How much does it cost to paint a house? Australian homeowners typically spend between $2,400 for a simple interior job and $35,000 to paint both inside and outside of a double-storey home.
House painting costs vary substantially between cities. Sydney’s homeowners pay around $2,500 for a one-bedroom property. Melbourne’s residents might need to budget up to $3,800 for similar work. Our research of the latest pricing data will help you understand the expected costs when you plan your house painting project in 2025.
This complete guide breaks down your house painting costs. You’ll find detailed information about interior and exterior rates along with specific room prices that will help you make smart decisions about your home improvement project.
Average cost to paint a house in 2025: Complete overview
Paint costs in Australia have changed a lot in 2025, especially when you have interior and exterior house painting projects. Here’s a clear picture of what you can expect to pay.
Interior painting costs: $60-$100 per square metre
You’ll pay between $40 to $70 per square metre for interior painting. Complex jobs with multiple colours or special finishes might cost up to $160 per square metre. The price includes:
- Wall preparation and repairs
- Priming surfaces
- Painting windows and doors
- Decorative borders and panels
- Touch-ups around skirting boards
Exterior painting costs: $40-$70 per square metre
Exterior painting prices range from $40 to $70 per square metre. The final cost depends on your home’s exterior material:
- Brick surfaces: $30 to $70 per square metre
- Timber surfaces: $20 to $100 per square metre
- Rendered surfaces (single-storey): $60 to $100 per square metre
Full house painting: What to expect
Australian homeowners spend between $12,300 and $30,600 for a complete house painting project in 2025. Different house types have their own price ranges:
Single-storey homes:
- Brick bungalow: $6,200 to $10,800
- Weatherboard (good condition): $10,800 to $18,400
Double-storey properties:
- Rendered brick: $18,400 to $30,600
- Victorian style: $18,400 to $27,600
Professional painters charge between $60 to $70 per hour. This rate doesn’t include materials and paint costs.
Paint quality makes a big difference in the total cost. Premium paints cost between $80 to $160 per litre. Textured or high-gloss finishes add extra labour charges of $10 to $30 per square metre.
Your final cost depends on these key factors:
- Surface preparation requirements
- Accessibility challenges
- Property height (framework needs)
- Regional price variations
- Paint colour selection (some shades need more coats)
Double-storey homes need framework, which adds to both time and cost. Access issues might require extra safety gear or equipment rental.
Professional painters will visit your property to give you a detailed quote. This gives you accurate pricing based on your specific needs and challenges. Expert painters suggest you should be very specific about your project details to get the most accurate quote.
Cost breakdown by house size
The size of your house directly affects your painting costs. Here’s a detailed breakdown of expenses for different house sizes to help you plan your budget.
Small homes (under 150 sqm)
Painting costs stay manageable for homes under 150 square metres. A single-storey home of 100 square metres costs between $9,200 and $15,300 for interior painting. The exterior painting costs less, ranging from $6,200 to $10,800.
Small properties have several advantages:
- You’ll need fewer materials
- The job gets done faster
- Labour costs stay low
- Basic equipment is enough
Medium homes (150-250 sqm)
Mid-sized properties need more work and resources. A 235-square-metre home’s interior painting costs range between $21,700 and $36,100. The exterior painting costs from $14,500 to $25,300.
A typical three-bedroom house with two bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry needs an investment between $6,900 and $9,200. Surface preparation requirements often drive the final costs up.
Large homes (over 250 sqm)
Bigger properties over 250 square metres cost more to paint. A 400-square-metre home’s interior painting ranges from $36,700 to $61,200. The exterior painting costs between $24,500 and $42,900.
Large homes come with extra challenges:
- Projects take longer to complete
- More materials are needed
- Surface preparation gets complex
- Extra workers are required
Multi-storey considerations
Two-storey homes bring unique challenges that affect the price. A 250-square-metre double-storey house costs between $10,400 and $19,200. Three to four-storey properties of 400 square metres range from $15,300 to $29,100.
Multi-storey painting costs depend on:
- Support structures needed
- Safety gear requirements
- Access issues
- Extra work hours
Roof painting adds to your total cost. Small house roofs cost $3,100 to $6,200, while medium house roofs range from $7,700 to $15,300. Large house roof painting can cost between $7,700 and $18,400.
Weatherboard homes cost more than brick veneer properties. A single-storey weatherboard house costs between $15,300 and $30,600. Brick veneer homes are more affordable, with prices starting from $4,600.
Room-by-room painting costs
Room-specific painting costs help you plan your budget accurately. Let’s get into the current rates for different spaces in your home.
Bedrooms: $300-$750 per room
A standard bedroom that measures 3 x 3.6 metres costs between $460 and $1,150 for professional painting. This price has essential materials like primer and about 10 litres of paint. Larger master bedrooms or rooms with intricate architectural details might reach the higher end of this range.
Living areas and hallways: $900-$2,000
Living spaces cost more due to their size and complexity. Professional painters charge between $920 and $3,100 for a standard living room. Combined spaces like living rooms with attached kitchens or dining areas cost $1,400 to $4,600.
Kitchens: $1,000-$1,500
Kitchen painting stands out because of cabinet considerations. Basic wall painting costs about $1,600. Cabinet refinishing costs:
- $650 to $2,300 for professional cabinet painting
- $50 to $100 per linear foot of cabinet space
Bathrooms: $150-$350
Bathrooms need specialised attention despite their small size. Standard bathroom painting ranges from $230 to $540. Costs vary based on:
- Room size (typically 6.5 square metres)
- Moisture-resistant paint requirements
- Surface preparation needs
Ceilings and trim work
Ceiling painting comes with its own cost structure. Current market rates show:
Standard room ceilings:
- Bedrooms: $390 to $920
- Bathrooms: $340 to $1,000
- Living rooms: $510 to $690
Trim work, including architraves and baseboards, runs between $10 and $10 per linear foot. Surface preparation remains crucial for professional results. Painters charge $40 to $80 per hour, and labour makes up about 85% of total project costs.
Location significantly affects these prices. Bathroom painting in Sydney costs $260 to $590, while Perth’s prices are lower at $200 to $460. Room complexity, surface conditions, and local market rates influence the final pricing.
Complete home interior prices scale up with size. A two-bedroom unit with kitchen and living areas typically costs $1,300 to $2,300. Three-bedroom houses with two bathrooms cost $6,900 to $9,200.
Factors that influence house painting costs
The final cost of your house painting project depends on several elements. Here’s what you should know about these important factors that will determine your investment in 2025.
Paint quality and types
Your choice of paint will affect both your immediate costs and long-term value. Premium paints cost more upfront but last longer and cover better. Right now, high-quality paints in the market cost between $80 to $160 per litre.
Each paint type serves a specific purpose:
- Acrylic latex: Affordable and dries quickly
- Oil-based: Resists moisture but takes longer to dry
- Elastomeric: Perfect for harsh weather conditions
Surface preparation requirements
A lasting paint job needs proper surface preparation. This essential step can add 10-20% to your costs. The simple preparation work includes:
- Sanding and scraping old paint
- Pressure washing to remove dirt
- Filling cracks and holes
- Priming so paint sticks better
Accessibility challenges
Houses that are hard to reach need special equipment. Multi-storey properties need scaffolding that costs between $800 to $3,900. Properties with difficult access points might cost you extra – anywhere from $310 to $1,600.
Regional price variations
Labour rates vary a lot between Australian cities:
- Sydney: $50 – $80
- Melbourne: $40 – $70
- Brisbane: $40 – $70
- Perth: $40 – $60
- Adelaide: $40 – $60
Labour costs in 2025
Professional painters charge between $100 to $150 per hour. Labour makes up about 85% of your total costs. These rates depend on:
- Painter’s experience
- How complex the job is
- Seasonal demand
- Local market conditions
Rates often go up during busy seasons like late spring and summer. You might find better deals during off-peak times, but bad weather could make the project take longer.
Heritage properties and homes with unique architectural features need special skills and more time, which affects labour costs. Projects that use multiple colours or have intricate patterns usually cost more too.
DIY vs professional painting: Cost comparison
Let me help you weigh the costs of DIY painting against hiring professionals. You’ll need to think over several factors to make the right choice.
Materials and equipment costs
DIY painting looks affordable since you just need to buy materials. Simple paint purchases average $440, but bigger projects need multiple paint tins. A standard 5×4 metre room needs about five litres of paint to cover everything.
You’ll need these DIY supplies:
- Premium paints: $50 to $190 per litre
- Quality brushes: $10 to $40
- Professional rollers: $20 to $70
- Extra items like tape, drop cloths, and ladders
Time investment calculation
Time is a huge hidden cost in DIY painting. Professional teams can finish a room in 2-4 days, while DIY projects take much longer. To cite an instance, painting a timber home’s exterior could eat up four months of weekends.
Here’s how much time each task takes:
- Surface preparation: 80 minutes per room
- Ceiling and trim work: 140 minutes
- Wall rolling: 80 minutes
- Clean-up and touch-ups: 30 minutes
Quality and longevity considerations
Professional painters charge $100 to $150 per hour. Their expertise and efficiency often save money long-term through:
- Better surface preparation
- Proper paint application techniques
- Trade prices on premium materials
- Guaranteed workmanship
DIY projects often run into problems like uneven application, drips, or poor surface preparation. These mistakes might force you to call professionals later, which could double your costs.
When DIY makes financial sense
DIY painting works best in specific situations. Small projects, like single accent walls or rooms under 15 square metres, suit the DIY approach well. DIY saves money when:
- You have painting experience
- The project stays small
- You already own the tools
- You have plenty of time
- Surfaces need minimal prep work
Bigger projects usually benefit from professional help. Professional painters give complete quotes that break down costs for materials, labour, and extra services. Their expertise pays off through:
- Quick project completion
- Results that last
- Safe equipment use
- Professional-grade tools and materials
Before you pick up that brush yourself, add up those hidden costs like extra paint, repair materials, and equipment rentals. The time you spend painting could go toward other important activities.
Professional services give detailed estimates upfront. Many companies let you spread out payments. Best of all, professional work boosts property value and doesn’t need frequent touch-ups.
Final thoughts on house painting costs
Australian house painting prices in 2025 vary a lot, with costs ranging from $2,400 for simple interior work to $35,000 for complete makeovers. The final prices in different regions depend on how well you prepare the surface, the paint’s quality, and how easy it is to access the work areas.
DIY enthusiasts with some background can handle smaller projects under 150 square metres. Larger projects need professional help, especially for multi-storey homes or homes with complex architectural features. Professional painters get better results because they prepare properly, use premium materials, and complete projects quickly.
The best approach is to think over both your immediate costs and long-term value before starting any painting project. Your final expenses will depend on the paint’s quality, the surface’s condition, and your area’s price differences. Professional services might cost more upfront, but their work creates better finishes that need less maintenance.
Good planning and research will help you get the most value for your money. Understanding these cost factors leads to smarter budget decisions and better results, whether you choose to do it yourself or hire professionals.
