any rotted wood found during prep;
- surface type, especially brick or stucco being painted for the first time;
- number of colors and the amount of detail, such as shutters, porches and railings;
- a color change, which can take an extra coat to cover evenly;
- board or association approvals that affect timing.
The estimate is free and lists what will be prepped and painted. Ask for yours.
Where we paint exteriors
The Charleston peninsula, James Island, Johns and Wadmalaw Islands, Kiawah, Folly Beach, Daniel Island, North Charleston, Isle of Palms and Wild Dunes, Sullivan's Island and Awendaw, plus Mount Pleasant, Summerville and Goose Creek.
Questions homeowners ask about exterior painting
How do I find a good exterior house painter?
Ask for an estimate that lists the prep, the surfaces and the number of coats, the contractor's state registration or license number, a certificate of insurance, and addresses of finished exteriors near you that you can drive by.
Does a painting contractor need a state license or registration?
For paid work above the amounts set in state law, yes: residential painters register with the Residential Builders Commission (S.C. Code §40-59-20), and commercial painting falls under the Contractor's Licensing Board. You can look up any number on the SC LLR site. Ask us for ours with your estimate.
Why does exterior painting cost more than interior?
Most of the hours go into washing, scraping, sealing and repairing before any paint goes on, plus setting up safe access on every side of the house. Weather days also stretch the schedule.
What are porches called in Charleston?
Piazzas. The City's own color form names them, with separate lines for the piazza columns and balustrade, the deck and the ceiling, because each is usually painted a different color.
When is hurricane season here?
June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center. Long exterior jobs in late summer and fall are planned with room for storm days.
Exterior Painting Guides
Prep, paint and timing for house exteriors in the Lowcountry sun, salt air and humidity.
Get a free exterior painting estimate
Tell us about the house, the colors you have in mind and any approvals you are waiting on. We will set a time to look at it and send a detailed estimate.
Call (843) 452-1860 · Fill out the estimate form below
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.