July 2026 · Find A Tradie

House painter cost Adelaide — interior & exterior prices (2026)

Painting is one of the highest-impact home improvements — it transforms a space for a fraction of the cost of a renovation. But quotes can vary wildly. Here's what Adelaide painters actually charge.

Interior painting costs

• Single room (walls + ceiling, standard prep) — $400–$800
• Two rooms — $700–$1,400
• Full 3-bedroom house interior — $4,000–$8,000
• Full 4-bedroom house interior — $6,000–$12,000
• Feature wall — $200–$500
• Kitchen cabinets — $1,200–$3,000 (spray finish recommended)

Exterior painting costs

• Single-storey exterior — $4,000–$10,000
• Two-storey exterior — $8,000–$16,000 (scaffolding adds $1,500–$3,000)
• Fence (timber paling, 20m) — $500–$1,500
• Deck staining/oiling — $500–$1,500
• Colorbond fence touch-up — $300–$800

What affects the price

Preparation is 60-70% of the work. A quality paint job is mostly prep — filling holes, sanding, scraping old paint, priming bare surfaces, masking edges. Cheaper quotes often mean less prep, which means the paint fails sooner. Ask each painter how many coats they include and what preparation is covered.

Other cost factors include ceiling height (anything over 3m needs scaffolding or stilts), surface condition (badly flaking surfaces need more scraping), paint quality (premium paints cost $80–$120/can vs $40–$60 for builder's grade but last significantly longer), and access (furniture-heavy rooms take longer to mask and protect).

Heritage homes cost more

If you're in Unley, Toorak Gardens, or Kensington Park, heritage homes require more specialised preparation. Old lead paint needs careful removal (or encapsulation), timber windows and decorative features need hand-painting rather than rolling, and heritage colour schemes may require specific paint ranges.

How to compare painter quotes

When comparing quotes, check that each one covers the same scope: same number of coats, same preparation level, same paint brand and quality. The cheapest quote isn't the best value if it includes one coat of builder's paint over poorly prepared surfaces.

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