A good painting quote spells out exactly what will be painted, how each surface will be prepared, which paint and how many coats will be used, and the total price including GST, along with the timing, payment terms and guarantee. If any of those are missing, you can’t compare the quote fairly or hold the painter to it later.
This guide gives you a checklist for reading a quote, a quick way to compare two quotes side by side, and the red flags that should make you pause.
Quote or estimate: what’s the difference?
An estimate is an educated guess. It can be useful early on, when you are working out a budget, but the final bill can move a long way from it.
A quote is a fixed price for a defined scope of work. The more clearly the scope is written, the more protection the quote gives you. That’s why a quote should come after a painter has seen the job in person, not from a phone call or a couple of photos.
If you are still setting a budget, our guide to how much it costs to paint a house in Melbourne has current published price ranges.
What should a painting quote include?
Use this checklist when a quote lands in your inbox. You won’t see every item on a small job, but a whole-house quote should cover most of them.
Business details
- The business name, address, phone number and ABN
- Who you will deal with during the job
- Evidence of public liability insurance, or a note that a certificate is available
Scope of work
- Every room, wall or elevation included, listed clearly
- Which surfaces are included: walls, ceilings, doors, architraves, skirting boards, window frames, eaves, fascias, gutters, fences
- What is specifically excluded
Preparation
Preparation decides how long the paint lasts, so it deserves its own section. Look for washing, scraping loose paint, sanding, filling cracks and holes, spot-priming bare timber, caulking gaps and treating mould. On an older home, the quote should also say how any lead paint will be tested for and handled.
Paint and coats
- The brand and the product name, not just “premium paint”
- The sheen level for each surface, such as low sheen walls and semi-gloss trim
- The number of coats, and whether a primer, sealer or undercoat is included
- Whether colours have been chosen or a colour consultation is part of the job
Protection, access and clean-up
- How floors, furniture, gardens and fixtures will be protected
- Who moves furniture
- Any scaffold, ladders or elevated work platforms, and who pays for them
- Rubbish removal and daily clean-up
Price, timing and guarantee
- The total price, and whether it includes GST
- The deposit and when each payment is due
- How variations are priced and agreed
- The expected start date and duration, with an allowance for weather on exterior work
- The written guarantee: how long it lasts and what it covers
How do you compare two painting quotes?
Put the quotes side by side and check them against the same scope. The cheapest number on the page is only cheaper if it buys the same job.
| What to check | A detailed quote | A vague quote |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Lists each room or elevation and each surface | “Paint house” |
| Preparation | Describes sanding, filling, priming and caulking | Not mentioned |
| Paint | Names brand, product, sheen and number of coats | “Quality paint” |
| Price | Total with GST stated, deposit and payment stages | One figure, GST unclear |
| Timing | Start date and expected duration | “Soon” |
| Guarantee | Written, with length and coverage | Verbal or missing |
If one quote is far lower than the rest, ask the painter to explain the difference. It is usually fewer coats, less preparation or a cheaper paint. Our article on how to choose a house painter in Melbourne has 10 questions to help with that conversation.
What are the red flags in a painting quote?
Most painters quote honestly and carefully. These are the signs worth a second look:
- Pressure to sign or pay now. Consumer Affairs Victoria warns homeowners to be wary of anyone pressuring you to sign up and hand over a large deposit.
- An uninvited door knock. If you sign an agreement after a trader approaches you at home, you have 10 business days to reconsider, and the trader must not supply services or accept payment during that period.
- No mention of preparation. If it isn’t written down, you can’t be sure it will be done.
- No paint brand or coat count. You can’t compare value without them.
- Mixed trades with no registration. Painting on its own doesn’t need registration in Victoria, but work worth more than $10,000 that combines trades, such as plastering and painting, must be done by someone registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission.
- An older home with no plan for lead. The Australian Government’s Lead Alert guide says homes built before 1970 are most at risk and includes a checklist you can give contractors so they all quote on the same lead-safe work.
- Cash only, with no business details. A proper quote and invoice protect both sides.
Do commercial and strata quotes need anything extra?
The same principles apply, with a few additions. A commercial or strata quote should also cover working hours, access for staff, customers or residents, how disruption will be managed, and the safety set-up for the site. If you manage a business or a building, our commercial painting service page explains how those jobs are planned.
Why does a site inspection matter?
A painter can only write a detailed quote after seeing the job. At AMP Master Painters, our process starts with a free site inspection and scope, followed by a written quote, usually the next day. The quote then reflects the actual steps of the job: colour consultation, OH&S set-up, preparation and masking, a walk-through quality check at the end, and our written 7-year guarantee. You can see each step on our process page, and our interior painting and exterior painting pages show what each type of job involves.
A clear quote also tells you how long you’ll be living around the work. Our guide to how long it takes to paint a house explains what affects the timeline.
The bottom line
A painting quote is only as good as the detail in it. Look for a clear scope, written preparation, named paint and coats, a stated price with GST, payment terms, timing and a written guarantee. Compare quotes on the same scope, ask about anything that is missing, and don’t let anyone rush you into signing.
