How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House in Melbourne? 2026 Price Guide

A full house repaint in Melbourne costs $8,000–$25,000 for a standard 3–4 bedroom home, depending on whether you are painting interior, exterior, or both. An exterior-only repaint on a single-storey weatherboard runs $12,000–$20,000. A full interior repaint for a 3-bedroom home costs $8,000–$15,000. Combined interior and exterior, expect $18,000–$35,000 for most Melbourne homes. I have been painting houses across Melbourne’s western and inner suburbs since we started Modernize Solutions in 1987 — these are real prices based on thousands of completed projects, not pulled from a national average that means nothing for your street.

What Does It Cost to Paint a House Exterior in Melbourne?

Exterior painting costs in Melbourne vary significantly by cladding type. A weatherboard home requires far more preparation than a rendered or brick veneer property — and preparation is where most of the labour hours go. The table below shows 2026 exterior painting costs for a standard single-storey home in Melbourne.

These prices include labour, surface preparation, primer where required, and two topcoats of premium exterior paint such as Dulux Weathershield. Paint materials are typically included in exterior quotes. For two-storey homes, add 40–60% to these figures — see our two-storey house painting cost guide for a full breakdown.

Interior Painting Costs in Melbourne

Interior painting is priced either by the room or as a whole-home package. Whole-home pricing is almost always better value because the painter can work efficiently without mobilising and demobilising for each room separately. The table below covers 2026 Melbourne interior painting costs.

Interior prices include surface preparation, gap filling, two coats of premium interior paint such as Dulux Wash&Wear, and full masking and floor protection. Colour changes from dark to light add an extra coat, which increases the price by roughly 15–20% per affected room. For detailed per-room pricing, see our cost to paint a room in Melbourne guide.

What Affects the Price of a Melbourne Paint Job?

Every house is different. Here are the factors that move a quote up or down — and why.

1. Surface Preparation

This is the single biggest variable. A house with sound, well-maintained paint needs light sanding and a wash before recoating. A house with peeling, cracking, or flaking paint needs extensive scraping, sanding back to bare timber, filling, and spot-priming. On a weatherboard home, preparation accounts for 60–70% of total labour time. There are no shortcuts — skip the prep and the new paint fails within two years.

Preparation work on a weatherboard home in Footscray. Scraping back to sound substrate is non-negotiable before any topcoat goes on.

2. Access and Scaffolding

Single-storey homes can usually be painted from ladders and a stepladder. Two-storey homes require scaffolding or an elevated work platform (EWP), adding $2,000–$5,000 to the project cost. Complex rooflines, tight side access, or homes built on slopes can increase access costs further. The Victorian Building Authority requires safe work at height compliance — any painter skipping scaffolding on a two-storey home is cutting corners on safety.

3. Paint Quality and System

There is a real cost difference between premium and budget paint. A full exterior using Dulux Weathershield costs $1,500–$3,000 in materials alone. Builder-grade paint costs half that — and lasts half as long. We use Dulux premium systems as standard because they are formulated for Melbourne’s UV exposure and weather cycling. The Bureau of Meteorology climate data for Melbourne shows the city gets over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually — cheap paint breaks down fast under that kind of UV load.

4. Number of Coats

A standard repaint in the same or similar colour requires two topcoats. A colour change — especially dark to light or light to dark — may require a tinted undercoat plus two topcoats, effectively adding a third coat. Each additional coat adds roughly $2,000–$4,000 on a full exterior and $1,000–$2,000 on a full interior.

5. House Condition and Age

Older homes in Melbourne’s inner west and inner north often have multiple layers of paint, some of which may contain lead. Lead paint removal must comply with AS 4361.2 guidelines and adds significant cost — typically $3,000–$8,000 for a full exterior depending on the extent. Homes built before 1970 in suburbs like Footscray, Yarraville, Seddon, and Williamstown are high-risk for lead paint.

6. Heritage Overlays

Properties with a Heritage Overlay (HO) in councils like Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, and Yarra must follow specific colour schemes and may require a planning permit before repainting. This adds time and sometimes restricts you to heritage colour ranges like the Dulux Heritage palette. Our heritage house painting guide covers this in detail.

7. Number of Colours

A single-colour exterior with white trim is the most cost-effective scheme. Every additional colour adds cutting-in time, masking, and drying time between coats. Heritage homes with three or four body colours, a separate trim colour, and accent details can cost 30–50% more than an equivalent single-colour home.

Cost by Home Type: A Melbourne Breakdown

Weatherboard Homes

Weatherboard is Melbourne’s most common cladding in the inner and middle suburbs. It is also the most labour-intensive to repaint. Every board needs individual attention — checking for rot, scraping loose paint, filling gaps, and priming bare timber. A single-storey weatherboard exterior runs $12,000–$20,000, and a two-storey $18,000–$30,000. We repaint weatherboard homes across the western suburbs every week — see our weatherboard painting service for more detail on our process.

Brick Veneer Homes

The most cost-effective exterior painting scope. You are only painting the trim — fascias, eaves, window frames, doors, and sometimes a feature render panel. The brick itself stays unpainted in most cases. Full trim repaint on a standard brick veneer costs $4,000–$8,000. If you want the brick itself painted or bagged, add $5,000–$10,000 depending on surface area.

Rendered and Cement-Sheet Homes

Rendered homes are common in newer suburbs and 1950s–1970s builds. The render needs crack repair and a sealer coat before topcoating. A standard single-storey rendered exterior costs $8,000–$14,000. Cement-sheet (Hardiplank, Villaboard) homes are similar — the sheets themselves are stable, but the joints and flashings need careful preparation.

Interior repaint of an Edwardian living room. Period homes with ornate cornices, ceiling roses, and timber trims take longer but the results are worth it.

Heritage Victorian and Edwardian Homes

These are Melbourne’s most beautiful — and most expensive — homes to paint. Ornamental fretwork, turned verandah posts, decorative brackets, and multi-colour schemes all increase labour hours significantly. A full exterior on a heritage Victorian or Edwardian home costs $15,000–$30,000+, depending on the level of ornamental detail and the number of colours. Lead paint is common on pre-1970 homes and must be handled according to Australian lead paint safety standards.

Modern Townhouses

Townhouses typically have less exterior surface area and simpler profiles. A standard two-storey townhouse exterior costs $6,000–$12,000. Many townhouses have a combination of render, cladding, and feature panels, which means multiple paint systems but relatively quick application.

The Cheap Quote Trap

If you get three quotes and one is 40% lower than the other two, that is not a bargain — it is a warning sign. Here is what low-ball quotes typically leave out:

• Preparation is skipped or reduced. Instead of scraping and sanding, the painter does a quick wash and paints straight over failing paint. The new paint peels within 12–18 months.
• One coat instead of two. A single coat of exterior paint does not provide adequate UV protection or coverage. It looks fine for six months, then fades and chalks.
• Builder-grade paint. Cheap paint costs half as much as Dulux Weathershield but has lower resin content, less pigment, and breaks down faster. You repaint in 5 years instead of 12–15.
• No insurance. A legitimate painting business carries $20M public liability insurance. Uninsured painters can quote lower because they are not covering that overhead — but you are exposed if anything goes wrong.
• No warranty. Professional painters offer a written workmanship warranty. If there is no warranty document, there is no accountability.

Master Painters Australia recommends getting at least two quotes from qualified painters and checking that each quote specifies paint brand, number of coats, preparation scope, and warranty terms.

How to Compare Painting Quotes in Melbourne

A proper painting quote should be a written document — not a number scribbled on the back of a business card. Here is what to look for:

A good quote itemises:

• Preparation scope (what scraping, sanding, filling, and priming is included)
• Paint brand and product name (not just “premium paint”)
• Number of coats per surface
• What surfaces are included and excluded (walls, ceilings, trim, doors, windows)
• Access method (scaffolding, EWP, ladders)
• Timeframe and start date
• Payment terms
• Workmanship warranty period
• Insurance details (public liability, WorkCover)

Red flags:

• Verbal-only quotes with no written documentation
• Quotes that say “paint” without specifying brand or product
• No mention of preparation or surface condition
• Significantly lower than other quotes without a clear explanation
• Requests for large upfront deposits (10% is standard; 50% is a red flag)

For a deeper guide on evaluating painting quotes, see our post on how to get a painting quote in Melbourne.

How Modernize Solutions Quotes Your Project

We have been painting Melbourne homes since 1987 — starting in Footscray and now working across the western suburbs, inner north, and bayside. Every quote we provide is a fixed-price, written document that details exactly what is included, what paint we are using, and how long the project will take.

What you get with Modernize Solutions:

• Premium Dulux products — we use Dulux premium paint systems as standard
• $20M public liability insurance — fully covered, certificate available on request
• Rated 4.8 stars on Google (154 reviews) — our track record speaks for itself
• 35+ years of experience — owner-operated since 1987
• Free on-site quote — we inspect your property in person before quoting, not from a photo

We do not quote over the phone with a dollar-per-square-metre figure. Every home is different, and the only way to give you an honest price is to see the property, assess the surface condition, and discuss what you want to achieve. Call 0451 040 396 or request a free quote online to book an inspection.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a single-storey weatherboard in Melbourne that needs a full exterior repaint with peeling paint on the west side — what should I budget?

Budget $12,000–$20,000 for a full exterior repaint including preparation, primer, and two topcoats of Dulux Weathershield. Peeling on the west side is typical — afternoon sun causes the most UV damage. If the timber is sound, you will land in the middle of that range. Rot or lead paint pushes the cost higher by $2,000–$5,000.

We’re getting our 4 bedroom brick veneer house painted inside and out in Melbourne — is $15,000 a reasonable quote or are we being overcharged?

$15,000 is reasonable for a combined interior and exterior repaint on a 4-bedroom brick veneer, provided the quote includes full interior walls, ceilings, and trim plus all exterior timber (fascias, eaves, windows, doors). Brick veneer exteriors cost less than weatherboard because you are painting trim only. Always compare at least two itemised, written quotes.

How much do painters charge per room in Melbourne for walls, ceilings, and white throughout?

A standard bedroom costs $650–$950, a living room $800–$1,200, and a full 3-bedroom interior runs $8,000–$15,000 including hallway and all rooms. Prices include preparation, two coats of Dulux Wash&Wear, and full protection. See our room painting cost guide for detailed per-room pricing.

What’s the average cost difference between painting a single-storey vs two-storey house in Melbourne that needs scaffolding?

Two-storey homes cost 40–60% more than single-storey equivalents. A 3-bedroom two-storey weatherboard exterior runs $18,000–$30,000 versus $12,000–$20,000 for single-storey. Scaffolding adds $2,000–$5,000 on top of higher labour costs from working at height. See our two-storey painting cost guide for the full breakdown.

Why is house painting so expensive in Melbourne? I got a quote for $8,000 just for the exterior of a small weatherboard — is that normal?

Yes — $8,000 for a small weatherboard exterior is a normal, fair price. Proper preparation (scraping, sanding, filling, priming) accounts for 60–70% of a painter’s time on weatherboard. Materials alone cost $1,500–$3,000 using premium products. A professional painter’s true operating cost is $600–$800 per day after labour, insurance, and overheads. A quote well below this range usually means preparation or paint quality is being compromised.