Homeowners often wrestle with the question—how much does it cost to paint a house? This question is tricky because the amount you will spend on house painting depends on several factors. These factors are also in play when you want to know
How often house painting should be done, another consideration when looking for a house painter.
The location and size of the surface area to be painted greatly determine the answer to the question—how much does it cost to paint a house? The paint materials and supplies used for the exterior and interior of the house are different and vary in price. The variations and materials and their price thus significantly affect the total cost of house painting.
Coastal house painting costs more
In exterior painting, you must also consider that the project can come out costlier for a house located in a coastal area. A coastal setting requires the proper materials like paint to protect the house from a harsher environment of sea air and water.
The protective paint materials against these elements are typically priced higher than those used in inland houses. More paint coating may also be used, further adding to the cost.
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Factors that affect the cost of exterior painting
Apart from the size of your house and its potential exposure to harsh weather conditions, these are the other factors that dictate house painting cost:
- Construction material used – The cost of a paint job will depend on the materials and their textures. To answer the question—how much does it cost to paint a house—you must also consider if its exterior is of wood, brick, or concrete block construction.
- The design of the house – A painting project becomes more complicated and costlier on a house with features like gables and functional or decorative elements like verandahs and sidings.
How much does it cost to paint a house exterior in Australia?
We consulted master painters in Australia, to give you a ballpark figure on the cost of painting a house exterior. Their consensus is that house exterior painting cost can range anywhere between $3,000 and $30,000.
The significant variation in their estimates is brought about not only by the different factors affecting painting costs we cited earlier. Professional painters also charge varying rates per square metre on the house surfaces they paint. Surely, this is an element to consider when answering the question—how much does it cost to paint a house?
Below are the ranges of price quotes of professional painters which you can get based on the surface area they will be working on:
- Brick surfaces – $15–$45 per square metre
- Wood surfaces – $12–$60 per square metre
Before you make your decision, it’s wise to view images of painting a brick house before and after or what colours look like on wood surfaces.
How much does it cost to paint a house interior professionally?
While many professional painters charge by square metre, some also work at an hourly rate. For the painting prep work, application, and cleanup, their rate can range from $65 to $105 an hour.
This range is based on an 8-hour working day and a vital input when trying to answer that question—how much does it cost to paint a house? Below is a breakdown of estimates on painters’ hourly rates across Australia.
Painters’ Average Contract Charge-Out Rate
| City | Per-hour Rate Range |
| Sydney | $74–$105 |
| Brisbane | $84–$88 |
| Perth | $82–$87 |
| Melbourne | $79–$87 |
| Adelaide | $65–$75 |
How much does it cost to paint a house inside?
Besides square footage, there are other cost factors to consider when hiring a house painter for the interior of a home. These considerations affecting the painter’s professional charge include the following:
- The extent of prep work – Walls with cracks or peelings will have to be repaired first before painting can start.
- Woodwork condition – Wooden panels, mouldings, and doors may need refitting before painting.
- Height of ceiling – High ceilings will take longer to paint because they are harder to reach.
- Number of paint coats – Extra paint coats, such as undercoat and double finish mean added work and thus higher painter fees.
- Decorative features – Expect to pay a painter more if you want special effects on the paint finish like decorative glazes
The expenses in the materials for painting a house interior can contribute significantly to the cost of painting a home’s interior. You will need, for example, higher-quality paints if you want decorative features.
Prepping materials will have to be purchased to repair wall cracks or peelings. Come up with a detailed estimate of the expenses of these materials to answer the question—how much does it cost to paint a house?
How much does it cost to paint a house DIY?
Tackling a house painting project yourself presents an opportunity to cut costs significantly. One estimate shows that with a DIY project, you can save between $2,000 and $6,000 in painting an average three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
Paints and primers will be the major expense of a DIY house painting. You will also have to add the cost of the following tools:
- Paintbrushes and rollers
- Quality painter’s tape
- Electric sander
- Drop cloths
- Filler for surface repairs
- Paint stirrer, scraper
- Ladder and scaffolding
- Sugar soap, mould killer
- Safety goggles and mask
In addition to these expense items, you will also have to consider the value of your time spent on the DIY house painting. A master house painter will spend on average between two and four days working on a room.
The work hours on these days will be spent on prepping and priming the wall surfaces, then painting. Unless you have mastered these tasks before, you will likely spend more time doing them.
You can boost the expected savings in your DIY house painting if you restrict its colour palette. Using simpler colours can save up to 15%, as stronger colours are more expensive than neutrals. Also, house painting will take longer if you use more colours further driving the cost of the home maintenance project time-wise.
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