Australian Interior Painting Costs

• Small bedroom (3m x 3m): $800-$1,200 including labour and premium paint
• Large bedroom (4m x 5m): $1,400-$1,900 with ceiling and two coats
• Living room (5m x 6m): $2,200-$3,200 standard height ceilings
• Kitchen walls only: $1,200-$1,800 excluding cabinets
• Bathroom complete: $900-$1,400 including ceiling, anti-mould systems
• Hallway (10m length): $800-$1,200 walls and ceiling
• Whole house interior (3BR): $8,000-$14,000 complete repaint

Australian Exterior Painting Costs

• Single storey weatherboard: $8,000-$12,000 complete exterior
• Double storey brick: $12,000-$18,000 including prep work
• Render finish home: $14,000-$22,000 premium systems
• Federation terrace: $10,000-$15,000 heritage-appropriate colours
• Fence painting (20m): $1,800-$2,800 timber paling fence
• Deck staining (4m x 6m): $1,400-$2,200 including prep

What Affects Your Painting Quote Most

Five factors determine your final painting cost Australia . Understanding these helps you budget accurately for your project.

• Surface condition: Major repairs add $1,500-$4,000 to quotes
• Paint quality: Premium systems cost 40-60% more but last 50% longer
• Number of coats: Two coats required for lasting results, rarely optional
• Ceiling height: High ceilings (3m+) increase labour 30-40%
• Colour changes: Dark to light requires extra coats, adding $800-$1,500

Free Painting Cost Calculator

Our painting cost calculator provides instant Sydney-specific estimates. It accounts for local labour rates, premium paint pricing, and typical surface conditions.

How To Use Our Calculator

Enter your room dimensions, ceiling heights, and paint quality preference. The house painting calculator instantly calculates paint needed, labour hours, and total cost.

Select number of bedrooms, living areas, bathrooms, and additional spaces. Choose standard, premium, or luxury paint systems. Indicate whether you need minor repairs, major preparation, or surfaces are paint-ready.

The calculator shows three quotes: budget estimate using standard systems, recommended quote with premium paint, and luxury option with designer finishes. This transparency helps you make informed decisions.

What’s Included In Your Estimate

Your painting quote Sydney includes comprehensive scope protecting you from surprises. We detail every cost element upfront with fixed pricing.

Includes: complete surface preparation, minor crack filling, sanding and priming, premium Dulux or Taubmans paint, two full coats minimum, drop sheets and masking, cleanup and rubbish removal, project management and supervision.

Excludes: major plaster repairs over $500, wallpaper removal, mould remediation, lead paint abatement, furniture moving, colour consultation beyond standard service.

Paint Coverage Per Litre Explained

Paint coverage determines how much paint you’ll need. Understanding coverage rates prevents buying too much or running short mid-project.

Interior Paint Coverage Rates

Interior paint covers 10-12 square metres per litre on smooth plasterboard. This assumes properly primed surfaces receiving quality acrylic paint in two coats.

Textured walls reduce coverage to 8-10 square metres per litre. Rough render or heavily textured ceilings might achieve only 6-8 square metres. We always calculate conservatively preventing shortfalls.

First coats typically use 15-20% more paint than second coats. Primers seal surfaces reducing topcoat absorption. Budget for this variation when calculating paint needed.

Exterior Paint Coverage Differences

Exterior paint covers 8-10 square metres per litre on most Sydney homes. Brick, weatherboard, and smooth render achieve this coverage with quality systems.

Rough brick or heavily textured render reduces coverage to 6-8 square metres. These porous surfaces absorb more paint requiring additional material. Proper sealing with primers improves topcoat coverage.

We use Dulux Weathershield or Taubmans Endure delivering 9-10 square metres per litre on properly prepared surfaces. These premium systems provide better coverage than budget alternatives.

Why Coverage Varies By Surface

Surface porosity determines paint absorption rates. Unpainted plasterboard absorbs paint like a sponge whilst previously painted surfaces require less.

New plaster or render needs two primer coats before topcoats. First primer soaks in, second primer seals, then topcoats achieve rated coverage. Skipping this process wastes expensive topcoat paint.

Weathered timber absorbs significantly more paint than freshly sanded surfaces. We always prepare surfaces properly ensuring advertised coverage rates are achievable. This prevents project cost blowouts.

How To Calculate Paint Needed For Your Sydney Home

Accurate paint calculation prevents buying excess whilst ensuring you don’t run short. We’ve painted 400+ Sydney homes perfecting this process.

Measuring Interior Walls Step-By-Step

Measure each wall height and width, multiply to get square metres. Add all walls together for total wall area. Subtract doors and windows to avoid overestimating.

Example calculation: Bedroom 3.5m high, 4m wide, 3m deep. Walls: (4m x 3.5m x 2) + (3m x 3.5m x 2) = 49 square metres. Subtract door 1.9 sqm, window 1.5 sqm = 45.6 square metres total.

Multiply by number of coats needed, typically two for quality results. Divide by paint coverage per litre (10-12 sqm). For our example: 45.6 x 2 ÷ 11 = 8.3 litres needed.

Calculating Exterior Paint Requirements

Exterior calculations include walls, eaves, fascia, and trim separately. Different surfaces often use different products requiring separate calculations.

Measure total wall area including all sides. Subtract windows and doors. Add eaves, fascia, and trim measured separately. Calculate each surface type independently based on its paint coverage rate.

Sydney homes average 200-300 square metres exterior paintable surface. At 9 sqm per litre coverage with two coats, you’ll need 45-67 litres for walls alone. Add 15-20 litres for trim and details.

Accounting For Doors, Windows, And Trim

Standard doors measure approximately 1.9 square metres. Windows average 1.5 square metres. Multiply by quantity and subtract from total wall area for accurate paint quantities.

Trim requires separate calculation using different paint. Measure all skirting, architrave, and window frames in linear metres. Multiply by average height (typically 0.1-0.15m) for square metre coverage.

We add 10-15% contingency for touch-ups and variations. This prevents project delays from running short whilst keeping waste minimal. Unused sealed paint returns to supplier for credit.

Sydney Painting Cost Breakdown

Understanding cost components helps you evaluate quotes fairly. Cheap quotes often hide shortcuts compromising quality and longevity.

Labour Costs vs Material Costs

Labour costs represent 60-70% of quality quotes. Professional painters charge $50-$75 per hour in Sydney with typical projects requiring 40-80 hours for whole homes.

Materials including premium paint, primers, and consumables account for 25-30%. Remaining 5-10% covers insurance, licensing, equipment, and business overheads. These costs ensure professional, insured service.

Budget painters reducing labour costs achieve this through shortcuts: inadequate preparation, single coats, inexperienced workers, no insurance. These savings cost you thousands in premature repainting.

Surface Preparation Pricing

Preparation work determines 70% of final results yet often gets minimized in cheap quotes. We invest 60-70% of project time preparing surfaces properly.

Standard preparation ($800-$1,500 per project) includes washing, minor filling, sanding, priming. Major repairs ($2,000-$5,000) address significant plaster damage, rot repair, or extensive surface issues.

Preparation cannot be skipped without compromising durability. Paint applied over poor surfaces fails within 2-3 years requiring complete repainting. Proper prep ensures 10-15 year performance.

Hidden Costs Most Quotes Miss

Unexpected additional costs occur when quotes don’t include thorough inspection. We inspect properties before quoting preventing nasty surprises.

Common hidden costs: mould remediation ($500-$2,000), extensive rot repair ($1,000-$4,000), lead paint treatment ($2,000-$8,000), asbestos management ($3,000-$10,000), structural repairs before painting.

Our quotes include detailed scope, exclusions, and allowances for likely repairs. This transparency ensures your budget matches final costs. We never surprise clients with unexpected charges.

Paint Cost Per Litre Sydney 2025

Paint prices Sydney vary by brand, quality, and finish. Understanding pricing helps you evaluate quote material components fairly.

Dulux Paint Pricing Guide

Dulux paint cost ranges $55-$110 per 10 litres depending on product line. Dulux Wash & Wear (budget) costs $55-$70, Dulux Aquanamel (mid) runs $75-$90, Dulux Weathershield (premium) prices $95-$110.

We use Dulux Wash & Wear for interiors ($65/10L) and Weathershield for exteriors ($105/10L). These proven systems deliver reliable 10-15 year performance across Sydney conditions.

Cheaper paint seems tempting but costs more long-term. $50/10L budget paint requires repainting in 5-6 years versus $95/10L premium lasting 12-15 years. Premium costs 30% less per year of protection.

Taubmans vs Dulux Cost Comparison

Taubmans paint prices comparably to Dulux at similar quality levels. Taubmans Endure (premium) costs $100-$115 per 10 litres versus Dulux Weathershield at $95-$110.

Both brands deliver excellent performance in Sydney conditions. We use either depending on colour availability and specific project requirements. Quality differences are minimal between premium lines.

Mid-range Taubmans 3-in-1 costs $70-$85 per 10 litres, similar to Dulux Aquanamel. Budget lines from both brands perform adequately but lack durability premium systems provide.

When Premium Paint Saves Money

Premium paint systems save money on difficult surfaces, colour changes, and high-traffic areas. The initial 40-60% price premium returns through extended durability and better coverage.

Exterior projects always justify premium paint. Sydney’s UV exposure, coastal conditions, and weather variations demand maximum protection. Saving $500 on paint costs $5,000 in premature repainting.

Interior high-traffic areas like hallways, living rooms, and children’s rooms benefit from premium washable systems. Scuff resistance and cleanability prevent touch-up painting maintaining appearance 8-12 years.

Room-By-Room Painting Cost Guide

Specific room painting costs help you budget accurately. We’ve documented average costs across 400+ Sydney projects for realistic expectations.

Bedroom Painting Costs Sydney

Bedroom painting averages $1,000-$1,600 for standard rooms including walls, ceiling, and wardrobe doors. Small bedrooms (under 12 sqm) cost $800-$1,200 whilst large master bedrooms run $1,400-$1,900.

This includes complete preparation, two premium coats, and standard colour. Feature walls add $200-$400 depending on treatment. High ceilings over 3 metres increase costs 30-40% due to additional labour.

Three-bedroom homes average $3,500-$5,500 for all bedrooms combined. This assumes standard ceiling heights, good surface condition, and neutral colours. Repairs or bold colours add 20-30% to base pricing.

Living Room And Open Plan Pricing

Living room painting costs $2,200-$4,500 depending on size and ceiling height. Open plan spaces combining living, dining, kitchen areas run $3,500-$6,500 complete.

Large open spaces require careful colour planning and execution. We recommend feature walls defining zones within open plans. This adds visual interest costing $300-$600 additional depending on treatment.

High raked ceilings dramatically increase labour costs. Standard 2.7m ceilings include base pricing whilst 4-5m raked ceilings add 50-70% labour premium. Access equipment and additional safety measures drive these increases.

Bathroom And Kitchen Special Requirements

Bathroom painting demands anti-mould systems costing $900-$1,400 complete including ceiling. Proper ventilation assessment and breathable paint prevent mould growth ensuring 8-year mould-free performance.

Kitchen walls only (excluding cabinets) cost $1,200-$1,800. This includes splashback protection and grease-resistant systems. Complete kitchen cabinet painting adds $2,500-$4,500 depending on quantity and finish required.

Both rooms require specialty paints resisting moisture and cleaning chemicals. Standard interior paint fails quickly in these environments. We use Dulux Aquanamel or similar moisture-resistant systems exclusively.

Get Your Free Sydney Painting Quote From Brushworks Painters

Ready for accurate painting costs tailored to your specific Sydney project? Contact Brushworks Painters for comprehensive quotes backed by 25 years local experience.

Your free quote includes:

• In-home property assessment identifying all scope requirements
• Detailed room-by-room cost breakdown with material specifications
• Fixed-price guarantee with zero hidden costs or surprises
• Premium Dulux or Taubmans paint systems included standard
• Complete preparation, two coats, cleanup, and project management
• Timeline with start and completion dates confirmed upfront
• Licensing, insurance, and warranty documentation provided
• Colour consultation assisting with perfect palette selection

We’re licensed Master Painters serving Eastern Suburbs, Inner West, North Shore, and Northern Beaches. Our quotes reflect realistic costs based on 400+ completed Sydney projects, never lowball estimates hiding future charges.

Contact Brushworks Painters today:

📞 Call: 0401 533 408 for same-day quote appointments
📧 Email: customer.service@brushworks.com.au with photos for preliminary estimates
💬 Text: 0401 533 408 for quick questions and scheduling
📍 Servicing: All Sydney metro areas

⭐ 4.9/5 Rating from 400+ Sydney homeowners
🏆 Licensed Master Painters NSW Fair Trading #243481C
✅ $20M Insured comprehensive public liability coverage
💰 Fixed Pricing guaranteed with written quotes

Don’t guess your painting costs. Get accurate, honest quotes from Sydney’s trusted painting specialists with 25 years proven results.

Nick Kyriacou( Nick Kyriacou, Master Painter & Owner, Brushworks )

About Nick Kyriacou As founder of Brushworks, I bring 25+ years of painting expertise to every Sydney project. We specialise in commercial painting, industrial, and premium residential painting with meticulous attention to detail. Keep up to date with our latest news and blog