A whole property
Budgeting for painting a whole house.
A whole-house project combines several different jobs — interiors, exteriors, joinery and metalwork — each with its own specification. Understanding it as one number hides where the money actually goes.
Reviewed 6 September 2026.
At a glance
How is a whole-house painting quotation built?
As several specifications rather than one. Interiors, exterior elevations, wood and metal each need their own preparation and products, and each is measured and priced separately. They are then sequenced into a single schedule so the property is disrupted once rather than repeatedly.
Measured separately, sequenced together
Interior wall and ceiling area, exterior elevation area, and the running length or unit count of joinery and metalwork are all measured on their own terms. Combining them into one rate would hide the fact that a gate and a bedroom wall have almost nothing in common.
In order of impact
What moves the number.
Listed largest first. If a quotation is silent on the ones near the top, that silence is itself the answer.
Total measured area across all surface types
The base quantity, but only meaningful once split by surface.
How much of the property needs deep preparation
Older houses vary enormously here, and it is the largest single variable.
Exterior access
The number of storeys and the equipment needed to reach each elevation.
Range of finishes specified
Emulsion, exterior system, wood finish and anti-rust are four different material streams.
Occupancy during the work
Living in the house lengthens the schedule and adds daily protection and reinstatement.
Sequencing and total duration
A tightly constrained handover date costs more to resource than a flexible one.
Method
How we build the quotation.
There are no figures here because none has been approved for publication. What follows is the sequence, so you can check anyone's quotation against it.
- Whole-property survey covering interiors, every elevation, joinery and metalwork.
- Each surface type measured and specified separately.
- Preparation priced per surface rather than averaged across the house.
- Access equipment identified and costed for the exterior phases.
- The phases sequenced into one schedule, exterior work placed in dry windows.
- Exclusions listed: structural, civil, plumbing, electrical, roof waterproofing.
House Painting Cost — your questions.
Should interiors and exteriors be done together?
Usually yes. One mobilisation, one supervisor and one disruption rather than two. The exception is where exterior work has to wait for dry weather and you need the interiors finished sooner.
Can we phase the work over time to spread the cost?
You can, and many people do. Be aware you pay setup and access costs more than once, and matching a colour later can be imperfect. We will tell you which phases naturally split well.
Does the age of the house change the cost much?
More than almost anything else. An older property is likelier to have failing coatings, hollow plaster and movement cracks, and all of those are preparation. That is why we inspect before quoting.
A measured quotation costs nothing.
We measure the property, assess the surfaces and issue an itemised quotation you can hold us to. There is no charge and no obligation.
- We call you back the same day to get a picture of the property and the surfaces.
- We agree a time and come out for the free inspection.
- You get the written scope and itemised quotation.
- Nothing starts until you approve it.