There are no prices here, because two buildings of the same size can need very different amounts of preparation, access and scheduling. Every figure comes from an on-site inspection and is set out in a fixed written quote. To book that inspection, see our commercial painting service page.
Call Ross on 0468 444 654.
Scope: what is actually being painted
The starting point is the area and the number of surfaces in scope. An itemised quote lists them, so you can see where the cost sits:
- Internal walls and ceilings, by floor, tenancy or unit.
- Common areas such as foyers, stairwells, corridors and external walkways.
- External walls, eaves, fascias and balconies.
- Doors, frames, handrails and metalwork.
- Workshop dados, line marking and plant rooms in warehouses and industrial units.
Splitting the scope this way also lets an owner or strata committee stage the work across budget periods, painting the most weathered areas first and planning the rest as part of a longer maintenance cycle.
Surface condition and preparation
Preparation is often the biggest variable. A building with sound paint needs cleaning and light sanding. One with failing coatings needs much more before any finish coat goes on:
- Cleaning off dirt, grease, pollution and chalking.
- Scraping and sanding loose or flaking paint.
- Cutting out and filling cracks in render and masonry.
- Treating mould on shaded walls and in wet areas.
- Treating rust and priming metal doors, railings and trims.
- Sealing stains and priming bare or repaired surfaces.
This is why two similar buildings can be priced very differently. The inspection is where it is measured, and the quote states the preparation included rather than leaving it to a day rate.
Access and working at heights
Multi-storey façades, high warehouse walls and balconies often need ladders, mobile scaffold, elevated work platforms or other access equipment. What is needed depends on:
- Building height and roof design.
- Ground conditions and setbacks from boundaries.
- Car parks, entries and walkways that must stay open and safe.
- Power lines and landscaping near the work.
- Site-specific safety documentation, such as a Safe Work Method Statement where the work requires one.
Access equipment, and the time to set it up safely, is part of the price, which is why it is assessed on site.
Scheduling around trading and residents
For retail shopfronts, medical suites, offices and hospitality venues, daytime painting is rarely practical, and in a strata building residents still need to come and go. How the work is scheduled affects the cost:
- After-hours or weekend work, so a business can keep trading and staff return to a usable space.
- Sectional phasing, so only part of a floor or site is out of action at once.
- Staging common areas so stairwells, foyers and walkways stay safely usable.
- Formal notices to residents and tenants about balcony access, window masking, parking and drying times.
Each of these trades some extra time or setup for less disruption. A quote should say which approach is included, so you are comparing like with like.
The coating system
Commercial surfaces face foot traffic, equipment knocks and regular cleaning that domestic paints are not made for. Higher-performance products cost more, and in the right place they last longer between repaints:
- Hard-wearing, washable enamels for high-traffic corridors, schools and waiting rooms.
- Epoxy coatings for workshop dados, line marking and plant rooms where chemicals or abrasion are a factor.
- Elastomeric masonry membranes on large rendered façades that move with temperature.
- Mould-resistant, easy-clean finishes for medical suites, food preparation areas and childcare centres.
The quote names the system and the number of coats, so a lower price built on fewer coats or a lighter product is visible when you compare.
What a strata committee should ask for
A strata quote usually goes to a committee or a general meeting, so it needs to be easy to review and approve:
- An itemised scope by building, elevation or stage.
- Product data sheets for the coatings specified.
- Colour samples or a colour board for approval.
- The proposed staging and how residents will be notified.
- Licence details and a certificate of currency for insurance.
All Star Painting carries $20M Public Liability insurance, with Certificates of Currency supplied with every quote.
