House Painting - How much does it cost to paint a house?

If you’re looking to get a house painted by a professional, ideally you probably want to have an idea of how much the house painting project is going to cost. Pinpointing the exact price is nearly impossible without looking at the house as there are a lot of factors that go into the price. The age of the house, the material that it’s made from, the current paint condition and of course, the size, all go into the cost.

However, the rough cost to paint an average house in New Zealand is around the $12,000 mark.

What is included in a house painting quote?

This cost includes the cost of the materials such as paints and prep material as well as labour. If you get a quote to paint an average house and it’s notably different–50% higher or lower for instance–you probably aren’t getting the best value. If the price seems far off the mark, try getting a quote from another painter and see if they estimate it will be about the same.

Vastly different prices mean that at least one of the painters isn’t charging the right amount. And the less expensive option isn’t always the best. If a painter is able to charge far lower than the typical rates, they are likely cutting corners in one way or another. The most common place is the quality of the paint. Low-quality paints can be quite a bit cheaper than better brands. However, they won’t last nearly as long. The colours fade faster, they’re more prone to chipping and aren’t as vibrant. If you’re looking to paint a house because it looks like it’s in poor shape, you’ll have to repaint it much sooner if your painter uses cheap paint – costing you more in the long run.

What makes the cost vary?

The two biggest factors for how much it costs to paint a house are the condition of the house and the size of the house being painted.

A house with the exterior and cladding in good condition is easier to paint. The paint will go on smoothly with minimal extra effort. If there’s, old, chipped paint from a previous job (or in some cases, several layers), part of the extra cost will go into removing that paint. With exterior painting, simply painting over the old paint job isn’t enough as the new paint won’t look any better if the bad paint isn’t stripped away and the new paint will start falling away soon enough. Getting the surface ready for paint takes longer if it’s in worse shape, which adds to the total cost.

As for size, a smaller house will cost less than a larger house, all else being equal. This is simply because a smaller house needs less paint to cover it.

Is a smaller house always less expensive to paint?

Not necessarily. Besides the condition, the materials and the shape of the structure make a difference in cost too. A simpler, flat surface doesn’t require as much prep as one that juts out with bay windows. But in general, a smaller house will be cheaper than a larger one and a newer house will cost less than an older one.

Do I need my whole house painted?

Sometimes, you don’t need the entire house painted. You might only need retouching on a single section. A common job we do here at Kurt’s Quality Decorating is painting only the soffits and fascias. Since these are higher up and tricky to paint because of the gutters, even a lot of DIYers can use a little help for these sections. We can paint them starting at $1200.

How much do you charge for house painting?

Our average house painting project costs about $12,000 when all is said and done. Usually, the cost to paint a house wouldn’t be cheaper than $8,000 or any more than $17,000. The factors above all influence the price and we need to look at the property in person to give a more accurate estimate. If you’re interested in having us paint your house, give us a call and we’ll set up a time to come by and do a free quote.

Updated 13 June 2024