Two Melbourne painting quotes for the same house can differ by thousands of dollars, and the single biggest reason is preparation, a cheaper quote almost always skips or shortcuts the caulking, patching, sanding and priming that makes paint last, and paint applied over poor preparation often peels or fails within 2–3 years. According to Consumer Affairs Victoria, obtaining several written quotes is the only reliable way to understand a fair price for the work.
We’ve been painting Melbourne homes since 1987, more than three decades, and we quote against other painters every week. This guide explains exactly why quotes vary, what the cheaper price is usually leaving out, and how to compare quotes fairly so you are paying for quality rather than overpaying or buying a job that fails early.
What is the number one reason painting quotes vary?
Preparation is the number one reason: cheap quotes skip or rush the caulking, patching, sanding and priming that make paint adhere and last.
Preparation is slow, boring and invisible once the job is done, and that is exactly why it gets cut. A painter who properly prepares a room will:
- Fill nail holes, cracks and dents, then sand them flush
- Caulk gaps along skirting, architraves and cornices
- Sand glossy or previously oil-based surfaces so new paint can grip
- Spot-prime patches, stains and bare plaster
- Wash down greasy or dusty surfaces before painting
All of that takes hours, and hours cost money. When a quote comes in dramatically cheaper, the prep is almost always where the corners are cut. The walls still get painted, so the job looks fine on day one. The problem shows up in 2–3 years when paint over poor prep starts peeling, flashing or lifting along the edges.
Key takeaway: A much cheaper painting quote is rarely a genuine bargain, it usually means less preparation, and poor preparation is the leading cause of paint failing within 2–3 years.
Why does scope differ between two quotes?
Two painters often quote different scopes, one includes ceilings or three coats, another doesn’t, so you are comparing two different jobs, not two prices for the same job.
This is the trap most homeowners fall into. You invite three painters, they each walk through your home, and they each form their own idea of what “painting the lounge and hallway” means. By the time the quotes land in your inbox, you may be comparing:
- One painter who quoted two coats, another who quoted three
- One who included the ceilings, another who only quoted walls
- One who included cutting in around windows and doors, another who assumed you’d accept tape lines
- One who allowed for filling and sanding, another who priced bare painting only
These aren’t small differences. A ceiling can add a third again to a room’s labour. A third coat on a deep or patchy colour is real time and paint. If the scopes differ, the prices should differ, but it tells you nothing about who is better value until you make the scopes identical.
How much does paint quality change the price?
Premium Dulux paint costs considerably more than builder-grade product, and that difference flows straight into the quote even when the labour is identical.
Builder-grade or “trade” paint is cheaper per litre, covers less, and wears faster. Premium products like Dulux Wash&Wear for interiors or Dulux Weathershield for exteriors cost more up front but cover better, resist scrubbing and weather, and hold colour for years longer. Dulux Australia publishes the coverage and durability specifications that let a painter calculate exactly how much premium product a job needs.
A painter quoting cheap paint can undercut a painter quoting Dulux and still apply the same number of coats, but you’ll repaint years sooner. This is why the paint product should be named in the quote, not described as “quality paint.” We use Dulux premium systems exclusively, so our materials line is predictable and the surface is built to last.
Does the number of coats explain the difference?
Yes, coats are one of the easiest places to quietly save money, and a two-coat quote will always undercut a properly specified three-coat quote.
Most repaints need two coats. But plenty of situations need three: deep or dark colours, big colour changes, patchy or porous surfaces, and new plaster. A painter who has assessed the job honestly will specify three coats where three are needed and price accordingly. A painter chasing the lowest number quotes two coats and hopes it covers.
When it doesn’t fully cover, you either live with patchiness and flashing, or you pay again for the coat that should have been in the quote from the start. Always check the coat count, surface by surface, before you compare prices.
Why do experienced, insured painters cost more?
A registered, insured business carries real overheads, insurance, registration, training, equipment, that a cash-in-hand operator simply doesn’t, and that gap shows up in the price.
When you hire a properly run painting business, part of what you pay covers:
- Public liability insurance (we carry $20 million) that protects your home if something goes wrong
- A written warranty backed by a business that will still exist when you call (we return and fix any workmanship issue at no cost)
- Trained painters, safe equipment, and proper site protection
- A registered business that pays tax, complies with consumer law, and answers the phone
A cash-in-hand operator skips most of these costs, so their hourly rate looks cheaper. But if they damage your property and aren’t insured, you wear it. If the paint fails in two years and they’ve vanished, there’s no warranty to call on. Master Painters Australia maintains standards and accreditation precisely because experience, insurance and accountability are part of the value, not optional extras.
Key takeaway: A cheaper quote from an uninsured, unregistered operator isn’t really cheaper, you’re absorbing the risk and the cost of insurance, warranty and accountability yourself.
What does a painting quote actually pay for?
Roughly 60–70% of a residential painting quote is labour, 25–30% is materials, and 5–10% is overhead and insurance, so labour is where price differences mostly come from.
Understanding the cost structure makes it obvious why a much cheaper quote is a warning sign rather than a win:
| Cost driver | Share of a typical quote | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 60–70% | Preparation, cutting-in, coats, clean-up, the time on site |
| Materials | 25–30% | Paint, primer, fillers, caulk, sandpaper, masking, sundries |
| Overhead & insurance | 5–10% | Public liability, registration, equipment, admin, warranty |
Because labour is the largest slice, the fastest way to cut a price is to cut labour hours, and the labour hours that get cut are almost always preparation and cutting-in, the slow work that determines how long the finish lasts. So when a quote is dramatically lower, the maths tells you where the saving came from: less time on your walls.
Why quote a is cheaper than quote b
When one quote undercuts another, the saving has to come from somewhere, and it’s almost always one of these five cost drivers.
| Cost driver | What the cheaper quote usually cuts | The consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Less caulking, patching, sanding, priming | Peeling and failure within 2–3 years |
| Coats | Two coats where three were needed | Patchiness, flashing, repainting sooner |
| Paint quality | Builder-grade instead of premium Dulux | Faster wear, fading, earlier repaint |
| Scope | Ceilings or trim quietly excluded | You pay extra later for what you assumed was included |
| Overhead | No insurance, warranty or registration | You carry the risk if anything goes wrong |
If you can identify which of these a cheaper quote is cutting, you can decide whether the saving is worth it, or whether you’re simply buying a smaller, lower-quality job for less money.
How do you compare painting quotes fairly?
Give every painter the identical written scope, same rooms, same coats, same preparation, same paint product, so the only thing that varies is price.
The reason quotes feel impossible to compare is that each painter is quoting their own version of the job. Fix that, and the comparison becomes simple. Before you invite painters:
- Write down the exact rooms and surfaces to be painted, including whether ceilings and trim are in or out
- Specify the number of coats you expect
- Specify the paint product (for example, Dulux Wash&Wear interior)
- List the preparation you expect, filling, sanding, caulking, priming
Hand that same brief to every painter. Now a $4,000 quote and a $6,000 quote are genuinely comparable, and you can ask the cheaper painter directly: what are you doing differently to land $2,000 lower? Usually the honest answer reveals less prep, fewer coats, or cheaper paint.
Key takeaway: You can only compare painting quotes fairly when every painter quotes the same written scope, same rooms, same coats, same prep, same paint. Get at least three written quotes before you decide.
How many quotes should you get?
Get at least three written quotes so you can see where the middle sits and spot any outlier that is suspiciously high or alarmingly low.
Three quotes give you a range. If two land close together and one is dramatically lower, the low one is the outlier to question, not the bargain to grab. Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends obtaining several written quotes and reading each one carefully before committing, rather than choosing on price alone. A written quote also protects you: it fixes the scope, the paint and the price in a document you can hold the painter to.
Is the cheapest quote ever the right choice?
Rarely, the cheapest quote is usually the one that cut the most preparation, coats or paint quality, and those savings resurface as repainting costs within a few years.
There’s nothing wrong with a low price if it covers a complete scope at a fair rate, some painters simply have lower overheads or a quieter month. But a price that’s dramatically below the others almost never reflects efficiency. It reflects something missing. The best-value quote is the one that matches your full written scope at a sensible price, with named paint, specified coats, real preparation, insurance and a warranty behind it.
“When a quote is thousands cheaper for the same house, the saving didn’t come from nowhere, it came out of the prep, the coats or the paint. That’s the difference you’ll see in two or three years, not on day one.”, Modernize Solutions, painting Melbourne homes since 1987
“We’d rather lose a job to a lowball quote than win it by skipping the preparation that makes paint last. Our reputation is built more than three decades, one wall at a time.”, Modernize Solutions
How do you book a quote with Modernize Solutions?
Call 0451 040 396 for a thorough on-site assessment and a detailed written quote that names the paint, the coats and the preparation, so you can compare it fairly against anyone else.
Modernize Solutions has been painting Melbourne homes since 1987 and has completed over 1,000 residential painting projects. The company carries $20 million public liability insurance, uses Dulux premium paint systems exclusively, offers a workmanship guarantee, any issue with the work is fixed at no cost, and maintains a 4.8-star Google rating from 154 verified reviews, with the owner personally conducting every quote visit.
When you compare our quote against others, you’ll see exactly what you’re paying for: the rooms, the surfaces, the coats, the paint product by name, and the preparation, all itemised. Put that quote next to a much cheaper one and the difference will usually be obvious, it’s the prep, the coats or the paint. Call us on 0451 040 396 to book your on-site assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Why do two painting quotes for the same job differ so much?
The single biggest reason is preparation. A cheaper quote almost always includes less caulking, patching, sanding and priming, the slow, invisible work that makes paint last. A much lower price usually means less labour, and less labour means less prep. Paint applied over poor preparation often peels or fails within 2–3 years.
What percentage of a painting quote is labour?
In a typical Melbourne residential painting quote, labour is 60–70% of the cost, materials 25–30%, and overhead and insurance 5–10%. Labour dominates because preparation and cutting-in are time-intensive. That is why a much cheaper quote almost always signals less labour, and therefore less preparation, rather than a genuine bargain.
How do I compare painting quotes fairly?
Give every painter the same written scope, the same rooms, the same number of coats, and the same preparation, so you are comparing like-for-like. Get at least three written quotes. If one is dramatically cheaper, ask what preparation, coats or paint product it leaves out. Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends obtaining several written quotes before deciding.
Is the cheapest painting quote ever the best choice?
Rarely. A much cheaper quote usually buys less preparation, fewer coats, or builder-grade paint instead of premium Dulux, costs that resurface within a few years as peeling, flashing or fading. The best-value quote is the one that matches a complete written scope at a fair price, not simply the lowest number.
Related Service: Interior Painting
Walls, ceilings, doors and trim painted room by room, with full prep and Dulux finishes.
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Owner & Lead Painter · Modernize Solutions · Painting Melbourne homes since 1987
