Facade Capex Forecast Calculator

Building facades drive big capex. This calculator forecasts envelope spending.

Wall SF

Paint $/SF

Caulk $/SF

Major envelope $/SF

Forecast years

Forecast capex

$94,500

Annualized

$9,450

Paint spend

$94,500

How the math works

Forecast = (paint × cycles) + (caulk × cycles) + (major × cycles). Cycles estimated at paint 10 yr, caulk 12 yr, major 25 yr.

Budget envelope capex at roughly 0.5-1.0% of property value annually. That's the long-run average for solid stucco or brick; wood-frame facades come in at 1.0-1.5%. Plans that reserve less are not plans — they're gambles.

How to Use

Enter exterior wall SF.
Enter paint cost per SF.
Enter caulking cost per SF.
Enter major envelope cost per SF (re-stucco, repoint, residing).
Enter forecast years.
Read forecast capex.

Frequently Asked Questions

Paint cycle?

Stucco exterior: 8-15 years. Wood siding: 5-10. Brick (painted): 7-12. Fiber cement: 15-20. Aluminum/vinyl: 20-30. Sun exposure, coastal salt spray, rainfall all reduce cycle 20-40%.

Caulking cycle?

Silicone: 20-25 years. Polyurethane: 10-15. Acrylic latex: 5-10. Failed caulking causes water intrusion — single biggest cause of facade damage that then drives $50-500k repair. Re-caulk before paint, every paint cycle.

Major envelope?

Re-stucco (every 25-40 yrs): $4-9/SF. Brick repointing (every 50-75 yrs): $6-15/SF. Residing (every 25-40 yrs): $5-12/SF depending on material. Don't skip — envelope failure cascades into structural and interior damage.