House Painting Quote Template
Free house painting quote template for interior and exterior painting. Calculates paint volumes, prep materials, and labour per room or area.
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Or try it on the web →This house painting quote template is for Aussie painters on residential jobs. It’s built for everything from a quick room refresh to a full interior and exterior repaint. Most quotes go wrong in two places: underestimating the hours needed for proper surface prep, especially on older homes, and miscalculating paint volumes for quality finishes. A cheap paint might save money upfront but costs you in callbacks. This template helps you price every surface, coat, and hour of labour correctly so your profit doesn't get painted over by unexpected costs.
Pricing Paint and Labour for a Standard 3-Bed House
Your price comes down to materials and time. A standard 3-bedroom house has about 350-400 square metres of wall and ceiling space. Quality paint like Dulux Wash&Wear covers around 14 sqm per litre. For two coats, you'll need 50-60 litres. At roughly $220 for a 15L tin from Bunnings, that's over $880 in paint before you add primer or trim colour. Labour is your main cost. A full interior repaint with proper prep takes 80-100 hours. At a rate of $60-$80 per hour, that's $4,800 to $8,000 in labour alone. Your quote must cover both accurately.
What Painters Forget to Add to the Quote
Small omissions destroy your margin. Quoting a two-storey exterior without adding weekly scaffold hire can cost you $500 a week straight from your profit. Does the job involve removing old lead paint? That requires specific safety gear and disposal methods under AS/NZS 4361.2, adding significant time and material costs. Don't forget skip bin hire for waste, or the time it takes to move heavy furniture. If it's not a line item in the quote, you're doing it for free. Specify exclusions like major plaster repairs or electrical fixture removal to protect yourself.
Materials Included
- Interior paint (walls and ceilings)
- Exterior paint
- Primer and undercoat
- Filler, sandpaper, and prep materials
- Drop sheets and masking tape
- Brushes, rollers, and trays
Quoting Steps
- 1Measure walls and ceilings per room
- 2Assess surface condition and prep needed
- 3Calculate paint volumes (litres per sqm)
- 4Select paint brand and finish
- 5Add prep materials and consumables
- 6Include labour hours and access equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
Always quote for a primer or undercoat, followed by at least two top coats. A single top coat rarely provides a durable or even finish, especially when making a big colour change. Quoting for two top coats is standard professional practice and ensures the job lasts. For covering dark colours or water stains, you may even need to factor in a third coat.
Calculate your costs per square metre, but present the price per room to the client. Using a square metre rate for your internal calculations is the only way to accurately price materials and labour, especially for rooms with high ceilings or complex features. A simple per-room price is easier for the customer to understand on the final quote. Software like QuoteMate can handle the sqm calculations for you.
Yes, if your business is registered for GST, your quote must clearly show the total price including GST. It's best practice to show a subtotal for labour and materials, the separate 10% GST amount, and the final inclusive total. This prevents confusion with the client and keeps you compliant with the ATO. Always label the final figure as 'Total Inc. GST'.
QuoteMate is an AI-powered quoting app that helps painters create professional quotes in under 2 minutes. Describe any painting job, and the AI suggests materials with real-time pricing from major Australian suppliers. Send branded PDF quotes via email, SMS, or WhatsApp.
QuoteMate covers all types of painting jobs including Full interior repaint, Exterior house painting, Feature wall, Ceiling painting, Deck and fence staining, Commercial painting. You can also describe any custom job and the AI will suggest appropriate materials and quantities.
Painters typically quote between $500 – $25,000 depending on the scope of work. QuoteMate ensures every quote is accurate with real-time material pricing and proper GST calculations.
QuoteMate offers a free 7-day trial so you can create quotes immediately — no credit card required. Pro plans start at $49/month or $328/year (save 44%) for unlimited quotes, invoicing, and all premium features.