To compare painting quotes fairly in Melbourne, get at least three written quotes based on an identical job description, then normalise each one to the same scope, same coats, same primer, same prep, same rooms, before you ever look at the bottom line. Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends getting several quotes before choosing a tradesperson so you can compare inclusions and price on a like-for-like basis.
We’ve been quoting and painting Melbourne homes for more than three decades, since 1987, and we’ve watched countless homeowners almost pick the wrong painter because three quotes looked like they were comparing the same job when they weren’t. This guide shows you exactly how to lay three quotes side-by-side, equalise them, and work out which one is genuinely the best value, not just the lowest number.
Why can’t you just compare painting quotes on price?
Because two painters quoting different scopes will give different prices, and the cheaper number often hides less prep, fewer coats, or cheaper paint.
A headline price tells you almost nothing on its own. One painter might be quoting two coats of premium Dulux over fully sanded and primed walls. Another might be quoting a single coat over a quick wipe-down with no undercoat. The second quote will be cheaper, but it’s not the same job, and the result won’t last the same length of time.
The mistake is treating the dollar figure as the thing being compared. It isn’t. What you’re really comparing is the work behind the figure. Until two quotes describe identical work, the prices are not comparable, and choosing the lower one is just choosing the smaller scope without realising it.
Key takeaway: Never compare painting quotes on headline price alone. Normalise every quote to the same scope first, same coats, same primer, same prep, same surfaces, then the prices become genuinely comparable.
How many painting quotes should you get?
Get at least three, and always in writing, verbal quotes leave no record and can’t be compared fairly.
Three written quotes is the practical minimum. One quote gives you no benchmark. Two quotes leave you guessing if one is an outlier. Three quotes show you the realistic middle of the market and make any genuine lowball or overpriced quote obvious.
Insist they’re written, not verbal. A verbal quote over the phone is a guess and a number you can’t hold anyone to. A written quote is a record, it states what’s included, what isn’t, and what you’ll pay. If a dispute arises later about coats or prep, the written quote is your evidence of what was agreed.
Consumer Affairs Victoria advises homeowners to obtain several quotes before committing to a tradesperson, precisely so you can weigh scope and price against each other rather than accepting the first figure offered.
Why does an identical job description matter so much?
Because if each painter quotes a slightly different job, you end up comparing three different things and the comparison is meaningless.
Before you invite painters to quote, write down one clear job description and give the same one to every painter. List the exact rooms, the surfaces in each (walls, ceilings, trim, doors, skirting), how many coats you want, and any prep you already know about. Then every quote answers the same question.
If you let each painter scope the job themselves, one will assume ceilings are included and another won’t. One will price three coats on a dark feature wall, another will assume two. By the time the quotes come back, they’re describing three different jobs, and no amount of staring at the totals will fix that.
A shared written brief also protects you. When all three quotes respond to the same document, any painter who has quietly dropped a coat or excluded a room stands out immediately against the other two.
Key takeaway: Give every painter an identical written job description. A like-for-like comparison is only possible when all three quotes are answering exactly the same brief.
What should each painting quote line-item separately?
Each quote should break out labour, materials, preparation, number of coats, and exclusions as separate lines, not bundle them into one figure.
A single lump sum hides everything that matters. When a quote separates the elements, you can see where the money goes and compare each part against the other quotes. Insist that every quote lists, as its own line:
- Labour, and how it’s calculated
- Materials, paint products named, not “premium paint”
- Preparation, sanding, filling, priming, repairs
- Number of coats, per surface
- Exclusions, what is deliberately not covered
Consumer Affairs Victoria advises that a quote should make clear what it covers, materials, how labour is calculated, any call-out or transport charges, and weekend or public-holiday rates, and how variations are handled if the job changes once work begins. A quote that can’t show you these things isn’t a quote you can compare.
How do you normalise three quotes to the same scope?
Go through each quote and confirm the same coats, the same primer or undercoat, the same masking and protection, and the same rooms and surfaces, then adjust any that differ.
Normalising means making the three quotes describe identical work before you compare price. Take each one in turn and check the same five things:
- Coats, Is each surface getting the same number of coats across all three quotes?
- Primer/undercoat, Is a primer or undercoat included, or assumed away?
- Surface protection, Is masking, drop-sheeting and protection of floors and furniture included?
- Rooms and surfaces, Are exactly the same rooms and the same surfaces (walls, ceilings, trim, doors) covered?
- Prep depth, Is the same level of sanding, filling and repair quoted?
Where a quote differs, note it. If Quote B is cheaper because it’s one coat instead of two, you now know the gap isn’t a discount, it’s a missing coat. Ask that painter to re-quote on the full scope so the three become directly comparable. Only when all three describe the same job can you fairly total them up.
Why is the cheapest quote rarely the best value?
Because once you equalise prep and coats, a price that was lower almost always means corners were going to be cut somewhere you couldn’t see.
This is the single most useful thing to understand. A genuinely lower price has to come from somewhere. On a painting job, the invisible places are prep and coats, exactly the parts that determine how long the finish lasts. A painter who quotes less is usually quoting less work, not the same work for less money.
Once you normalise the three quotes, watch what happens to the cheap one. Add the missing coat, add the primer, add the proper prep, and the “bargain” quote often rises to meet the others. The gap that made it look attractive was the gap in scope all along.
That doesn’t mean the highest quote is automatically best either. The goal isn’t to pick the dearest, it’s to compare equal scopes and then choose on warranty, paint quality, insurance and track record. Value is price for a defined scope, never price alone.
Key takeaway: The cheapest quote is rarely the best value. A lower price almost always means less preparation or fewer coats, once you equalise the scope, the real cost of doing the job properly is usually similar across reputable painters.
How should you total each quote for a fair comparison?
Total every quote the same way, all GST-inclusive, so you’re comparing final out-the-door figures, not a mix of inc-GST and ex-GST numbers.
GST trips up a lot of comparisons. One painter quotes $6,600 including GST; another quotes $6,200 plus GST, which is actually $6,820. The second looks cheaper at a glance and is dearer in reality. Before comparing, convert every quote to its GST-inclusive total so all three are stated the same way.
Then fold in everything else that’s a real cost: call-out or transport charges, any weekend or public-holiday loading, and the value of any items one painter includes that another doesn’t (for example, one might include moving and protecting furniture, another might not). Build one true all-in figure per quote.
When all three are normalised to the same scope and totalled the same GST-inclusive way, the comparison is finally honest. Now the cheaper figure, if there still is one, is a genuine saving rather than a hidden cut.
What should your side-by-side comparison checklist cover?
Score every quote against the same nine elements, scope, prep, paint product, coats, warranty, insurance, ABN, written contract and payment terms, so nothing is judged on price alone.
Lay the three quotes out next to each other and fill in a simple table. If a column is blank for one painter, that’s your answer about how they quote.
| Element | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope match (same rooms/surfaces) | |||
| Preparation detail (sand/fill/prime listed) | |||
| Paint product named (e.g. Dulux Wash&Wear) | |||
| Number of coats (per surface) | |||
| Warranty (length and conditions, in writing) | |||
| Insurance (public liability confirmed) | |||
| ABN (valid and supplied) | |||
| Written contract (terms in writing) | |||
| Payment terms (deposit, balance, method) | |||
| Total (GST-inclusive) |
The painter who fills every row clearly is showing you how they’ll run the job. The painter with blanks and vague entries is telling you the same thing about theirs.
Key takeaway: Compare quotes against nine fixed elements, scope, prep, paint product, coats, warranty, insurance, ABN, written contract and payment terms, and only weigh price once every other column is filled in for all three.
How do you check a quote beyond the numbers?
Confirm each painter has a valid ABN, current public liability insurance, a written warranty, and a written contract or terms, these protect you if anything goes wrong.
The figures tell you what you’ll pay; these checks tell you who you’re paying. For each of the three painters, confirm:
- ABN, valid and supplied, so you know who you’re dealing with
- Insurance, current public liability cover (we carry $20 million)
- Warranty, in writing, with a stated period and conditions
- Written contract or terms, so the agreement is on paper, not in conversation
A painter can have the tidiest quote in the stack and still be the wrong choice if they can’t show insurance or won’t put a warranty in writing. Master Painters Australia sets professional standards for painters across the country, and reputable operators are happy to provide these details without being chased.
What are the warning signs when comparing quotes?
Watch for one quote far below the others, vague single-figure totals, no prep mentioned, unnamed paint, pressure to sign today, and large deposits.
When three quotes are side-by-side, the problem ones usually announce themselves:
- One quote far cheaper than the other two, almost always less scope, not better value
- A single lump sum with no breakdown of labour, materials, prep or coats
- No preparation mentioned, prep is where corners get cut invisibly
- “Premium paint” instead of a named product
- Pressure to decide immediately or a “today only” price
- A large upfront deposit out of step with the others
If one quote shows several of these, you don’t need to agonise over its price, you already know why it’s lower. Set it aside and compare the two that quote like professionals.
“Three quotes only tell you something if they describe the same job, equalise the coats, the primer and the prep first, and the cheap quote usually stops looking cheap.”, Modernize Solutions, painting Melbourne homes since 1987
“We line-item every quote, labour, materials, prep, coats and exclusions separately, so homeowners can hold ours up against any other and see exactly what they’re paying for.”, Modernize Solutions
How do you book a quote with Modernize Solutions?
Call 0451 040 396 for a thorough on-site assessment and a detailed, line-itemised written quote you can confidently place beside any other.
The best way to compare quotes fairly is to make sure at least one of them is built properly, fully scoped, line-itemised, GST-inclusive, with the paint products named and the prep spelled out. That gives you a benchmark to hold the others against.
Modernize Solutions has quoted and painted across Melbourne since 1987, completing over 1,000 residential projects. We’re family-owned, carry $20M public liability insurance, use Dulux premium paint exclusively, and back our work with a workmanship guarantee, if anything is wrong with our work, we fix it at no cost. We hold a 4.8-star Google rating from 154 verified reviews, and the owner personally conducts every quote, so the person pricing your job is the person standing behind it. Call us on 0451 040 396 and we’ll give you a quote that’s easy to compare, line by line.
Frequently asked questions
How many painting quotes should I get before comparing?
Get at least three written quotes, never verbal ones, all based on an identical job description. Three quotes give you a like-for-like comparison and a record of what each painter promised. Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends getting several quotes before choosing a tradesperson so you can compare scope, inclusions and price fairly.
Why shouldn’t I just pick the cheapest painting quote?
Because the cheapest quote is rarely the best value once you equalise scope. A lower price usually means less surface preparation, fewer coats, or cheaper paint, not a better deal. Once you normalise every quote to the same number of coats, primer and prep, the real gap between painters often disappears.
What should each painting quote line-item separately?
Each quote should separate labour, materials, preparation, number of coats and exclusions. Consumer Affairs Victoria advises a quote should make clear what it covers, including materials, how labour is calculated, call-out or transport costs, and weekend or public-holiday rates, plus how variations are handled if the job changes.
How do I make three painting quotes truly comparable?
Give every painter the same written job description, then normalise each quote to the same scope before comparing: confirm the number of coats, whether primer or undercoat is included, that masking and surface protection are covered, and that the same rooms and surfaces appear. Total each quote the same way, all GST-inclusive.
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