Hourly rates can be deceiving. When you ask different painters what they charge per hour, you will be shocked because you will get different hourly rates.  But how much do painters charge? Here is what you should know about the actual prices of painters.

Why are hourly rates deceiving?

The hourly rates for interior work maybe $18 to 40 per hour, but it may be more for exterior work. Most painters don’t advertise their hourly rates because they concentrate on the quality of work they offer.

They prefer to calculate their rates based on their job demands. Their budget is inclusive of clean-up, set-up and travel expenses.  A single job may need ceiling trim, another one architraves and another one may require a particular brand of paint.

Another job may need a fresh coat of paint on the interior wall. This job can take a half a day, but painters can make it to another job that day. They may have to increase their charges to get decent wages.

Industry sources claim that if the hourly rate of a painter is less than $35 per hour, they make less money than that of an employee. If you are a client in need of the best deal, you may not mind this, but if you take a close look at it, you will see the results of choosing the most inexpensive hourly rate.

The painter may slow down his working pace in order to earn more net profit. You might pay them more than what you would have paid a painter who charges more hourly rate but offers high-quality services.

• The painter might not be skilled like the one who is more expensive. An experienced painter knows that it is not possible to make a living wage at a low hourly rate.
• The painter lacks good reputation of offering top-notch work and therefore competes on price.

A painter who charges a cheap hourly rate will offer poor quality services at a low cost but how can you predict this?

You need to ask more about their experience in this business in your area, and they should give you references so that you can contact them and confirm.

They should also have a licence needed in your state and insurance. Professional painters carry their insurance yet amateurs don’t.

How can you get the right quotes from painters?

These days most people get painters quotes online. There are many advantages of getting quotes this way.

However, you may not get the right quote based on hourly rates or per metre. Give details about the job to get the correct quotes.

Details for interior painters

• Number of rooms to be painted and their size
• The ceiling board height
• The state of the surfaces that need paint
• Number of doors, architraves, and windows that need painting
• Other considerations such as special treatments and multiple colours

Details for exterior painters

• The type of material that is going to be painted ( is it timber, brick or other cladding?)
• The terrain they are going to work on.( Is it level, steep or slopped?)
• Do you need your fascias painted?
• Is it a two story or a single story building?

Even though the painters may have more questions, you need to provide as many details as possible. This will help you to get accurate quotes and make an informed decision with confidence.

You should note that this article contains indicative costs that can be used only as a guide. Prices vary depending on the market forces.

Looking for a painter in your neighbourhood to help with a home project? Simply list your job on Bricks+Agent, a convenient community hub to connect homeowners with local professionals. Register today for free and get the home help you need. 

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