Painting is one of the most common residential jobs in Perth, and one of the most variable when it comes to pricing. The cost of painting a house depends on the size of the property, the condition of the existing surfaces, whether the job is interior or exterior, the number of colours specified, and the level of preparation required. Here is a breakdown of what Perth homeowners should expect to pay across the most common painting scenarios.
Interior Painting Costs
Interior painting in Perth is typically quoted either per room, per square metre of wall area, or as a total project price for the whole home. A standard bedroom painted in a single colour – two coats on walls, one on ceiling, with basic preparation – generally costs somewhere between $300 and $600 depending on room size and ceiling height. Living areas and open-plan spaces cost more due to the larger surface area and often higher ceilings.
A full interior repaint of a standard three or four bedroom Perth home – including all walls, ceilings, and doors but not feature walls or specialty finishes – typically ranges from $3,000 to $7,000 depending on the size of the home, the condition of the surfaces, and the number of colours involved. Homes that require significant patching, sanding, or primer work before top coats can be applied will sit toward the higher end of that range, and the additional preparation is worth paying for given the impact it has on the finished result and how long it holds.
Specialty finishes – feature walls, textured coatings, two-tone colour schemes, or painted cabinetry – add to the base cost and require more detailed quoting. If you know you want something beyond a standard repaint, describe it clearly in your brief so painters are quoting the same scope.
Exterior Painting Costs
Exterior painting in Perth is priced more variably than interior work because the site conditions, access requirements, and surface condition can differ significantly between properties. A standard single-storey three or four bedroom brick home in Perth typically costs between $4,000 and $9,000 for a full exterior repaint including walls, eaves, fascias, and window frames. Two-storey homes cost more given the scaffolding or elevated access equipment required, and can range from $8,000 to $15,000 or more depending on the size and complexity of the facade.
The condition of the existing paint surface is a major cost driver for exterior work. A home that has been repainted recently with a quality product and has held well will require less preparation than one that has chalking, flaking, or cracking paint that needs to be stripped back or heavily sanded before new paint can be applied properly. Older homes in Perth’s inner and middle-ring suburbs – particularly those with texture-coated or previously sprayed finishes – can require considerably more preparation than the surface area alone would suggest.
What Drives Price Variation in Perth
Beyond surface condition, a few Perth-specific factors affect painting costs. Product quality matters more in Perth than in cities with milder climates – the UV intensity of Perth summers degrades exterior paint faster than in southern capitals, and a high-quality paint with strong UV resistance will outlast a cheaper product by several years. The cost difference in product between a budget and a premium exterior paint is typically a few hundred dollars on a full house repaint – a small proportion of the total job cost, but one that has a meaningful effect on the repaint cycle.
Timing affects availability and sometimes price. Perth painters are busiest from September through December as homeowners prepare properties before summer. Spring quotes can carry a premium or come with longer lead times compared to the same job booked in autumn or winter. For non-urgent exterior work, the cooler months often provide both better pricing and more scheduling flexibility.
Getting Value From the Quoting Process
For any painting job above a few hundred dollars, a written quote that specifies preparation, number of coats, products to be used, and what is and is not included is the minimum standard. Comparing three quotes for a full house repaint will almost always reveal meaningful differences in scope, not just price – and understanding what each quote actually covers is how you make a genuinely informed decision rather than simply choosing the lowest number.
Ask each painter how they handle variations – situations where the surface condition is worse than expected once preparation begins. A painter who can give you a clear answer about how this is managed, and who builds transparent contingency into their quoting, is a better choice than one who prices tight and surfaces issues as unexpected additions once work has started.
Browse painters and decorators across Perth on our painters and decorators page, or explore other trades available to help with your renovation on our builders page.
If you run a painting business in Perth, you can list your business on Perth Services Directory for free – no commissions, no lead fees, no ongoing costs. Get in front of homeowners pricing up their next interior or exterior repaint.