The homeowner’s painting library

Read the quote before you sign it.

Painting has the widest honest quote spread of any trade, the same 3-bedroom job gets quoted from $3k to $15k. The difference is almost entirely prep, primer and coats, none of which you see until the paint lifts two years later. These guides put that back in the conversation. No sign-up, no sales pitch, just what to ask.

01 6 min read

What a painter’s quote should include

A real painter’s quote splits into seven lines: wash, sand+fill, masking, primer, coats, paint brand+product, and cut-in. If the cheap quote is missing one, that’s where the savings, and the trouble, are coming from.

Read the guide →

02 7 min read

How to spot a dodgy painter

The painting villain isn’t the door-knocker, it’s the cash painter with a roller, no prep kit and a $4,500 quote with nothing in it. The red flags, in order of how often you’ll meet them, plus a five-minute verification routine.

Read the guide →

03 5 min read

Do I need a licensed painter?

Painting is one of the few trades where licensing genuinely changes by state, NSW over $5,000, QLD over $3,300, VIC over $10,000. Don’t accept “fully licensed” as a universal answer. Ask which licence, in which state, for which dollar amount.

Read the guide →

01/06 8 min read

How much does house painting cost?

The same 3-bedroom interior is quoted from $3k to $15k, the widest honest spread of any trade. We show real ranges for interior, exterior, heritage and roof work. The gap is almost all prep, primer and coats.

Read the guide →

05 6 min read

Why prep is most of the job

60–80% of a quality paint job is prep you never see, washing, sanding, filling, masking, priming. It’s the difference between a finish that lasts ten years and one that lifts in two. Here’s what good prep actually involves, step by step.

Read the guide →

07 6 min read

Painting warranties explained

“5-year warranty” on a brochure is white noise unless it spells out what’s covered, what’s excluded, and who’s liable. The four warranty layers, statutory, workmanship, manufacturer and HBC, and how to confuse them is how the cowboy avoids the callback.

Read the guide →

09 7 min read

Lead paint & heritage homes

Pre-1970 homes, render, heritage and conservation areas are where painting gets specialist. Lead paint needs testing and containment; render needs a different system; heritage needs council approval. The edge cases worth a second opinion before you sign.

Read the guide →

Get started

Read enough? Get a quote that does what the guides describe.

Tell us what you need painted. We’ll book a walkthrough and send a quote you can actually read.

✓ Dulux Accredited✓ Master Painters NSW✓ Licensed & insured✓ 127 five-star reviews✓ 7-year workmanship