What Painters Charge in Australia (m2 and Hourly)
Painter rates in Australia are ranges that depend on surface, prep, coats and access — not one fixed number. This page explains what drives the rate and how to set yours from real costs. We do not publish a national $/m² table without a defensible Australian primary source.
General information for Australian painting businesses, not legal, financial, tax or safety advice. Rules change and vary by state or territory. Confirm anything you rely on with the relevant regulator before acting.
Why we do not publish a fixed rate table
Public “average painter rates” online are often recycled, US-converted, or marketing bait. Publishing invented or weakly sourced $/m² figures would breach Kastrion’s honesty rules. Build a charge-out from your pay, on-costs, overheads and billable hours, then convert that into per-m² pricing for the surfaces you actually paint.
Hourly vs per-m² pricing: when each wins
Per-m² pricing is fast and transparent for standard surfaces in good condition. Hourly pricing protects you on heavy prep, awkward access and unknowns. Many painters quote per m² but sanity-check the total against the hours it will really take.
What drives the rate
Prep condition, number of coats, access and height, surface type, and how competitive the work is. Two jobs of the same area can price very differently once prep and access change.
On-costs to include when you employ staff
From 1 July 2025 the superannuation guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings (ATO). Workers compensation is state-based. Leave loading and other award costs vary. Put your real on-cost percentage into the calculator — do not guess someone else’s rate.
Set your own charge-out rate
Build one from your real costs:
Turn your rate into a quote
Once your rate is set, price a full job. How to quote a painting job →
Frequently asked questions
How much do painters charge per m² in Australia?
There is no single honest national figure. Rates move with surface, prep, coats, access and market. Rather than publish a rate table we cannot defend from primary AU data, use the charge-out calculator below and price from your own costs.
What is a painter’s hourly rate?
An hourly charge-out has to cover wages (or drawings), on-costs such as the 12% super guarantee if you employ staff, overheads and profit, spread across the hours you actually bill. That is why it sits above a wage.
Why do exterior rates differ from interior?
Exteriors usually cost more per m² because of access, weather, heavier prep and drying time between coats. Height and scaffolding add further cost.
Are quoted rates GST inclusive?
If you are registered for GST, a price you show a consumer must be a single total that includes GST under Australian Consumer Law. Lead with the GST-inclusive figure for homeowners. A price shown only to another business can be quoted ex-GST if you make that clear.