Most calls we get about older homes in Minneapolis and St. Paul start with a problem, not a color: a soft window sill, peeling trim, a cracked stucco corner. Here is how we handle the parts of a pre-1940 house that fail first.
Trim is the single most common thing homeowners ask us about. Rotted fascia, corner boards, brackets and sill nosing are repaired by our own carpentry crew at $135 per hour plus materials (4-hour minimum), on the same proposal as the paint, so there is no gap between the repair and the finish.
We check every sill for softness during the estimate. Brittle window putty is removed and re-glazed at $95 per hour plus materials, and storm windows are removed and reinstalled at the same rate so the wood behind them can be painted. Both are quoted as separate lines you can add or skip.
Anything built before 1978 is treated as lead-positive: no sanding, containment, HEPA cleanup and a lead rinse instead of pressure washing. We have completed more than 4,400 lead-safe projects. It adds roughly 10 to 15 percent to an exterior, and it is written on your proposal.
Porch floors, ceilings, pillars, railings, spindles and lattice skirting are hand-prepped and brushed. They are itemized separately from the house so you can see exactly what the porch costs and phase it if needed.
Many Tudors and foursquares mix stucco with wood or shake. Hairline stucco cracks are caulked, chalky stucco gets an oxidation wash, and each material gets its own primer and product, from a masonry coating on stucco to an oil primer on aged wood.
The garage is often in worse shape than the house. We quote it as its own line, matching the same scheme, so it can go with the house or wait a season.
Historic siding gets a cold wash or lead rinse, never high pressure. Loose and peeling paint is fully scraped and bare wood is spot-primed with a slow-dry oil primer that soaks into aged wood and locks down generations of paint. Metal gutters and window trims get a bonding primer. Topcoats are premium lines from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Hirshfield's, and the product, primer, sheen and number of coats is printed on every line of your proposal.
Featured historic project
Ann and Bruce have lived in their Summit Hill Queen Anne for 33 years. When it was time to repaint, they wanted the fish-scale gables, bracketed cornice and hand-painted floral frieze restored, not simplified. 363 painting hours, 23 repair hours, six colors, and a house that stops people on the sidewalk.
For fifty years the Historic Hills House Tour has opened the doors of St. Paul's Cathedral Hill, Summit Hill and Crocus Hill. Paris Painting is this year's official painting partner, and five homes we painted make up our digital tour of the Hill. Two of them open their doors on tour day.
Historic Hills House Tour · Sunday, September 27, 2026 · Noon to 6 PM. Presented by the Ramsey Hill and Summit Hill Associations. We are giving away 50 tickets, including 8 VIP passes. One entry, thirty seconds, winners drawn before tour day.
Win Free TicketsTake the Digital Tour"We needed a company that understood older homes and could preserve the history and detail of our Victorian. Paris Painting did a great job, and we now see their work throughout the neighborhood."Ann & Bruce, homeowners on the tour
Real numbers from our own estimates, so you can plan before anyone comes out. Older homes cost more than a rambler because there is more trim, more height and lead-safe prep, and because the work that needs doing usually shows up during the estimate.
An in-person estimate takes about an hour. Your estimator looks at every surface, presses on sills and trim, and tells you what needs repair before it can be painted.
Siding, soffits, fascia, window trims, porch, garage and every repair are separate lines with the product and coats for each, so you can add, drop or phase.
You review it together before the estimator leaves. Pricing holds for 90 days, and options like glazing or storm removal are priced but not forced in.
A dedicated project manager runs the job, most exteriors finish in 2 to 4 days, and every project carries a 3-year warranty on premature paint failure.
Full price tables, what changes the number and a sample proposal: Exterior painting cost guide · All painting services
Yes. A lot of the older homes we paint in Minneapolis and St. Paul need more than just a standard repaint. We regularly handle scraped and peeling siding, soft or rotted trim, exposed wood, failed caulking, and other common trouble spots before painting starts. If something should be repaired before it’s painted, we’ll tell you during the estimate process.
Yes. We work on many of the features that come with historic homes, including detailed trim, porch woodwork, railings, spindles, Tudor boards, soffits, fascia, and mixed-material exteriors like wood, stucco, and brick. We also handle multi-color historic paint schemes when the home calls for it.
Yes. Many historic homes have 3-story sections, steep rooflines, dormers, tight side yards, or hard-to-reach trim. We can use ladders, scaffolding, or lift equipment when needed to reach those areas safely and properly.
Yes. For homes built before 1978, we use lead-safe work practices and lead-appropriate prep methods. That is a big part of doing older home painting the right way, especially in Minneapolis and St. Paul neighborhoods with original siding and trim still in place.
Yes. Older homes usually are not just “siding and trim.” We can scope windows, storm windows, glazing repair, porches, railings, detached garages, and other exterior features so you get a realistic plan for the home as a whole. We can also help phase the work if that makes more sense for your budget.
A full repaint of a large two-and-a-half-story historic home with detailed trim and lead-safe prep commonly runs $12,000 to $25,000 or more. Trim, soffits, fascia and windows only usually runs $4,000 to $7,500, and partial projects $1,900 to $5,000. Lead-safe prep adds roughly 10 to 15 percent. See real examples above and the full exterior painting cost guide.
We repair it first. Rotted trim, sills, fascia and siding are repaired or replaced by our own carpentry crew at $135 per hour plus materials (4-hour minimum), listed on the same proposal as the paint so there is one contract and no gap between the repair and the finish.
Yes. Brittle window putty is removed and re-glazed, and storm windows are removed and reinstalled so the wood behind them can be painted, both at $95 per hour plus materials as separate optional lines. Standard exterior prep does not include glazing or storm removal unless it is written on your proposal, so ask your estimator to add it if you want it done.
Most exteriors finish in 2 to 4 days. Large multi-color Victorians take longer, and your dedicated project manager sets the schedule with you before the crew starts.
“I had four bids. Paris Painting was the most thorough by far — and the attention to detail on my St. Paul home really showed. Done in under a week.” — Marcus, Paris Painting Client
Founded in 2012 by Jason Paris, Paris Painting was built to bring professionalism, craftsmanship, and trust to residential painting.
We specialize in exterior painting, historic home restoration, and detailed carpentry repairs—preserving the beauty and integrity of Twin Cities homes through quality work and clear communication.
With 1,000+ five-star reviews, EPA Lead-Safe Certification, and memberships in the PCA and NARI, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of service and craftsmanship.
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