Skip to content

Melbourne painting cost calculator

Get a realistic 2026 estimate range for your interior or exterior paint job in about 30 seconds. Built on real Melbourne quotes, not national averages.

Get a free quote Call 0433 803 841
What are you painting?
How big is the property?

Presets use the typical paintable areas we see on written quotes for single-storey homes, not floor area.

What condition are the surfaces in?

Weatherboard exteriors almost always need average or poor. Preparation is where the labour hours go.

Interior extras

Your estimate range

$6,700 – $10,700

Based on about 170 m² of interior walls at $28–$45 per m² plus ceilings, trim and doors, in average condition.

Get an exact free quote Call 0433 803 841

A guide only, not a quote. Figures cover preparation, premium Dulux paint and labour at 2026 Melbourne rates. Two-storey homes: add 40 to 60 percent to the exterior figure for scaffolding and access.

Call it a painting cost calculator, a painting quote calculator or a price estimator, the job is the same: give you an honest ballpark before you talk to anyone. The number it produces is an estimate range, not an offer. For an exact price we come out, measure the surfaces and hand you a fixed-price written quote, free and with no obligation.

What painting costs in Melbourne in 2026

These are the same figures the calculator uses, shown at average surface condition. Interior figures cover walls, ceilings, doors and trim. Exterior figures assume a single-storey home. Your street, cladding and prep needs move the number inside the range, which is why every figure is a range and not a single price.

Property Full interior repaint Exterior repaint
1 bedroom unit $3,100–$5,000 $2,400–$3,700
2 bedroom unit or villa $4,300–$6,900 $3,200–$5,000
2 bedroom house $5,100–$8,200 $5,600–$8,700
3 bedroom house $6,700–$10,700 $8,000–$12,400
4 bedroom house $8,200–$13,200 $10,000–$15,500
5 bedroom house $10,200–$16,400 $12,400–$19,200

Prices last reviewed July 2026 against our current written quotes. For a room-by-room breakdown see our cost to paint a room guide, or the full house painting cost Melbourne guide.

How the calculator works

The maths is simple and we show it to you under every estimate. Interior painting in Melbourne costs $20–$60 per square metre in 2026 and exterior painting costs $30–$80 per square metre. The calculator multiplies your paintable area by the slice of that band that matches your surface condition, then adds roughly 25 percent for ceilings and 15 percent for doors, trim and skirting on interior jobs.

The property presets are the typical paintable areas we see on written quotes for Melbourne homes, from a 1 bedroom unit up to a 5 bedroom house. They come from more than three decades of quoting, over 1,000 completed projects since 1987, not from a spreadsheet of national averages. If you have measured your own walls, pick "I know my square metres" and enter the area directly.

Condition matters more than most people expect. On older Melbourne homes, preparation (scraping, sanding, filling and priming) takes 60 to 70 percent of a painter's hours. That is why a peeling weatherboard costs two to three times what a sound rendered wall of the same size does, and why cheap quotes that skip prep fail early.

Why you get a range, not one price

No honest calculator can give you a single number, because the biggest cost drivers only show up on site. The state of the timber under old paint, access around the house, dark-to-light colour changes that need an extra coat, heritage detail, and possible lead paint on pre-1970 homes all move the price. A two-storey home adds 40 to 60 percent to exterior costs once scaffolding is counted.

Treat the range as your budget envelope. If a quote lands well below the bottom of it, ask what has been left out. The usual answers are preparation, ceilings, or premium paint, and each one costs you more within a couple of years. Our guide on comparing painting quotes shows exactly what a proper quote should itemise. For exterior jobs, the exterior painting cost guide breaks prices down by cladding type.

From estimate to exact price

The calculator gets you in the right postcode. The free on-site inspection gets you the exact number. We measure the real surfaces, check the condition properly, and give you a fixed-price written quote with the scope itemised. The price on that quote is the price you pay.

Modernize Solutions is a family-owned Melbourne painting business, trading since 1987. The owner is on every job, the work is never subcontracted, we use Dulux products exclusively, and we carry $20M public liability insurance. Our quotes tend to sit in the upper half of the calculator's ranges, because the preparation is done properly and the finish lasts. More about our team on the house painters Melbourne page.

Request a free quote

Street map of Melbourne's inner west showing the suburbs Modernize Solutions services: Footscray, Seddon, Yarraville, Braybrook, Sunshine, West Footscray, Kingsville, Maidstone, Maribyrnong and Spotswood WHERE WE WORK © OpenStreetMap contributors
Based in Braybrook 0433 803 841 Open 7 days

Common questions

How accurate is this painting cost calculator?
The ranges come from real written quotes for Melbourne homes, checked against our 2026 pricing, not national averages. Most jobs land inside the range the calculator gives you. The final price depends on things a calculator cannot see, like the state of the timber under old paint, access around the house, and how many colours you want, which is why we always confirm with a free on-site inspection.

What do painters charge per square metre in Melbourne in 2026?
Interior painting in Melbourne costs $20–$60 per square metre and exterior painting costs $30–$80 per square metre in 2026. Where your job sits in that band depends mostly on surface condition and preparation. Sound, well-kept surfaces sit at the bottom of the range. Peeling weatherboards, water damage or heavy patching push the rate towards the top.

Does the estimate include paint and preparation?
Yes. The ranges reflect a complete professional job: surface preparation, premium Dulux paint (Wash&Wear inside, Weathershield outside), two coats, and all masking and protection. Very cheap quotes usually get under these figures by skipping preparation or using builder-grade paint, and that shows up within a couple of years.

Why did my weatherboard exterior quote come in above the calculator?
Weatherboard homes need far more preparation than render or brick, so pick "poor" condition in the calculator for a realistic figure. A full single-storey weatherboard repaint in Melbourne runs $10,000–$18,000 in 2026, and two-storey homes cost 40 to 60 percent more once scaffolding and access are counted. Rot repairs and lead paint on pre-1970 homes add more again.

Does this painting calculator work for the rest of Australia?
The rates are 2026 Melbourne rates. Painting costs in other Australian capitals sit in a similar band, so the calculator is a fair first guide anywhere in the country, but treat it as a rough one outside Victoria. Our team only quotes and paints in Melbourne.

How do I turn this estimate into an exact price?
Book a free on-site inspection. We measure the actual surfaces, check the condition properly, and give you a fixed-price written quote with the scope itemised, so you know exactly what is and is not included. No obligation and no call-out fee. Most Melbourne quotes are booked within a few days.

Get a free quote

Step 1 of 4

What needs painting?

A few quick taps, then we get back to you within 2 business hours.
Workmanship issues fixed at no cost Fully insured

We'll return and fix any workmanship issue at no cost.

Call Get a free quote