Painting vs plastering costs in Australia depend on surface condition, access, prep, paint system, labour, and GST treatment. As a planning range, interior work often sits around $30-$65/m2, exterior work around $45-$100/m2, and qualified painters often price labour around $55-$95/hr. Always confirm local rates and scope before quoting or accepting work.
Page last reviewed: 11 July 2026
Use this as a budgeting guide before requesting quotes from local painters.
Benchmark quote assumptions, labour allowances, materials, overhead, and margin.
Use ATT to turn pricing assumptions into repeatable quote and job workflow.
Start with ATT →| Item | Lower range | Higher range | Main variables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior painting | $30 | $65/m2 | Room size, prep, trim, ceiling height |
| Exterior painting | $45 | $100/m2 | Storeys, access, substrate, weather exposure |
| Painter labour | $55 | $95/hr | Experience, region, business overhead, urgency |
| Typical repaint | $9,000 | $24,000 | Scope, scaffold, repairs, product choice, GST |
Indicative Australian planning ranges only. Confirm local market rates and job scope before quoting.
The main cost drivers are preparation, access, surface condition, substrate, number of coats, paint system, labour availability, and whether the quote is GST-inclusive. Australian homes vary widely, from brick veneer and rendered homes to Queenslanders, terraces, apartments, and coastal properties.
Use ranges as a check, not a price list. A profitable painting quote still needs measured areas, labour hours, product quantities, access allowances, overhead, margin, GST treatment, and clear exclusions. ATT helps turn those assumptions into a repeatable quote workflow.
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, and regional markets each have different labour availability, access conditions, weather exposure, and housing stock. Location can materially affect a quote, so compare local labour rates and site conditions before setting a final price.
Before using any published price range, confirm the scope, measurements, substrate condition, prep level, number of coats, paint system, access, exclusions, waste, GST, and target margin. You should also separate labour from materials so you can see whether the job is profitable.
Get connected with local tradies who can quote your job.
Use ATT to quote faster, win more work, and run your painter business.
Use these price ranges as a starting point, then build a structured quoting workflow: capture the enquiry, inspect the site, measure the work, build the quote, send it, follow up, schedule the crew, track job costs, and invoice. ATT is built to keep that full workflow together for Australian painting and decorating businesses.
When comparing options, you should look beyond feature lists and test the workflow that makes money: quote speed, customer follow-up, scheduling, subcontractor updates, timesheets, supplier costs, progress invoices, accounting sync, reporting, and flat plan pricing.
Competitor features, pricing, and integration scopes change over time. Treat this comparison as a decision guide, then check current vendor pricing, integration terms, and plan limits before switching systems or committing a team workflow.
Use $30-$65/m2 for interior planning, $45-$100/m2 for exterior planning, and $55-$95/hr for labour benchmarking before checking local rates.
Many Australian business quotes need to show GST treatment clearly. Confirm whether prices are GST-inclusive or GST-exclusive and include ABN/tax invoice details where required.
Yes. ATT supports Australian organisations with AUD pricing, 10% GST defaults, Australian addresses, +61 phone handling, and accounting sync.
Include scope, prep, materials, access, labour, subcontractors, waste, GST, and margin. The range is only useful once those assumptions are explicit.
Review comparisons whenever vendor pricing, integrations, plan limits, or workflow requirements change. For software decisions, check current vendor pages before buying.
Get connected with local tradies who can quote your job.
Use ATT to quote faster, win more work, and run your painter business.