Commercial painting Melbourne: costs, timing and what to check(2026)

Commercial painting in Melbourne typically runs $18-$45 per square metre for offices and retail fitouts, and $20-$120 per square metre for warehouses and industrial buildings depending on the coating system. Scaffolding or a boom lift for high ceilings and facades adds $300-$2,000 or more. The bigger question business owners usually have isn’t the price per metre, it’s how the work gets done without shutting the doors. Here’s what actually happens on a commercial job, what it costs, and what to check before you sign off on a contractor.

How much does commercial painting cost in Melbourne?

Office and retail interiors typically cost $18-$45 per square metre, while warehouse and industrial buildings range from $20-$120 per square metre depending on whether it’s a standard repaint or a full protective coating system. A small shopfront or office suite (100-300m²) usually lands between $8,000 and $25,000. A warehouse or factory floor with steel structure, epoxy floor coatings, or line marking can run well past $50,000 once the whole building is in scope.

Three things move the price more than anything else:

• Access. Scaffolding, boom lifts, or swing stages for double-height warehouses and multi-storey facades add $300-$2,000+ on top of the paint job itself.
• Surface condition. Peeling paint, rust on steel cladding, or render cracks need proper prep before a coat goes on. On older commercial buildings, prep can be up to 40% of the total job.
• Coating type. A standard acrylic repaint costs far less than an epoxy floor system, an anti-corrosive steel coating, or a fire-rated finish, all of which are common in warehouses and factories.

Get a written, itemised quote broken down by area (front of house, back of house, exterior, floor coatings) so you’re not comparing a bare-bones number against a full scope from another painter.

Can commercial painting be done outside trading hours?

Yes, and for most retail and office jobs it’s the standard approach. Painters work evenings, overnight, or weekends so the business stays open and trading is never interrupted. A shopfront might get painted between close of trade and opening the next morning, with everything cleaned up and furniture back in place before staff arrive. An office floor might be done over a weekend so nobody’s working around wet paint or fumes on a Monday.

Warehouses and industrial sites are more flexible, work can often happen during business hours in sections that aren’t operational that day, with barriers and signage keeping staff and forklifts clear of wet areas. The right approach depends on whether the space needs to stay open, and a good contractor will ask about your trading hours and operational constraints before quoting, not after.

What’s involved in painting an office, shop or warehouse?

Commercial jobs follow a similar sequence to residential work, just at a bigger scale and with more coordination.

1. Site walkthrough and scope. We assess wall area, ceiling height, surface condition, and access requirements, then put together an itemised quote covering paint, labour, and any scaffolding or lift hire.
2. Scheduling around your business. We agree on working hours (after-hours, weekends, or staged during trade for larger sites) so the job doesn’t cost you trading time.
3. Protection and prep. Stock, fixtures, shelving, and equipment get covered or moved. Any rust, cracking, or flaking surfaces are treated before the first coat.
4. Painting. Depending on the surface, this might be a standard acrylic system for plasterboard and render, or a specialist coating for steel, concrete, or high-wear floors.
5. Sign-off. A final walkthrough with photos and documentation, useful for facility managers and body corporates who need a record for their files.

What paint systems hold up best in commercial spaces?

Commercial spaces take more daily wear than a home, more foot traffic, more cleaning, more knocks, so the coating needs to match the use. A low sheen or semi-gloss wall system with good washability suits offices and retail fronts that get wiped down regularly. Warehouses and factories usually need something tougher, an anti-corrosive coating on exposed steel, an epoxy or polyurethane system on concrete floors that see forklift traffic, or a fire-rated coating where building codes require it.

How is commercial painting different from residential painting?

The biggest differences aren’t the paint itself, they’re the logistics. Commercial jobs deal with larger areas, tighter deadlines tied to trading hours, safety requirements around staff and stock, and often a facility manager or body corporate who needs formal documentation rather than a quick chat over the fence. Insurance matters more too, most commercial leases and body corporate agreements require a contractor to carry adequate public liability cover before they’ll approve access. We carry $20 million public liability insurance and provide a certificate of currency on request, which covers strata and commercial work alike.

See our full painting contractors Melbourne guide for the insurance, SWMS and written-scope checks to make before you sign.

What should you check before hiring a commercial painting contractor?

• Insurance certificate. Ask for a current certificate of currency, not just a verbal assurance. $10-20 million public liability is standard for commercial and multi-tenant sites.
• A written, itemised quote. It should break the job down by area and coating type, not give you a single lump sum you can’t compare against other quotes.
• References from similar work. A painter who’s done plenty of houses isn’t automatically set up for a warehouse floor coating or a multi-storey office fit-out. Ask for commercial references specifically.
• A clear schedule. Confirm working hours, expected duration, and how disruption to staff or customers will be managed before work starts.
• Workmanship guarantee. Find out what happens if a coating fails early or a section needs touching up after handover.

Common mistakes businesses make when hiring a commercial painter

• Choosing the cheapest quote without checking scope. A lump-sum quote that’s thousands under everyone else’s usually means thinner coats, no prep, or corners cut on access equipment.
• Not confirming after-hours availability upfront. Some painters only work standard weekday hours, find out before you commit if your site needs evening or weekend work.
• Skipping surface prep to save time. Painting over rust, cracked render, or flaking paint looks fine for a few months and fails early. Proper prep is what makes a commercial coating last.
• Using a residential-grade coating on a high-wear floor. Standard acrylic paint won’t survive forklift traffic or constant foot traffic in a warehouse, an epoxy or polyurethane system is built for it.
• Not getting insurance details in writing. A verbal “yeah we’re insured” isn’t enough for a lease or body corporate compliance file, always get the certificate.

We’ve handled office fit-outs, retail shopfronts, and warehouse repaints across Melbourne, working around trading hours so the business never has to close. Every job carries our $20 million public liability insurance and workmanship guarantee, and we’ve never subcontracted a job, the crew that quotes it is the crew that paints it.

If you’re planning a commercial repaint and want a written, itemised quote, call 0433 803 841 or request a quote online. We’ll walk the site, talk through your trading hours, and give you a straight number with no surprises.

Frequently asked questions

How much does commercial painting cost in Melbourne?

Office and retail interiors typically cost $18-$45 per square metre, while warehouses and industrial buildings range from $20-$120 per square metre depending on whether it’s a standard repaint or a full protective coating system. Scaffolding or lift hire for high ceilings and facades adds $300-$2,000 or more on top.

Can commercial painters work outside trading hours?

Yes. Most retail and office jobs are scheduled after hours, overnight, or on weekends so the business stays open throughout. Warehouses and industrial sites often have more flexibility to work in sections during the day, with barriers keeping staff and machinery clear of wet areas.

What’s the difference between commercial and residential painting?

The paint systems overlap, but commercial jobs involve larger areas, tighter scheduling around trading hours, tougher coatings for high-wear floors and steel structures, and formal documentation for facility managers or body corporates. Insurance requirements are also stricter, most commercial sites require a certificate of currency before granting access.

What should I check before hiring a commercial painting contractor?

Ask for a current certificate of currency for public liability insurance, an itemised written quote broken down by area and coating type, references from similar commercial work, and confirmation of their workmanship guarantee. Confirm working hours and how they’ll manage disruption to staff or customers before work begins.