How much does it cost to paint a house?

The cost to paint a house will vary depending on the surface area to be painted, the type of material which will need to be painted over, if you are painting the interior or the exterior, and if you intend to hire professional painters to complete the job.

The price of paints is usually affordable (about $14 per litre) so the main expense is in hiring professional painters – and this may be where to save money if you are interested in a DIY project. On average, the cost of paining the exterior of a house will range from $4,000-20,000 and the cost of painting an interior will be around $3,800.

House Painting Cost Table

Type

Rates per room

Rates per m2

Rates per hour

Rates per day

Interior

$250-400

$30-40

$40.00

$280-360

Exterior

N/A

$20-40

$40.00

$300-500

Cost to paint exterior of house Australia vs how much to paint a house interior Australia.

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There are many reasons you may want to paint your house. For new homeowners, it can be a way to make the home feel like it truly belongs to you. For those who have been living in the home for a long time, painting is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to change things up and make the house feel new again.

Painting can also increase the overall value of your home and is a good way to boost aesthetic appeal before selling. There are more practical reasons to repaint as well; painting the walls will minimize dust as well as hiding marks and stains.

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Painting is a reasonably straight forward DIY project, which is excellent because the price of professional painters at an hourly rate can be quite steep. The interior of a home is the easiest painting project to DIY and depending on the paint cost per litre, avoiding professional contractors can save you up to $6,000 dollars.

However, there are some hidden costs involved with a DIY painting project and you will want to keep these in mind when devising your budget; tools, high quality paint, and the value of your own time – if this project will see you working for weeks then it is most likely that a professional team would be an easier (and more ergonomic) choice.

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The cost to paint interior of house is inclusive of all of the above factors and varies depending on the size of the house. Hiring a painter to paint a single bedroom will usually cost between $300-750, and the total cost to paint the interior of a 3 bedroom house is generally around $3,200-$5,959.

This price will include the bedrooms, 2 bathrooms ($150-350 each), a laundry room (same range), living room (around $1,000-2,000) and a kitchen (approx. $1,000). For a 4 bedroom house, the price range will be fairly similar, only with the additional cost of the extra bedroom and any rooms that the 3 bedroom may not have such as a second living room.

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The cost to paint exterior of house can range from $500-20,000. In general, exterior painting is more expensive than wall painters as outdoor paint must be weatherproof. The material will also have a greater influence on the price. For brickwork, the price ranges from $15-$45 per square metre. For timber, painting prices can vary by as much as $12-$60 per square metre.

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For an average 2 storey house (3 bedrooms) will cost around $5,500-$8,000 to repaint. The price is dependent on the size of the home, the type of material, the accessibility of the house and even the colour of the paint as lighter colours may require multiple coats.

This is why if you want your house to be professionally painted you should look into getting a quote from a trusted professional before making any commitments.

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Before beginning the painting process at home, you will want to try and map out the specifics of the project and match your desires to your budget with a cost estimator.

This will include researching what type of walls you have and the average cost of painting such materials, as well as considering the paint colour and type you would like to have applied. You will want to choose a painter with experience and all of the relevant qualifications and bring this information to them for the most accurate quote possible.

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Naturally, larger houses will cost more to paint as there is simply more surface area.

Other things to consider when trying to determine whether to hire a professional or attempt a DIY job include how accessible your house is; if you have limited space for equipment and parking, the price will likely be higher as this barrier will interfere with the workers completing their tasks.

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Houses with two or more storeys are likely to require more equipment to be painted, particularly scaffolding, making them more expensive than a simple one story home.

Exterior painting is generally much more difficult than interior, so it is recommended that you hire a professional rather than DIY the outside of your house.

This is because incorrect application of paint could compromise the building materials or fail to protect the house from weather, leading to water damage or any other number of problems down the line.

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Be realistic when assessing your skills and only undertake this task as a DIY project if you are confident that you have the experience and the know-how to complete it safely.

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Interiors, on the other hand, are a great opportunity for a DIY paint job and a perfect way to give your home a refreshing touch-up without having to break the bank.

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