Repaints we quote
- House repaints
The full exterior repaint: preparation, repairs, primer and two topcoats.
Typical home $12,000 to $22,000 or more + GST
- Exterior painting
Weatherboard, plaster and trims, in finishes made for Auckland weather.
From about $7,000 for a small house + GST
- Interior painting
Walls, ceilings and trims, from one bedroom to the whole house.
Bedrooms from about $800 + GST
Most Auckland houses need a repaint every so often, and the second coat is where a job is won or lost: it is the coat that gives the colour its depth and the timber its protection. Second Coat arranges that work across the Auckland region. Tell us about the house, and a local painter comes out, checks the surfaces and puts a fixed price in writing. Below: what a repaint involves, what it usually costs, how to choose colours that suit an Auckland street, and how to tell a good quote from a cheap one.
A typical Auckland exterior repaint costs $12,000 to $22,000 or more, and a full interior of a three-bedroom home $5,000 to $15,000 or more, going by the prices local painting businesses publish. Preparation decides how long the paint lasts. Your painter prices the real job after seeing the house.
How do you know your house is due for a repaint?
Your house is due when the paint stops protecting the timber or plaster underneath. Look for chalky paint that rubs off on your hand, cracks along the weatherboards, flaking around windows and on the sunny sides, bare timber at the board ends, and mould that comes back after a wash. One or two of these on a single wall can wait a season. Several on every side means it is time.
Signs worth checking on a walk around the house
- Chalky paint that marks your fingers
- Fine cracks running along the weatherboards
- Flaking on window sills and the north and west walls
- Bare, grey timber at board ends and joins
- Soft or spongy timber near the ground or under sills
- Mould or lichen that returns soon after a wash
- Gaps in the sealant around windows and doors
- Faded colour that looks patchy in low sun
Soft timber matters most, because rot needs repair before any paint goes on. Your painter will point out the boards that need replacing and price them in the quote. For what each part of the work involves, see house repaints in Auckland.
What does a repaint actually include?
A proper repaint is mostly preparation. The painter washes the house, scrapes and sands loose paint, repairs or replaces damaged boards, fills gaps, primes any bare timber, then applies two topcoats. Scaffolding goes up first on two-storey homes. Windows, decks and gardens are covered, and the site is cleaned up at the end.
- Look and quote. A painter checks every side of the house and prices it in writing.
- Wash and prepare. Mould off, loose paint out, repairs done, gaps filled.
- Prime bare timber. Bare wood takes a primer so the topcoats hold.
- Two topcoats. The first puts the colour on, the second gives full colour, full protection and the finish you'll look at for years.
What do house painters in Auckland charge?
Auckland house painting businesses publish exterior repaint prices of about $12,000 to $22,000 or more for a typical family home, from $7,000 for a small single-storey house, and $22,000 to $45,000 or more for large, two-storey or heritage homes. Hourly rates published by Auckland painters sit at about $40 to $60 or more, but most quote a fixed price for the whole job.
Prices usually exclude GST, so check before you compare two quotes. Scaffolding, rot repairs and lead-safe preparation are the biggest extras. The full price list, with what moves it up or down, is on house painting prices in Auckland.
Which exterior colours suit Auckland homes right now?
Neutrals lead on repaints. Resene's 2024 round-up of colours used outside lists whites, off-whites, pale greys and light taupes as the top choices for residential repaints, with dark tones more common on new builds with contemporary shapes. Heritage homes lean on traditional palettes: muted greens, classic reds, creams and pale blues.
Dark colours look sharp but need care on old painted timber, because they hold heat. Resene's CoolColour versions of dark shades reflect more of it. See modern colour trends for Auckland homes for what is popular now, or exterior colour schemes to put a scheme together for your own house.
Brick, weatherboard or plaster: does it change the job?
Yes. Weatherboard needs the most preparation: sanding, filling, priming bare wood and two topcoats. Brick is stable and mostly needs cleaning, but painting it is hard to undo, so it is a decision for the long term. Plaster and stucco need cracks repaired and a paint made for masonry. Each one is priced differently.
On houses built before the 1980s, Health New Zealand advises presuming the old paint contains lead until a test says otherwise, which changes how it is sanded and cleaned up. Painting brick and weatherboard houses covers each surface. For the inside, see interior painters in Auckland.
How long does a repaint take?
Auckland painting businesses publish estimates of about three to seven working days for the exterior of a typical home with a crew, and five to ten for a full interior. Weather sets the pace outside: no painting in rain, dew or strong wind. Large homes, lots of repairs and two storeys take longer.
FAQs
Do I need to be home while the house is painted?
Not for an exterior repaint. Most painters need access to the outside of the house, a power point and a tap, and a way to reach you during the day. For interiors you will usually move small things and valuables first, and some people stay elsewhere for a day or two when several rooms are done at once.
Is it worth painting inside and outside at the same time?
Often, yes. Doing both together can bring the overall price down compared with two separate jobs, because the painter sets up once and plans one schedule. Published Auckland prices put a combined inside and outside repaint of a typical home at about $15,000 to $30,000 or more. It also lets you choose the interior and exterior colours as one scheme.
How many coats does a repaint need?
Two topcoats is the standard for a lasting exterior repaint, with a primer on any bare timber first. One coat rarely gives full colour or full protection, especially on a colour change. Your quote should say the number of coats and the products used, so you can compare it with other quotes on the same terms.
Can a painter repaint over lead paint?
Yes, if it is done safely. Lead paint that is sound can be painted over after careful wet preparation. Dry sanding, burning and water blasting spread lead dust, so they are not used. On a house built before the 1980s, ask how the painter tests for lead and how they contain and clean up the dust.