How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House? [2025]

Whether you’re looking to refresh your home’s interior, exterior, or both, painting is a simple and effective way to make it look fresh and new. To save time (and frustration), hiring a pro for the job is recommended—they’ll get your house painting job done faster, more efficiently, and with a smooth finish that will stay looking great for years. 

In this guide, we chat to some of our trusted tradies about the cost of house painting, what impacts house painting costs, and find out how to find the right painter for the job. Topics covered include: 

• How much does it cost to paint a house in Australia?
  • Interior painting costs
  • Exterior painting costs
  • Roof painting costs
• What impacts the cost of house painting?
• DIY vs professional painters: Why paying for a pro is worth it
• What jobs can painters do?
• How to get painting quotes and choose your painter

How much does it cost to paint a house in Australia? 

We asked one of our trusted tradies, Alexander Berry, from R.J & A.L Berry Painting in Piara Waters, Western Australia what Aussies can expect to pay to paint a house. Given that every job is different, a common way to calculate cost is per square metre. 

According to Alexander, painting rates per m2 Australia, including the paint, are as follows.

Cost to paint house interior

Interior painting cost varies from $60 - $100/sqm, including doors, walls, window frames. The lower end of this estimate is based on using a single colour with minimal prep and trim work. For a more difficult job that requires multiple colours, gloss architraves and a separate colour for the ceiling trim, a quote might be higher per square metre. Expect to pay even more for special finishes. 

Let’s see how that works out based on a few different house sizes: 

• Small, single story home (100 sqm): $6,000 - $10,000
• Average home (235 sqm): $14,150 - $23,600
• Large home (400 sqm): $24,000 - $40,000

Cost to paint house exterior

Alexander charges around $40/sqm for exterior house painting. This includes a 3x coat system, which is recommended for additional durability and coverage for external walls. Other tradies suggest the cost could be up to $70/sqm depending on location, whether it’s brick or timber, and other factors that we’ll look at in the next section. 

Let’s see how that works out based on a few different house sizes: 

• Small, single story home (100 sqm): $4,000 - $7,000
• Average home (235 sqm): $9,432 - $16,506
• Large home (400 sqm): $16,000 - $28,000

Sometimes, particularly for exterior painting, a professional painter may charge hourly instead, at a rate of $70-$100 per hour. When you're gathering quotes, ask for a detailed breakdown of costs so you can compare properly.

Cost to paint the roof of a house

Due to working at height regulations, access and safety considerations, roof painting can be more complicated than interior walls, and often the exterior of a home too.

As a ballpark figure, you can expect to pay between $2,000 to $12,000 for roof painting in Australia, with other sources suggesting an average of $2,000 to $7,000. 

See below for some roof painting cost examples based off different house sizes: 

• Small house roof: $2,000 - $4,000
• Medium house roof: $5,000 - $10,000
• Large house roof: $5,000 - $12,000

What impacts the cost of house painting?

As we know from R.J & A.L Berry Painting, painters typically charge per square metre, covering both materials and labour. But when it comes to calculating cost, it’s not just about the size. Professional painters are taking a lot of other things into consideration. 

Factors influencing interior house painting include:

• Surface preparation or repairs: Are there cracks, holes, or old paint that needs stripping?
• Architraves and trim: These add to the time and detail needed for a quality finish
• Doors: More doors mean more painting time and material
• Ceiling height: High ceilings require extra equipment like ladders or scaffolding
• Paint quality and paint types: House paint cost varies, with higher quality paints or specialty finishes can increase costs
• Room layout: Complex layouts with many corners or tight spaces can slow down the process
• Labour costs: The experience of the painter, the size of the team, and average hourly wages will all impact cost

Factors influencing exterior house painting include:

• Access: Is your house on a steep slope or in a hard-to-reach area? This can complicate the job
• House levels: Multi-level homes often require scaffolding, which adds to the cost
• Weather conditions: In some cases, weather can delay work or require specific paints suited for the climate
• Fascias and eaves: These might require different paint or extra attention
• Type of exterior surface: Brick, timber, weatherboard, or rendered walls all need different preparation and paints

When it comes to house painting costs, it’s not unusual for rates to vary widely. Experienced painters will offer accurate quotes with a full breakdown that considers all the prep and materials. 

DIY vs professional painters: Why paying for a pro is worth it

There's more to painting than just slapping on some paint—different surfaces, paints, and prep work all play a big role in the final look. And trust any painter: getting the surface ready is the most important step.

DIY painting costs more than just the paint, too. You’ll need brushes, rollers, trays, tape, drop cloths, and other gear, which can easily set you back $400 – $500. Paint itself also costs $30 – $45 per litre depending on the finish.

Don’t forget the time investment either—painting your entire home can take several days, or even weeks. Hiring a pro will get it done faster, with a cleaner finish, and without the headaches.

What jobs can painters do?

Professional painters can help with pretty much any paint job you need doing around the house.

• Interior painting: Includes walls, ceilings, doors, and trims
• Colour consulting: Help with choosing the right colours for your space
• Wallpapering: Some painters offer wallpapering as a specialised service
• Exterior painting: Recommended every five years, or more frequently near the coast
• Timber and fence painting: Maintain and protect outdoor timber surfaces
• Roof painting: Requires specialists with the right equipment and safety protocols 
• Commercial painting: For larger projects like new builds or office spaces
• Special finishes: Includes creative effects like spray painting for a unique look

How to get painting quotes and choose your painter

hipages painter Nathan Waldron, has 15 years' experience in the trade, and his number one piece of advice is not to be too price-driven when getting quotes from painters, saying:

“Preparation is everything for a quality finish. Some people may go for a cheaper quote, but if the preparation is not up to scratch, you are going to see the results after a year or so. You also need to be very careful to match the correct type of paint with the surface.”

Here’s a 5-step process to getting the right quotes and how to make your choice:

• Do your part: Provide as much information as possible about the job, including room sizes, number of doors, trims, and any repairs needed. The more detailed you are, the more accurate your quote will be, helping you avoid surprises later

• Compare quotes: Get a written quote from at least three local painters to understand the current market rates. Make sure each quote includes the same scope of work, so you can fairly compare prices and services

• Look for recommendations: Check online reviews on (like the ones we have here on hipages) to see what other customers are saying. Positive feedback and solid reviews can give you peace of mind about your painter’s reliability and quality

• Check qualifications: Ask painters if they’re licensed (especially if you’re in NSW, SA, QLD, VIC, or WA where it’s required for work over a certain monetary value), have insurance, and how long the job will take

• Make your decision: Choose a painter who meets your criteria in terms of qualifications, reliability, and price. Like Nathan says: don’t just go for the cheapest quote - choose someone who gives you confidence in their work and can offer top-notch results