Exterior house painting in Melbourne

What's being painted

List each surface, because each takes different preparation and paint: weatherboards, render, brick, eaves, fascias, gutters, window frames, doors, fences and decks. Note anything peeling, cracked, rotten or rusty, and photograph each side of the house.

Preparation decides how long it lasts

Washing, scraping loose paint, filling, sanding, replacing rotten timber, treating rust and priming bare surfaces are most of the job on an exterior, and they're where quotes differ most. Ask exactly what preparation each quote includes, and who replaces rotten boards or trim: see carpentry for timber repairs.

Weather matters too. Paint needs suitable conditions to go on and dry, so ask how the painter plans around rain, wind and heat, and what happens to the schedule if the weather turns.

Lead paint on older homes

Before 1970, paints with high levels of lead were used on many Australian houses, and outside walls, window frames and doors are among the most likely places to find it. Blasting, burning, dry scraping, dry sanding and power tools create the most dangerous dust; an open flame or high-temperature heat gun shouldn't be used to strip it. The only way to know is to test.

Lead is especially harmful to children and to pregnant women and unborn babies. Ask the painter how they'll test, contain and clean up. More in interior painting.

Asbestos cladding and eaves

In homes built or renovated before 1990, wall cladding (including imitation brick), eaves and the lining under them may contain asbestos. It shouldn't be sanded, water-blasted or cut until it's been checked. See asbestos.

Working at height

Ask how the painter will reach the high parts safely: ladders, platforms or scaffolding, especially on a two-storey home. Scaffolding often appears as its own line on a quote.

Who can do it, and renting

Painting on its own doesn't need a registered builder in Victoria, even above $10,000, so check the business instead: an active ABN, insurance, reviews from more than one source and a written quote. See find a tradie. For a job worth more than $10,000, Consumer Affairs Victoria still says to use a major domestic building contract.

Renters need the rental provider's consent to paint, which can't be refused without a good reason.

What the quote should list

• Each surface, and anything excluded
• Preparation: washing, scraping, filling, sanding, rust treatment and priming
• Timber repairs, or a note that they're excluded
• The paint: brand, product, finish and number of coats
• Lead testing and containment on an older home
• Access: ladders or scaffolding
• How long it'll take, and protecting gardens, paths and windows

Example brief

“Repaint the outside of a single-storey 1950s weatherboard in Ascot Vale: walls, eaves, window frames, front door and fascias. Paint is peeling on the north side and a few boards may be soft. Please advise on lead testing, then quote preparation, timber repairs, two coats, access and how many days.”

Before booking a painter

• Every surface listed, with photos
• Preparation and coats spelled out
• Lead tested on pre-1970 paintwork
• Asbestos checked on cladding and eaves
• Safe access, and a weather plan

Ready to describe it? Start a job request or browse painting work. Availability depends on real postings, and registration must be enabled to submit.