How much does it cost to paint a house in Melbourne? 7 price factors(2026)

House painting in Melbourne typically costs $20–$60 per square metre for interior work and $30–$80 per square metre for exterior work in 2026. A full interior repaint on a 3-bedroom home costs $6,000–$11,000, an exterior-only repaint on a single-storey weatherboard runs $10,000–$18,000, and a combined interior and exterior repaint on a standard 3 to 4 bedroom home is $13,000–$24,000. These are real Melbourne prices based on completed projects since 1987, not a national average that means nothing for your street. The house painting prices in this guide were last reviewed in July 2026 against our current written quotes. Our quotes tend to sit in the upper half of these ranges, because we use premium Dulux systems, the owner is on every job, the work is never subcontracted, and we carry $20M public liability. You pay a fair price for a finish that lasts, not the cheapest number that fails within a couple of years. These figures are for residential homes, offices, shops and warehouses are priced differently, see our commercial painting Melbourne cost guide if you’re quoting a business premises.

Melbourne house painting costs are shaped by the city’s diverse housing stock. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Melbourne has over 1.8 million residential dwellings, with a significant proportion of pre-1970 weatherboard and brick veneer homes that require specialised preparation. The Housing Industry Association (HIA) reports that maintenance and renovation spending across Victoria exceeded $12 billion in 2024, with painting consistently ranking as the most common home maintenance trade service.

What does it cost to paint a house exterior in Melbourne?

A full exterior repaint on a single-storey weatherboard home in Melbourne costs $10,000 to $18,000 in 2026. Render sits at $6,000 to $12,000, brick veneer trim-only at $4,000 to $8,000, and two-storey homes cost 40 to 60 percent more once scaffolding is counted.

Exterior painting costs in Melbourne vary significantly by cladding type. A weatherboard home requires far more preparation than a rendered or brick veneer property, and preparation is where most of the labour hours go. What that preparation involves is covered on our exterior painting service page. The table below shows 2026 exterior painting costs for a standard single-storey home in Melbourne.

These prices include labour, surface preparation, primer where required, and two topcoats of premium exterior paint such as Dulux Weathershield. Paint materials are typically included in exterior quotes. For two-storey homes, add 40–60% to these figures, see our two-storey house painting cost guide for a full breakdown. If you’re ready to book, our house painters, exterior work page has photos and a free quote form.

Key takeaway: Exterior painting costs in Melbourne are driven primarily by cladding type and surface preparation requirements, with weatherboard homes costing up to three times more than brick veneer trim-only repaints.

How much does interior painting cost in Melbourne?

Interior painting is priced either by the room or as a whole-home package. Whole-home pricing is almost always better value because the painter can work efficiently without mobilising and demobilising for each room separately. Our interior painting service page covers scope and process. The table below covers 2026 Melbourne interior painting costs.

Interior prices include surface preparation, gap filling, two coats of premium interior paint such as Dulux Wash&Wear, and full masking and floor protection. Colour changes from dark to light add an extra coat, which increases the price by roughly 15–20% per affected room. For detailed per-room pricing, see our cost to paint a room in Melbourne guide.

Key takeaway: Whole-home interior painting packages deliver 15–25% better value per room than individual room bookings because fixed mobilisation costs are spread across the entire project.

How much does painting cost by property size in Melbourne?

Painting costs in Melbourne scale with bedroom count: a 1-bedroom unit interior costs $2,500–$4,500, a 3-bedroom house $6,000–$11,000, and a 5-bedroom house $15,000–$28,000 in 2026. Exteriors follow the same ladder, from about $7,000 for a small house up to $30,000 for a large two-storey weatherboard or heritage home. The table below gives the quick answer for every common property size.

Interior figures are for a full repaint with two coats of premium paint. The exterior column assumes full wall painting on weatherboard, render, or cement sheet; a brick veneer home where only the trim, fascias, eaves, windows, and doors are painted costs far less, typically $4,000–$8,000 on a standard house. Two-storey homes sit at the top of each exterior range because of scaffolding and slower work at height.

How much does it cost to paint a 2 bedroom unit in Melbourne?

A full interior repaint on a 2-bedroom unit or apartment in Melbourne costs $3,500–$6,000 in 2026, covering both bedrooms, living area, hallway, ceilings, and trim with two coats. Units are cheaper than houses of the same bedroom count because there is less floor area, no exterior scope (the building exterior is a body corporate cost), and usually standard-height ceilings. What pushes a unit quote up is access: lift bookings, limited parking, and body corporate rules about working hours all add time. Kitchens and bathrooms with lots of cutting-in around tiles and cabinetry also sit at the top of the range. For the full breakdown including 1-bedroom and studio pricing, see our apartment and unit painting cost guide.

How much does it cost to paint a 4 bedroom house interior in Melbourne?

A full 4-bedroom interior repaint in Melbourne costs $12,000–$20,000 in 2026, including all bedrooms, living areas, hallways, ceilings, and trim. The jump from the 3-bedroom range is bigger than one extra bedroom suggests, because most 4-bedroom homes in Melbourne are two-storey. That adds a stairwell (a slow, high-access area, see our staircase and stairwell painting guide), an upstairs hallway or retreat, a second bathroom or ensuite, and often higher ceilings and more wet areas. A single-storey 4-bedroom with standard ceilings and sound walls sits at the bottom of the range; a two-storey home with a colour change lands at the top.

The 3-bedroom house has its own detailed section further down, because it is the single most common job we quote.

Key takeaway: Bedroom count is a reliable first guess at painting cost, but two-storey layouts, stairwells, and surface condition move any property up or down its range more than one extra room does.

What is the painting cost per square metre in Melbourne?

Melbourne painters charge roughly $20–$60 per square metre for interior work and $30–$80 per square metre for exterior work in 2026, covering labour, preparation, and two coats of premium paint. The rate sits at the lower end for sound walls in a similar colour, and at the top end for heavy prep, colour changes, or detailed trim. See our painting cost per square metre guide for what pushes the rate up or down and how to turn it into a real number for your home.

If you are working from a US-style figure in square feet, one square metre is about 10.8 square feet, so those rates work out to roughly $2–$6 per square foot interior and $3–$7.50 per square foot exterior. A 2,000 square foot home is about 186 square metres of floor area, which for a full interior repaint usually lands in the $6,000–$11,000 range once walls, ceilings, and trim are counted.

For a deeper look at when per-square-metre pricing beats per-room pricing (and when it hides costs), see our per-m2 vs per-room pricing guide. Most of what you pay is labour, not paint. According to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), labour makes up the large majority of a residential painting project, with materials the smaller share.

Key takeaway: Per-square-metre rates are a useful sanity check, but labour and preparation are 70–80% of the bill, so the condition of your surfaces moves the price far more than floor area alone.

How much do painters charge per hour in Melbourne?

Melbourne painters typically charge $75–$95 per hour plus GST for residential work, though most quality painters quote a fixed price for the whole job rather than an hourly rate. Hourly rates suit small jobs like a single door or a patch repair. For anything bigger, insist on a fixed quote: it puts the risk of a slow day on the painter, not you, and makes quotes directly comparable. If a painter will only work by the hour on a full room or house, ask why.

Across the wider Melbourne market you will see hourly rates advertised anywhere from $45 to $80 per hour. The low end is usually a solo operator or someone starting out, often without insurance, a warranty, or the overheads of a real business. Established, insured painting companies sit at $75–$95 plus GST because that rate has to cover WorkCover, public liability, vehicles, and quality materials, not just a wage. When comparing hourly rates, always confirm whether the figure includes GST and whether paint is extra. A cheap hourly rate with slow work and paint on top routinely costs more than a fixed quote from a faster, better-equipped crew.

How much do painters charge per day in Melbourne?

Melbourne painters charge roughly $400–$800 per day per painter in 2026, which is just the hourly rate multiplied across a working day. At $45–$80 per hour a standard day works out to $360–$640; established insured firms at $75–$95 per hour land at $600–$760 plus GST per painter per day.

Here is the number that matters when a day rate looks cheap: a professional painter’s true operating cost is $600–$800 per day once wages, superannuation, WorkCover, public liability insurance, vehicle, and equipment are counted. A painter charging $400 a day is either running without insurance, rushing, or making the difference back on materials. Day rates make sense for open-ended maintenance work, a day of touch-ups across a rental, or working alongside other trades. For a defined job like a room, a facade, or a whole house, a fixed written quote protects you: the painter carries the risk of a slow day, not you.

Key takeaway: A fair Melbourne day rate is $600–$800 per painter for an insured professional. Rates well below that are below the real cost of running a legitimate painting business, so something is being cut.

How much does it cost to paint a ceiling in Melbourne?

Painting a single ceiling in Melbourne costs about $150–$400 for a standard room, rising to $250–$600 for a high or detailed ceiling that needs scaffolding or extra cutting-in. Ceilings are painted first, before the walls, usually in a flat white that hides imperfections and reflects light. As part of a full room repaint the ceiling adds roughly $100–$250 over a walls-only price, which is why doing walls and ceiling together is better value than the ceiling on its own. See our ceiling painting guide for the full detail.

How much does it cost to repaint a house in Melbourne?

Repainting a house in Melbourne costs $6,000–$11,000 for a 3-bedroom interior, $4,000–$18,000 for the exterior depending on cladding, and $13,000–$24,000 for both combined in 2026. Almost every job we quote is a repaint, so the ranges in this guide are repaint prices.

Repainting a home that already has sound paint usually costs less than a first-time paint job, because bare surfaces need a full primer or sealer coat on top of the two topcoats. A repaint over paint in good condition sits at the lower end of the ranges in this guide. Where the old paint is peeling or flaking, repainting can actually cost more than a fresh surface, because scraping and spot-priming failing paint is slower than sealing clean new plaster or timber. The condition of what is already on the wall matters more than whether the job is technically a repaint.

What 7 factors set house painting prices in Melbourne?

Every house is different, which is why house painting prices vary so much between quotes. Here are the factors that move a quote up or down, and why.

1. Surface Preparation

This is the single biggest variable. A house with sound, well-maintained paint needs light sanding and a wash before recoating. A house with peeling, cracking, or flaking paint needs extensive scraping, sanding back to bare timber, filling, and spot-priming. On a weatherboard home, preparation accounts for 60–70% of total labour time. There are no shortcuts, skip the prep and the new paint fails within two years.

Preparation work on a weatherboard home in Footscray. Scraping back to sound substrate is non-negotiable before any topcoat goes on.

2. Access and Scaffolding

Single-storey homes can usually be painted from ladders and a stepladder. Two-storey homes require scaffolding or an elevated work platform (EWP), adding $2,000–$5,000 to the project cost. Complex rooflines, tight side access, or homes built on slopes can increase access costs further. The Victorian Building Authority requires safe work at height compliance, any painter skipping scaffolding on a two-storey home is cutting corners on safety.

3. Paint Quality and System

There is a real cost difference between premium and budget paint. A full exterior using Dulux Weathershield costs $1,500–$3,000 in materials alone. Builder-grade paint costs half that, and lasts half as long. We use Dulux premium systems as standard because they are formulated for Melbourne’s UV exposure and weather cycling. The Bureau of Meteorology climate data for Melbourne shows the city gets over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, cheap paint breaks down fast under that kind of UV load.

4. Number of Coats

A standard repaint in the same or similar colour requires two topcoats. A colour change, especially dark to light or light to dark, may require a tinted undercoat plus two topcoats, effectively adding a third coat. Each additional coat adds roughly $2,000–$4,000 on a full exterior and $1,000–$2,000 on a full interior.

5. House Condition and Age

Older homes in Melbourne’s inner west and inner north often have multiple layers of paint, some of which may contain lead. Lead paint removal must comply with AS 4361.2 guidelines and adds significant cost, typically $3,000–$8,000 for a full exterior depending on the extent. Homes built before 1970 in suburbs like Footscray, Yarraville, Seddon, and Williamstown are high-risk for lead paint.

6. Heritage Overlays

Properties with a Heritage Overlay (HO) in councils like Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, and Yarra must follow specific colour schemes and may require a planning permit before repainting. This adds time and sometimes restricts you to heritage colour ranges like the Dulux Heritage palette. Our heritage house painting guide covers this in detail.

7. Number of Colours

A single-colour exterior with white trim is the most cost-effective scheme. Every additional colour adds cutting-in time, masking, and drying time between coats. Heritage homes with three or four body colours, a separate trim colour, and accent details can cost 30–50% more than an equivalent single-colour home.

Key takeaway: The seven factors above can cause Melbourne house painting quotes to vary by 200–300% for homes of the same size, making an on-site inspection essential for accurate pricing.

How does painting cost vary by Melbourne home type?

Weatherboard homes

Weatherboard is Melbourne’s most common cladding in the inner and middle suburbs. It is also the most labour-intensive to repaint. Every board needs individual attention, checking for rot, scraping loose paint, filling gaps, and priming bare timber. A single-storey weatherboard exterior runs $10,000–$18,000, and a two-storey exterior is $7,000–$14,000 for a standard render or brick home, rising to $15,000–$30,000 for larger weatherboard or heritage homes. We repaint weatherboard homes across the western suburbs every week, see our weatherboard painting service for more detail on our process.

Brick veneer homes

The most cost-effective exterior painting scope. You are only painting the trim, fascias, eaves, window frames, doors, and sometimes a feature render panel. The brick itself stays unpainted in most cases. Full trim repaint on a standard brick veneer costs $4,000–$8,000. If you want the brick itself painted or bagged, add $5,000–$10,000 depending on surface area.

Rendered and cement-sheet homes

Rendered homes are common in newer suburbs and 1950s–1970s builds. The render needs crack repair and a sealer coat before topcoating. A standard single-storey rendered exterior costs $8,000–$15,000. Cement-sheet (Hardiplank, Villaboard) homes are similar, the sheets themselves are stable, but the joints and flashings need careful preparation.

Interior repaint of an Edwardian living room. Period homes with ornate cornices, ceiling roses, and timber trims take longer but the results are worth it.

Heritage Victorian and Edwardian homes

These are Melbourne’s most beautiful, and most expensive, homes to paint. Ornamental fretwork, turned verandah posts, decorative brackets, and multi-colour schemes all increase labour hours significantly. A full exterior on a heritage Victorian or Edwardian home costs $14,000–$28,000, depending on the level of ornamental detail and the number of colours. Lead paint is common on pre-1970 homes and must be handled according to Australian lead paint safety standards.

Modern townhouses

Townhouses typically have less exterior surface area and simpler profiles. A standard two-storey townhouse exterior costs $6,000–$12,000. Many townhouses have a combination of render, cladding, and feature panels, which means multiple paint systems but relatively quick application.

Why should you avoid the cheapest painting quote?

If you get three quotes and one is 40% lower than the other two, that is not a bargain, it is a warning sign. Here is what low-ball quotes typically leave out:

• Preparation is skipped or reduced. Instead of scraping and sanding, the painter does a quick wash and paints straight over failing paint. The new paint peels within 12–18 months.
• One coat instead of two. A single coat of exterior paint does not provide adequate UV protection or coverage. It looks fine for six months, then fades and chalks.
• Builder-grade paint. Cheap paint costs half as much as Dulux Weathershield but has lower resin content, less pigment, and breaks down faster. You repaint in 5 years instead of 12–15.
• No insurance. A legitimate painting business carries $20M public liability insurance. Uninsured painters can quote lower because they are not covering that overhead, but you are exposed if anything goes wrong.
• No warranty. Professional painters offer a written workmanship warranty. If there is no warranty document, there is no accountability.

Master Painters Australia recommends getting at least two quotes from qualified painters and checking that each quote specifies paint brand, number of coats, preparation scope, and warranty terms. According to Consumer Affairs Victoria, homeowners should always obtain written quotes and check that the painter holds appropriate insurance before any work begins.

Key takeaway: If one painting quote is 30–40% lower than comparable quotes for the same scope in Melbourne, it almost certainly reflects reduced preparation, fewer coats, or inferior paint products. For the red flags to check before accepting any quote, see our guide on how to hire a painter in Melbourne.

How should you compare painting quotes in Melbourne?

A proper painting quote should be a written document, not a number scribbled on the back of a business card. Here is what to look for:

A good quote itemises:

• Preparation scope (what scraping, sanding, filling, and priming is included)
• Paint brand and product name (not just “premium paint”)
• Number of coats per surface
• What surfaces are included and excluded (walls, ceilings, trim, doors, windows)
• Access method (scaffolding, EWP, ladders)
• Timeframe and start date
• Payment terms
• Workmanship warranty period
• Insurance details (public liability, WorkCover)

Red flags:

• Verbal-only quotes with no written documentation
• Quotes that say “paint” without specifying brand or product
• No mention of preparation or surface condition
• Significantly lower than other quotes without a clear explanation
• Requests for large upfront deposits (10% is standard; 50% is a red flag)

For a deeper guide on evaluating painting quotes, see our post on how to get a painting quote in Melbourne.

How much does it cost to paint a 3 bedroom house in Melbourne?

Painting a 3 bedroom house in Melbourne costs $6,000–$11,000 for a full interior, $4,000–$18,000 for the exterior depending on cladding, and $13,000–$24,000 for interior and exterior combined. The 3 bedroom single-storey home is the most common quote we price, so these ranges are tight and reliable.

Add 40–60% for a two-storey home. For a room-by-room interior breakdown, see the 3-bedroom interior painting cost guide.

Cost guides for specific jobs

The figures above cover whole-house scenarios. If you are pricing a specific job, these guides break the numbers down further:

• Painting a 3-bedroom house interior
• Painting an apartment or unit
• Painting a townhouse
• Painting a rendered house exterior
• Painting a garage
• Painting kitchen cabinets
• Painting a staircase or stairwell
• Per-square-metre vs per-room pricing
• Lead paint in pre-1970 homes: cost and safety

Frequently asked questions

I have a single-storey weatherboard in Melbourne that needs a full exterior repaint with peeling paint on the west side, what should I budget?

Budget $10,000–$18,000 for a full exterior repaint including preparation, primer, and two topcoats of Dulux Weathershield. Peeling on the west side is typical, afternoon sun causes the most UV damage. If the timber is sound, you will land in the middle of that range. Rot or lead paint pushes the cost higher by $2,000–$5,000.

We’re getting our 4 bedroom brick veneer house painted inside and out in Melbourne, is $15,000 a reasonable quote or are we being overcharged?

$15,000 is reasonable for a combined interior and exterior repaint on a 4-bedroom brick veneer, provided the quote includes full interior walls, ceilings, and trim plus all exterior timber (fascias, eaves, windows, doors). Brick veneer exteriors cost less than weatherboard because you are painting trim only. Always compare at least two itemised, written quotes.

How much do painters charge per room in Melbourne for walls, ceilings, and white throughout?

A standard bedroom costs $650–$950, a living room $1,000–$1,500, and a full 3-bedroom interior runs $6,000–$11,000 including hallway and all rooms. Prices include preparation, two coats of Dulux Wash&Wear, and full protection. See our room painting cost guide for detailed per-room pricing.

What is the average cost to paint a house in Melbourne?

Most 3-bedroom interior repaints in Melbourne land in the middle of the $6,000–$11,000 range, and most single-storey weatherboard exteriors in the middle of $10,000–$18,000, in 2026. Averages hide what actually moves the price: surface condition, preparation hours and access. Build a number for your own home from the by-room and per-square-metre rates above, then confirm it with a free on-site quote.

How much does the paint itself cost?

Materials for a full exterior run $1,500–$3,000 using premium products like Dulux Weathershield; builder-grade paint costs about half and lasts about half as long. Paint is a smaller share of the bill than most people expect, preparation and labour make up the bulk of a professional quote.

What’s the average cost difference between painting a single-storey vs two-storey house in Melbourne that needs scaffolding?

Two-storey homes cost 40–60% more than single-storey equivalents. A standard render or brick two-storey exterior runs $7,000–$14,000, rising to $15,000–$30,000 for larger weatherboard or heritage homes, versus $10,000–$18,000 for single-storey weatherboard. Scaffolding adds $2,000–$5,000 on top of higher labour costs from working at height. See our two-storey painting cost guide for the full breakdown.

Why is house painting so expensive in Melbourne? I got a quote for $8,000 just for the exterior of a small weatherboard, is that normal?

Yes, $8,000 for a small weatherboard exterior is a normal, fair price. Proper preparation (scraping, sanding, filling, priming) accounts for 60–70% of a painter’s time on weatherboard. Materials alone cost $1,500–$3,000 using premium products. A professional painter’s true operating cost is $600–$800 per day after labour, insurance, and overheads. A quote well below this range usually means preparation or paint quality is being compromised.

Is GST included in painting quotes in Melbourne?

A fixed-price quote given to a homeowner should show a GST-inclusive total, that is what Australian Consumer Law expects when a single price is presented to a consumer. Hourly and day rates are often advertised as “plus GST”, so add 10% before comparing them with fixed quotes. If a quote does not mention GST, get the painter to confirm the total in writing. We cover the detail, including how GST appears on invoices, in our guide on whether painting quotes include GST.

How much deposit should a painter ask for in Melbourne?

Around 10% is standard. Under Victoria’s domestic building contract rules, painting work over $10,000 needs a major domestic building contract, and Consumer Affairs Victoria caps the deposit at 10% for contracts under $20,000 and 5% for contracts of $20,000 or more. A painter asking for 50% up front is a red flag. Never hand over a large deposit before you have a signed written quote or contract.

How do painting quotes work in Melbourne?

A proper quote starts with an on-site inspection, because surface condition drives most of the price and cannot be judged from a photo. You then receive a written fixed-price document itemising preparation, paint brand and product, number of coats, included surfaces, access method, timeframe, payment terms, and warranty. Once you accept, the price should not move unless you change the scope. Our guide on what a painting quote should include has the line-by-line checklist.

Why do painting quotes vary so much in Melbourne?

Quotes for the same house can vary 200–300% because each painter prices a different job. One quotes two coats of Dulux Weathershield over full scraping and priming; another quotes one coat of builder-grade paint over a quick wash. Insurance, WorkCover, and a written warranty add real overhead that uninsured operators skip. Compare the itemised scope line by line, not the bottom-line number, and treat any quote 30–40% below the rest as a warning sign, not a win.

Citations

• [1] Consumer Affairs Victoria, Getting quotes for building and renovating: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/building-and-renovating/plan-and-manage-your-building-project/getting-quotes
• [2] Standards Australia, AS/NZS 2311:2017 Guide to the Painting of Buildings: https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2311-2017
• [3] Dulux Australia, Weathershield Exterior Paint Range: https://www.dulux.com.au/paint/weathershield/

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