A painting quote should itemise nine things: the scope of work with every room and surface named, preparation detail listed separately, the paint product named by brand and product, the number of coats per surface, labour and materials shown separately, a timeline with start and completion dates, the warranty period and conditions, confirmation of public liability insurance, and a payment schedule, and under Australian Consumer Law it must show a single GST-inclusive total. Consumer Affairs Victoria advises homeowners to get itemised written quotes rather than accept vague single-figure estimates.
We’ve been painting Melbourne homes since 1987, more than three decades and more than 1,000 residential projects, and we’ve watched countless homeowners sign one-line quotes they didn’t understand. This checklist shows you exactly what belongs in a painting quote in 2026, so you can read any quote you’re handed and spot what’s missing before you commit a single dollar.
What should a painting quote include? (the 9-element checklist)
A complete painting quote names every surface, itemises preparation, specifies the paint product and coat count, separates labour from materials, and states timeline, warranty, insurance, and payment terms.
Here is the full checklist. A professional Melbourne quote in 2026 should contain all nine:
- Scope of work, every room and surface named individually (walls, ceilings, trim, doors, skirting), not just “interior painting”.
- Preparation detail, sanding, filling, and priming listed as separate line items so you can see the prep is actually planned.
- Paint product named, brand and product, such as “Dulux Wash&Wear Low Sheen” for interiors or “Dulux Weathershield” for exteriors, not “premium paint”.
- Number of coats per surface, usually two coats, stated explicitly for each surface.
- Labour and materials shown separately, so you can see what you’re paying for the paint versus the work.
- Timeline, a start date and a completion date, not “about a week”.
- Warranty terms and conditions, what’s covered and how claims work (Modernize: any workmanship issue is fixed at no cost).
- Public liability insurance confirmation, a statement of cover, ideally with a certificate of currency referenced.
- Payment schedule, deposit amount and balance timing, in writing.
Key takeaway: If any of these nine elements is missing from a written quote, the quote is incomplete, ask the painter to add it before you compare prices, because a missing line is usually a hidden cost.
Why does the scope of work need every room named?
Naming every room and surface stops the painter quietly excluding ceilings, trim, or doors that you assumed were included.
“Interior painting, $6,800” tells you nothing. Did that include the ceilings? The skirting boards and architraves? The inside of the wardrobes? The hallway? When the scope is vague, the painter has room to deliver less than you imagined and still claim they completed the quote.
A proper scope reads like an inventory. It lists the lounge walls and ceiling, the three bedrooms with trim, the hallway, the doors by count, and it names what is excluded too, for example, “ceilings in bedrooms 2 and 3 are existing and not included”. That clarity protects both sides. You know what you’re getting, and there’s no argument halfway through the job about whether the trim was ever in the price.
What counts as proper preparation detail?
Proper preparation detail lists sanding, filling, and priming as separate tasks rather than burying them in a single word like “prep included”.
Preparation is where paint jobs are won or lost, and it’s where cheap quotes hide their corner-cutting. “Prep included” is a phrase, not a commitment. A real quote breaks it down: sand glossy surfaces for adhesion, fill cracks and nail holes, spot-prime bare patches and water stains, and seal new plaster.
Why does this matter in dollar terms? Because preparation is labour-heavy and invisible once the paint goes on. A painter who quotes low can simply skip the sanding and priming, collect the cheque, and let the paint peel a year later when the warranty has lapsed or they’ve stopped answering the phone. When prep is itemised, you can compare two quotes honestly, and you can hold the painter to the work they listed.
Key takeaway: A quote that itemises sanding, filling, and priming as separate tasks is almost always more trustworthy than a cheaper quote that lumps everything under “preparation included”.
Why must the quote name the actual paint product?
Naming the exact paint product, by brand and product line, stops a painter substituting a cheap builder’s-grade paint for the premium system you’re paying for.
“Quality paint” and “premium trade paint” are marketing words, not specifications. There is a real cost difference between a budget interior paint and a Dulux Wash&Wear, and an even bigger difference on exteriors between a basic acrylic and a Dulux Weathershield system engineered for Melbourne’s UV and temperature swings.
A professional quote names the product: “Dulux Wash&Wear Low Sheen to all interior walls, two coats” or “Dulux Weathershield to all rendered exterior surfaces, two coats”. That single line locks in what goes on your walls. We use Dulux premium paint systems exclusively and we name them on every quote, because the product is half of what you’re buying.
How many coats should a quote specify?
A quote should specify the number of coats per surface, usually two, because coverage and durability depend directly on coat count.
Two coats is the residential standard for most surfaces. One coat over an existing similar colour might look acceptable on the day, but it rarely delivers even coverage or the durability you’re paying for, and a dramatic colour change (dark to light) can need a primer plus two top coats.
If the quote doesn’t state coats, you don’t know what you’re getting. A painter can quote one coat, charge for “painting”, and technically deliver, leaving you with patchy coverage that needs redoing. Insist that the coat count appears next to each surface in the quote.
Why should labour and materials be shown separately?
Separating labour from materials lets you see whether the paint is genuinely premium and whether the labour reflects the preparation that’s actually required.
When a quote shows one lump sum, you can’t tell where the money goes. Split out, the materials line tells you whether they’re buying enough litres of a named product for the area and coats specified, and the labour line tells you whether enough hours are budgeted for the prep they’ve promised. A suspiciously low materials figure means cheap paint or too few coats; a low labour figure usually means prep will be skipped.
This breakdown also makes three quotes genuinely comparable. If one painter’s materials line is half the others’ for the same rooms, that’s your signal to ask what paint they’re actually using.
Does a painting quote have to include GST in Melbourne?
Yes, under Australian Consumer Law’s single-price rule, a quote given to a consumer must display a single total that already includes GST.
This is a legal requirement, not a courtesy. The ACCC single-price rule requires that when a business quotes a price to a consumer, it must state a single total price that includes GST and any unavoidable fees. A quote that shows “$8,000 + GST” buried in fine print, or that only reveals GST on the final invoice, is not meeting that standard.
The practical risk is a nasty surprise at the end: you budget for the headline figure and then get an invoice 10% higher. Before you sign anything in 2026, confirm in writing that the number you’re agreeing to is the GST-inclusive total.
Key takeaway: A Melbourne painting quote that hides GST until invoice time is a red flag, the law requires a single GST-inclusive total to be shown to consumers upfront.
What should the warranty and insurance sections say?
The warranty section should state a period and conditions, and the insurance section should confirm public liability cover, both in writing, not verbally.
A verbal “we stand behind our work” is unenforceable. A written warranty states what it covers, at Modernize that’s any workmanship issue, fixed at no cost, and what it doesn’t (for example, damage from a roof leak the painter didn’t cause). Read those conditions; they’re the difference between a warranty and a slogan.
Insurance is the other non-negotiable. Painting involves ladders, solvents, and other people’s homes. If a painter without public liability cover damages your property or injures someone, you can end up liable. We carry $20 million public liability insurance and state it on the quote. If a quote doesn’t mention insurance at all, ask for the certificate of currency before any work begins.
How many painting quotes should you get?
Get at least three written quotes, never verbal, using an identical job description for every painter so the prices are directly comparable.
Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends obtaining several written quotes before engaging any tradesperson. The trick that most homeowners miss is giving each painter the same written job description, the same rooms, surfaces, coat expectations, and timeline. If one painter quotes for two coats and ceilings while another quotes one coat and no ceilings, the cheaper number is meaningless.
Three written quotes for an identical scope let the outliers reveal themselves. The one that’s far cheaper is usually cutting prep, coats, or paint quality; the one that’s far higher should be able to justify the gap. Master Painters Australia is a useful starting point for finding members who issue proper written quotes.
Is a one-line painting quote ever acceptable?
No, a single line such as “$3,500 to paint downstairs” is an estimate, not a quote, and a comprehensive residential quote runs two to three pages.
A real quote can’t fit on one line because it has to carry nine elements across multiple rooms and surfaces. When a painter hands you a single figure, they’re asking you to trust that the scope, prep, product, coats, warranty, and insurance are all sorted, without putting any of it in writing. That’s exactly the situation that leads to disputes, surprise costs, and paint that fails early.
Our residential quotes typically run two to three pages because we itemise everything. It’s more work to produce, but it means you know precisely what you’re paying for, and we know precisely what we’ve committed to deliver.
Professional standard vs red flag: a quote-reading table
Use this table to score any painting quote you’re handed in 2026.
| Quote element | Professional standard | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Every room and surface named, exclusions listed | ”Interior painting”, no detail |
| Preparation | Sand, fill, prime as separate tasks | ”Prep included” |
| Paint product | Brand and product named (e.g. Dulux Wash&Wear) | “Premium paint”, unspecified |
| Coats | Number of coats per surface (usually 2) | Not mentioned |
| Labour & materials | Shown as separate figures | Single lump sum |
| Timeline | Start and completion dates | ”About a week” |
| Price | Single GST-inclusive total | ”+ GST” or GST hidden to invoice |
| Warranty | Period and conditions in writing | ”We stand behind our work” |
| Insurance | Public liability cover stated, certificate available | Not mentioned |
| Payment | Deposit and balance schedule written | ”Pay when it’s done” |
How do you book a quote with Modernize Solutions?
Call 0451 040 396 for an on-site inspection and a detailed, itemised written quote that covers all nine elements on this checklist.
The owner personally conducts every quote visit, so the person assessing your home is the person accountable for the work. You’ll receive a written quote that names each surface, itemises the preparation, specifies the Dulux products and coat count, separates labour from materials, and states the timeline, warranty, insurance, and payment terms, with a single GST-inclusive total.
Modernize Solutions has painted Melbourne homes since 1987, completing more than 1,000 residential projects. We carry $20 million public liability insurance, use Dulux premium paint systems exclusively, back our work with a workmanship guarantee, any issue with our work is fixed at no cost, and hold a 4.8-star Google rating from 154 verified reviews. Call us on 0451 040 396 to book your quote.
“A painting quote is a promise in writing, if it doesn’t name the surfaces, the paint, the coats, and the warranty, there’s nothing to hold the painter to once the deposit is paid.”, Modernize Solutions, painting Melbourne homes since 1987
“We write two-to-three-page quotes on purpose, because the homeowner deserves to know exactly what’s included before brush touches wall, and a clear quote protects our reputation as much as it protects them.”, Modernize Solutions, painting Melbourne homes since 1987
Frequently asked questions
What should a painting quote include in Australia?
A proper painting quote should itemise nine elements: scope of work, preparation detail, paint product named by brand, number of coats per surface, labour and materials shown separately, a timeline with start and completion dates, warranty terms, public liability insurance confirmation, and a payment schedule. Under Australian Consumer Law it must also show a GST-inclusive single total.
Does a painting quote have to include GST in Melbourne?
Yes. Under the Australian Consumer Law single-price rule, a quote given to a consumer must display a single total that already includes GST. A Melbourne quote that hides GST until the final invoice breaches the ACCC’s single-price requirement and is a red flag. Always confirm the figure you sign is the GST-inclusive total before committing.
How many painting quotes should I get in Melbourne?
Get at least three written quotes, never verbal ones, and give every painter an identical job description so the prices are comparable. Three written quotes for the same scope let you spot an outlier that is suspiciously cheap or padded. At Modernize Solutions the owner personally inspects each home before issuing a detailed written quote.
Is a one-line painting quote acceptable?
No. A single line such as “$3,500 to paint downstairs” is an estimate, not a real quote, because it does not state surfaces, preparation, paint products, coats, or warranty. A comprehensive residential painting quote in Melbourne runs two to three pages and itemises every inclusion so you know exactly what you are paying for.
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Related Service: Interior Painting
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Owner & Lead Painter · Modernize Solutions · Painting Melbourne homes since 1987
