Interiors run $35-$100 per m² of floor area depending on how much is in scope - walls only at the bottom, ceilings, trim, doors and frames at the top. Exteriors run $40-$70 per m² on the same basis. Tell the calculator your scope and it prices the same way painters do.
One warning before you start: painting guides use two different "per m²" measures and rarely say which. This calculator prices interiors and exteriors per m² of floor area (your home's size). The guide also publishes the wall-surface basis ($20-$45 per m² of wall) if you are measuring room by room.
Answer a few quick questions for a guide price range - then send your details and we will confirm an exact quote. No obligation, takes about 30 seconds.
Common sizes: unit 60 - small house 100 - average house 150 - large house 235 - XL 400.
Guide range only - your exact quote depends on scope, surface condition and a quick look at the job. Send your details below and we will confirm it properly.
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Installed prices (labour + paint), cross-checked across published Australian sources. Watch the basis: the first table is per m² of floor area; the second is per m² of wall surface. They describe the same jobs two different ways.
| Interior scope (per m² of floor area) | Range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Walls only | $35-$55 | Reconciled from service.com.au totals and hipages full-scope rates |
| Walls + ceilings + trim | $45-$75 | Reconciled, as above |
| Full scope - walls, ceilings, trim, doors & frames | $60-$100 | hipages (1 undercoat + 2 top coats, trim and doors included) |
| Exterior (per m² of floor area) | $40-$70 | hipages house-size basis |
| Surface basis (per m² of surface painted) | Range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Interior walls, 1 undercoat + 2 top coats | $20-$45 | service.com.au / TradieVerify |
| Ceilings (flat white) | $15-$30 | TradieVerify / AS Estimation |
| Exterior walls | $30-$55 | Reconciled central band (published spread $15-$70) |
| Doors, each (incl. frames) | $100-$250 | Airtasker / TradieVerify |
Walls only vs walls + ceilings + trim + doors is the single biggest swing - it roughly doubles the per-m² rate, and it is why painting guides disagree with each other so much.
Filling cracks runs $100-$400 a house (indicative, Airtasker); peeling paint or wallpaper removal can add $400-$1,200 per room. Cheap quotes usually cut the prep, not the paint.
High ceilings add 10-25%, stairwells 20-40% on that section, and a major colour change pushes you to the top of the wall rate because of extra coats.
Ranges cross-checked: hipages house painting and exterior guides, service.com.au, Airtasker, TradieVerify, ServiceSeeking - October 2026. Full workings, per-room prices and worked examples are in the painting cost guide.
Run the calculator with your real scope - walls only vs full scope changes the answer more than anything else - then send your details for an exact quote.