How much does it cost to paint a house? 2026 prices for South East Queensland

Short answer: in South East Queensland in 2026, published price guides put a full interior repaint of a three-bedroom house at roughly $4,000 to $9,500, and the exterior of a single-storey house in a similar range. Two-storey homes and timber Queenslanders cost more, often well over $10,000 for the outside alone. Your actual price depends on preparation, surfaces, height and access. Only a written quote after an inspection will tell you.

The ranges below come from public guides. They don’t agree with each other, so we show where each number comes from.

What published guides say

Two cautions. Some guides include GST and some don’t: the Painters Institute’s figures exclude it, so add 10% before comparing. And guides that sell leads to painters have a commercial interest, so treat every range as a starting point.

Per square metre and per hour

Painters often price by area, by room or by day. Published figures:

• Interior, per m² of wall and ceiling: $20 to $39 on the Gold Coast (What’s The Damage, Oct 2026). The Painters Institute gives a wider $10 to $60 per m², excluding GST.

• Exterior, per m² of wall: $24 to $59 on the Gold Coast (What’s The Damage, Oct 2026).

• Hourly: Airtasker lists $84 to $88 an hour for Brisbane painters (June 2025). The Painters Institute says $65 to $95 an hour for a professional painter, excluding GST.

• Per room (walls and ceiling): $295 to $980 on the Gold Coast; $400 to $1,200 per room including paint, excluding GST, from the Painters Institute.

When one quote is per m² and another is per room, ask both painters what’s included. “Walls only” and “walls, ceiling, doors and trims” are very different jobs.

What pushes the price up

• Preparation. Filling, sanding, washing, priming and repairs are where most of the labour goes. A cheap quote often means less prep.

• Surface. Timber weatherboards, decorative trims and Queenslander detailing take far longer than rendered or brick walls.

• Height and access. A second storey, high-set house or steep block can mean scaffolding or extra equipment.

• Condition. Flaking, peeling or water-damaged paint has to come off before new paint goes on.

• Colour change. Going from dark to light usually needs an extra coat.

• Paint grade. Premium exterior paint costs more up front but generally lasts longer in Queensland sun.

• Extras. Ceilings, doors, skirting, window frames, fences, decks and eaves are often priced separately.

• Lead paint. Homes built before 1970 probably contain lead-based paint, according to the Queensland Government. Older paint should be tested before anyone sands it, and it should never be dry-sanded. The Australian Government’s Lead Alert: The six step guide to painting your home explains the safe process. Testing and safe removal add to the cost.

Licences, deposits and your rights in Queensland

• Licence. In Queensland, painting work valued at more than $3,300 must be done by a QBCC-licensed painter. Below that, a licence isn’t required, but the QBCC still recommends using one. You can check any painter on the QBCC licensee register.

• Why it matters. Internal paint application is the number one type of defective building work reported in Queensland, according to the QBCC (May 2026).

• Deposits. For work from $3,301 to $19,999, the maximum deposit is 10% of the contract price. Above $20,000 it’s 5%. For work of $3,300 or less, the QBCC says the maximum deposit is 20%.

• Defects. You generally have 12 months from completion to lodge a QBCC complaint about non-structural defects such as painting.

• Northern Rivers (NSW). In NSW, residential building or trade work over $5,000 including GST needs a licence. A stand-alone contract for internal painting is an exception. Check the details with NSW Fair Trading.

How to get an accurate quote

Painters give tighter, more comparable quotes when they get the same clear brief. Before you ask, gather:

1. The scope: interior, exterior or both; which rooms; ceilings, doors, trims, eaves or fences.

2. The house: single- or two-storey, the wall type (brick, render, weatherboard, fibre cement) and roughly when it was built.

3. Its condition: any peeling, cracks, water damage or mould, with photos.

4. Colours and paint: a colour change or same colour, and any brand or grade you want.

5. Timing and access: when you’d like it done, and anything that affects access (pets, a steep block, a second storey).

Then compare quotes like for like:

• Is preparation itemised, and does it include repairs?

• How many coats, and which product?

• Are ceilings, doors and trims included?

• Is the price fixed or an estimate, and does it include GST?

• What’s the deposit? Is it within the QBCC limits above?

• Is the painter’s QBCC licence number on the quote?

• Is there a written warranty on workmanship?

Three quotes is common practice. The cheapest isn’t always the best value if it leaves out prep.

Getting quotes through Localdex

Localdex lets you describe the job once and send it to up to three local businesses that can do it. Nothing is sent until you approve the request. Businesses get the job details you approve, and we don’t share your account name or email (anything you type into the job details is shared). It’s free for customers and covers South East Queensland and Northern Rivers NSW.

Describe your painting job and get quotes

One painter you can request a quote from now is Sunrise Painting Co on the Gold Coast.

If you’re a painter, our guide to SEO for tradies covers how customers find you on Google, Maps and AI assistants.

FAQ

How much does it cost to paint a three-bedroom house in Brisbane or the Gold Coast? Published guides put the interior at roughly $4,000 to $9,500 and a single-storey exterior in a similar range in 2026. Timber and two-storey homes cost more. Get written quotes after an inspection.

How much do painters charge per square metre? Gold Coast guides list about $20 to $39 per m² for interiors and $24 to $59 per m² for exteriors (October 2026). National figures range from $10 to $60 per m², excluding GST.

Is exterior painting more expensive than interior? Usually, for the same house. Exteriors need more preparation, weather-resistant paint and sometimes scaffolding, and timber homes take much longer.

Do I need a licensed painter in Queensland? Yes, for painting work over $3,300. Check the painter’s licence on the QBCC register before you sign.

How many quotes should I get? Three is common practice. Compare what each one includes, not just the total.

Sources

• What’s The Damage, Gold Coast painter cost guide (verified October 2026; estimates including GST): https://whatsthedamage.com.au/painter-cost-gold-coast/

• Painters Institute, house painting cost calculator (prices excluding GST): https://painters.edu.au/Consumer-Information/House-painting-cost-calculator.htm

• Airtasker, house painter cost (updated 4 June 2025): https://www.airtasker.com/au/costs/house-painting/house-painter-cost/

• QBCC, painting defects (17 May 2026): https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/news/industry-snapshot-top-10-defects-home-owner-series-painting-defects

• QBCC, deposits and progress payments (27 June 2025): https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/build-renovate/contracts-payments/deposits-progress-payments

• Queensland Government, lead-based paint: https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/public-community-housing/lead-based-paint

• Australian Government, Lead Alert: The six step guide to painting your home (5th edition): https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/lead-paint-fifth-edition.pdf

• NSW Government, painting work licences: https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/licences-and-credentials/building-and-trade-licences-and-registrations/painting-work

Prices are indicative and were current as of 11 October 2026. They’re not a quote.