How much does house painting cost?
Repainting all or part of your home can be such an exciting project. The end results can give your home an instant refresh, forming a great base to build your interior or exterior design.
However, there is a world of difference between a really good painting job and one where the painter has cut corners (literally) or skimped on paint. Ensuring the finished result looks professional and is of a high standard is the aim when choosing a painting company to carry out the work. It’s important not to get too stuck on the quoted price while still working within your budget to achieve the best outcome.
As with all major renovation work, it’s essential to get several quotes from reputable local painters. If one quote is estimating the job will take a lot less time or is a lot cheaper than other quotes this could be a serious red flag as the work could end up being substandard.
There is a range of factors that will affect how much it will cost to paint your house, these can include the following, however, we recommend speaking to your painting contractor for specific considerations that may apply to your project.
How long the painting work will take?
Your painter will often either charge a base rate per hour or per square metre to carry out a basic painting job. However, the painter’s rate may vary if the work is complex (more on this below).
How long the project will take often equates to how much needs painting, ie 1 bedroom vs a whole house.
How much preparation is needed?
All painting work will need some prep even if it’s just washing the walls or surfaces prior to beginning painting.
If it’s been a long time since the area has been painted and the space has experienced a lot of wear and tear the preparation required may be more extensive. This can involve tasks such as removing old flaking paint, filling holes, or smoothing surfaces.
For older homes, the presence of lead-based paint can affect the price as the paint could require testing for lead and if found may need to be removed. This needs to be carried out very carefully to avoid generating dust or fumes.
Any larger repairs to get the area ready for painting such as replacing timber or repairing larger holes in walls which may involve other trades such as carpenters or plasterers can add to the cost of the project as well.
Depending on the preparation needed you may be able to carry out some of the work yourself.
What type of paint will be used?
Paint manufacturers produce a range of paints specifically designed for application on various surfaces throughout the interior and exterior of your home. Depending on which area of your home you are painting a selection of paints will need to be used.
If you are painting inside your home this may include a:
- primer or undercoat
- wall paint
- ceiling paint
- paint for doors, windows and trims
Painting the outside of your house can include:
- primer, sealer or undercoat
- wall paint
- roof paint
- paint for eves and gutters
- paint for doors, windows and trims
The intricacy of the painting work
If your home has a lot of details like windows, doors, or features that need more complex painting, such as pressed metal or wainscotting, the job could take longer.
Alternatively, if the job requires specific painting techniques, effects, or finishes painters may charge slightly more per hour for more involved painting work as opposed to standard walls and ceiling projects.
Access requirements
Access can be a big consideration when painting the outside of your home. Ideally, your painter will need to be able to place ladders or scaffolding on a clear, even area around the outside of the house.
If you have limited space or are on a sloping block other equipment may be needed such as specialist ladders, scaffolding, a scissor lift, a mobile platform, plus relevant safety equipment. Sometimes the painting company may have this equipment on hand otherwise they will need to source it externally and the cost of this hire will need to be considered in your budget.
Height of your home
For exterior painting, the number of storeys or the height of your home can affect the cost of the project. When painting the inside, ceiling height and mezzanine areas may need to be considered.
Colour scheme
This is less about what colours you choose but more about the range of colours within the area to be painted. For example, two colours for the external walls, another for the guttering, a third for the window frames, and a fourth for the eves. Each colour and type of paint needs to be purchased in the required approximate quantities separately.
The colour can also be a factor if you are changing from a darker colour to a lighter shade as the new paint needs to completely cover the old one without it showing through. This could necessitate more undercoats, several paint coats, or specialist paints.
The best way to get a good idea of how much it will cost to paint your house is to speak to a professional local house painter as all aspects of your specific project will be taken into consideration.
