What is exterior house painting

Professional exterior painting involves treating and preparing various surfaces, whether it be weatherboards, brick, or render to trim details and architectural features. Each surface requires specific preparation methods and paint formulations to help proper adhesion and longevity. Unlike interior painting, exterior work must stand up to UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, rain, humidity, and in coastal areas, salt exposure.

A complete exterior painting job typically includes cleaning surfaces, fixing damaged areas, sanding, priming, and applying multiple coats of premium-quality exterior paint. Depending on your home's construction materials, size, and condition, exterior painting may involve specialised equipment like power washers, scaffolding, and commercial-grade sprayers for optimal application.

When done properly, a home exterior painting job creates a protective shell around your home that can last 7-15 years depending on your location and climate conditions. It's an investment that delivers both immediate aesthetic improvement and long-term structural protection.

Why paint the exterior of your home?

Refreshing your home's exterior paint isn't just about keeping up appearances. Whether your paint is visibly peeling, fading unevenly, or you're simply ready for a change, exterior painting delivers multiple benefits that justify the investment. Most Australian homes benefit from repainting every 7-10 years, though this varies based on your climate zone, with tropical and coastal areas often requiring more frequent attention. 

Here are a couple of benefits that come with painting the exterior of your home. 

Weather protection: Your home faces relentless exposure to Australia's climate. Quality exterior paint creates a protective barrier against moisture, thus preventing wood rot, concrete spalling, and metal corrosion.

Improve your property’s value: A freshly painted house exterior has the potential to increase property value, making it a smart investment before listing your home. Even if you're not selling, it maintains your property's market position in your neighbourhood.

Prevent structural damage: Paint can seal in small cracks and gaps within your home's exterior, which prevents water from getting in. Early detection and treatment of exterior problems during the prep phase of your painting job can save your thousands of dollars in future repairs.

Energy savings: Modern exterior paints with heat-reflective properties can reduce your home's heat absorption, potentially lowering cooling costs during Australia's hot summers.

Curb appeal: A thoughtfully chosen colour scheme dramatically changes your home's appearance, helping it stand out or blend harmoniously with its surroundings. 

Why should you hire a professional painter?

While DIY painting might seem like a way to save money, exterior house painting is complex work that benefits tremendously from professional expertise. 

Typically, going for a DIY approach will take you weeks and weeks of weekend work, while a pro can complete the whole exterior in a matter of days. They’re also trained to spot substrate issues and properly prime surfaces, helping your paint job stay looking fresh for as long as possible. They also know their way around the best heat-reflective coatings or mould-resistant formulations, as well as any local council requirements around painting restrictions. 

If you’re looking for more information to help you along your exterior painting journey, check out the expert guides and resources we have in our painting hub. 

Related articles: Exterior painting checklist 

How to hire an exterior house painter?

Finding the right exterior painter involves more than collecting quotes. 

• Check licensing: Make sure any painter you think about holds appropriate licensing. In most Australian states, painters need specific licensing for jobs exceeding certain values (typically $1,000-$3,300 depending on state)
• Assess their experience: Exterior painting differs significantly from interior work. Look for painters that have previous experience painting house exteriors that are similar to yours
• Check past work and reviews: Look beyond star ratings and read up on each potential painter's reviews to get a feel of their quality of work. On hipages, each of our tradies have profiles filled to the brim with reviews from past work they’ve completed for other Aussies. 

Remember that the lowest quote rarely represents the best value, so focus on finding a balance between reasonable cost and comprehensive service.

Getting quotes from exterior house painters

Obtaining accurate quotes is essential for making an informed decision. Before you contact any painters, it’s important for you to know and communicate the size of the area that you want painted, its current condition, and what you’re looking for with the end result. 

When you get quotes back, they should contain an itemised list of every service included within the final price. This ideally includes: 

• Surface prep
• Primer and paint specifications (brands, lines, sheens)
• Number of coats
• Areas included/excluded
• Timeline from start to completion
• Payment schedule
• Warranty terms

At hipages, we recommend getting at least 3 detailed quotes, as this provides the best perspective on fair market pricing for your specific job. For the most time-saving way to gather multiple quotes from qualified painters, post your exterior painting job on hipages. Our platform connects you with verified local tradies who can provide detailed quotes based on your specific requirements. 

How much does exterior painting cost?

The cost to paint a house exterior varies significantly based on house size, preparation requirements, accessibility, and paint quality.