You might be looking at your properties exterior, and thinking… how much does exterior house painting cost? Well, after over 20 years of experience painting houses in Brisbane, we have the answer!
Here are some typical costs for exterior painting, including the required prep work and repainting all of the previously painted surfaces:
- $4000 – $8000 for a brick granny flat.
- $7000 – $13,000 for a small weatherboard cottage in good condition
- $13,000 – $19,000 for a small modern Queensland home.
For a larger home you could expect to pay:
- $5,500 – $10,000 for a two-storey, three bedroom house
- $12,000 – $20,000+ for a two-storey weatherboard home, depending on the condition of surfaces and size of house.
Exterior painting your home is an easy way to update its look. There are many different reasons why you might want or need this done, with one being that it can be purely cosmetic and improve street appeal in addition to ensuring protection against elements like wind-driven rainwater seeping through cracks on the surface.
The type of exterior surface you have will affect your exterior house painting cost. It’s also important to consider the type of paint required for your particular property. For example, a brick home may never need painting but could benefit in looks from a coat of stucco or render, while a weatherboard home needs exterior painting on a regular basis to maintain its condition.
What Type Of Exterior Paint Should I Choose?
It’s important to note that not all exterior paints are created equally. Some were designed for certain surfaces and will produce better results than others if applied properly, but it is also crucial you know what type of paint your house has before starting any project!
Here are the different types of surfaces you may need to paint:
- Aluminium
- Concrete
- Steel
- Timber
- Vinyl
- Environmentally-friendly paints
Each surface type has a different preparation process and requires different undercoats, to paint properly. As almost every surface is different, it’s worth contacting a painting expert to figure out the best product choice(s) for your situation.
However, we have listed the types of paint and the typical process for each type of surface.
Aluminium exterior
For aluminium house exteriors, you have a choice between using 100% acrylic latex paint, and alkyd paint. If you’re using the acrylic latex, you’ll need to apply an acrylic latex primer first, but if you’re just using the alkyd paint – no primer is needed.
Usually, an aluminium exterior needs painting every five years or so.
Concrete, stucco or masonry exterior
If you’re painting brick, concrete or stucco (or any other surface for that matter), use an acrylic exterior paint with elastomeric properties. This type of formula will flex when mixed on top of hard surfaces so it can combat cracking and other issues associated with aging roofs/walls over time!
Stucco walls need to be painted every five years, while paint on brick exteriors tends to last 15 or more years.
Timber exteriors
The perfect paint for your new wooden home is an acrylic latex, preferably one with a a stain block. You will need to a primer layer first though!
Timber homes should be painted every 4-6 years, depending on weather conditions in your area. If you’re using Dulux Weathershield, you shouldn’t have any issues with your paint peeling or cracking.
Vinyl exteriors
If your house has a vinyl exterior, you can use 100% acrylic latex paint and you don’t need a primer.
Vinyl homes can generally go 10 to 15 years without the need to be repainted.
Steel exteriors
For homes with steel cladding, use a metal primer before applying an alkyd paint.
Environmentally-friendly paints
If you’re looking for a more environmentally friendly, healthier paint choice, one of the new environmentally friendly low-VOC or natural house paints is the way to go. These are perfect for people with paint sensitivities or those that don’t want chemicals to run off into their gardens or stormwater.
Factors that can affect the cost of painting a house exterior
Painters will take into account the factors listed below when deciding how much to charge for paint job.
- Number of levels
- Paint colours
- Size of home
- Wall material
- Intricacy of house design
- Prep work
- Quality of the paint (here at Array of Colour we only use the highest quality paints)
As painters charge by the square metre, a larger home will invariably cost more than a smaller home. Smaller homes may only cost around $4000 to repaint, while larger ones can be in excess of $20,000.
The cost will be impacted by the type of exterior wall. For example, painting on brick may cost more because of the prep work that needs to go in. Different materials also require different types of paint, which can impact the final bill.
When it comes to painting, the size of your home has an impact on how much you will spend. Painting a smaller house can cost around $4000 while larger ones may be upwards or over 20k! This is because certain materials require different types of paints which can result in more prep work needed. Some materials can also
Tall homes generally cost more because of the equipment needed. For a two-storey home, the painter may have to hire things like scaffolding, cherry pickers and safety equipment. Access problems can also add to the overall cost
Colour can also affect the cost. Painting with dark colours is easy enough, but trying to paint light colours on top of a dark colour can mean extra coats. Multiple colours can also add to your bill. While hiring a colour consultant adds onto your bill, many people find the investment worthwhile.
A home with lots of extra detail, such as a Queenslander or a Victorian home, will invariably cost more than a standard modern home.
The amount of prep required such as repairs, pressure cleaning and hand cleaning will also add on to the time taken and the money you have to pay. For older homes, an additional cost may include the removal of lead-based paint.
To reduce costs, you could consider tackling much of the initial prep work yourself, such as minor repairs and cleaning of all surfaces. But DIY’ing your painting can often be more expensive after you have purchased the necessary equipment and made the time commitment.
The exterior painting cost for every home in Australia is different, hopefully, this article helps you get an idea of how much it could cost but to get an exact quote, we recommend hiring an expert exterior painter to figure out the exact price. You can get a free quote in 24 hours from our team!