How Much Do Commercial Painters Cost? [2024]

In any business, you want workers and customers to feel they're working in clean, bright surroundings. Commercial painters will help you achieve that goal with minimum disruption to work and passers-by.

But how much do commercial painters cost and what services do they offer? Read this guide to find out:

• What are commercial painters?
• What jobs do commercial painters do?
• How much do commercial painters cost?
• Benefits of commercial painters
• Choosing a commercial painter
• Getting quotes from commercial painters

What are commercial painters?

Commercial painting involves different skills and techniques than residential painting. Commercial painters are often required to paint high building exteriors and interiors with high ceilings. They have access to all the equipment they need to do any kind of commercial painting job.

Most commercial painters are larger companies that employ dozens of painting professionals. They can undertake large or small painting jobs and may be called on to paint several units or to work on a smaller space.

They provide painting services for all kinds of commercial premises, including privately owned businesses such as hotels, apartment buildings, restaurants, factories and offices and government premises such as schools, large office installations and railway stations.

What jobs do commercial painters do?

Commercial painters can do more than paint your walls a single colour. Other techniques and finishes these professionals provide may include:

• Electrostatic painting (ensuring 99% of paint goes on walls)
• Decorative painting
• Textured finishes
• Protective finishes

Some commercial painters also provide additional services, such as:

• Floor and roof painting
• Pressure washing dirty surfaces
• Applying render
• Applying wallpaper
• Shop fitouts

In other words, a commercial painter is who you turn to when you need painting or other help for any commercial project, whether it's a new paint job, a repaint or a maintenance job. They can often complete tasks such as concrete repair and other repair jobs before they paint.

How much do commercial painters cost?

Commercial painters charge $240 to $700 on average, depending on the job. Commercial painters may charge an hourly rate or by square metre. Expect to pay between:

• $10 to $30 per square metre 
• $45 to $60 per hour, per worker

The cost of commercial painting jobs will be affected by:

• Scale: Smaller jobs may only need one or two painters, but a big job may require more workers and special equipment, so the price will be higher.
• Type of paint: If you prefer eco friendly paint, a special finish or other specialist options, these will add to the cost.
• Working at height: If painters need to use hoists or a large crew to abseil off a large building, or other special equipment to paint a roof, they will charge accordingly.
• Working hours: Commercial painters will charge more if the painters have to work outside of normal working hours. If you own a restaurant, a boutique or other business, you may need to close the business while they work or have them work after normal business hours.

Painting isn't the only job commercial painters do. They may offer other services with associated costs, such as:

Pressure cleaning walls or floors	From $150 for 1 to 30 square metres
Applying wallpaper	$30 per square metre
Rendering walls and surfaces	$30 to $80 per square metre
Shop fitout	$800 to $2,000 per square meter

 

When a commercial painter comes to your place of business, they will discuss your project with you in detail and inspect the work that needs to be done. They can then give you a firm quote based on their previous experience.

Benefits of hiring commercial painters

Unlike general painters, commercial painters specialise in working with businesses and will make sure they understand your specific needs. With an experienced commercial painting company, you can expect:

• Jobs completed on time and on budget, around your schedule
• Business disruptions minimised as much as possible
• Professional quality paints and finishes
• Colour consultation to help you find the best options
• Safety precautions followed to protect your staff and the public

Commercial painters take all safety precautions. When they work outdoors, they make sure not to disrupt people on sidewalks or workers going in and out of offices or factories. When they work inside, they can work quickly and efficiently to ensure the job is done quickly and with minimal impact on the work environment if they are painting when workers are around.

Depending on the job, commercial painters may use abseiling equipment, hoists or other equipment to reach high areas. In some cases, a crew will work together to complete a large job that may take 3,000 hours to complete, but they can also do small jobs with smaller crews. Because they are accustomed to working in all commercial environments, they know exactly what to do to make their work safe, efficient and with as little disruption as possible.

Choosing a commercial painter

How to choose the right commercial painting company depends on the scale of the job. Some commercial painters specialise in small jobs, like restaurants and boutiques. Larger companies can be better suited to a larger project, but they can also do small jobs.

To find the right painters for your job, some things to look for include:

• A painters licence
• An Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Insurance
• Years of experience
• References
• Previous jobs you can look at

Viewing previous jobs can be important, especially if you want special finishes or a particular look. Some commercial painters specialise in wallpapering and have artists on hand to paint artistic patterns on walls. Other commercial painters specialise in larger projects and may not have an artist who can paint a mural on a wall.

If you have a large project, such as multiple offices or a large exterior painting project, a larger commercial painting company may be a good choice. They have the necessary equipment on hand and have painters who are experienced at working from heights safely. They also know how to avoid disrupting workers during normal working hours. They may need to cordon off an area, but will be sure to avoid going into areas where office or factory workers are working.

Commercial painting takes many forms and you may need to interview several companies before you find the right fit for your project. It will be worth the effort though, because you will know the painting company you choose has the expertise to do the job you need done, whether it's a large job in an office or factory or a small job in a restaurant, café or boutique.

Getting quotes from commercial painters

Every job a commercial painter does is different. The best way to find out how much commercial painters cost to do what you need is to get quotes from local companies.

Describe the project in as much detail as possible, including other jobs you may need, such as repairs, rendering or a shop fitout. If you need them to work outside of normal working hours, mention that too. Your initial quotes may not be entirely accurate, but if you provide as many details as possible, you won't be disappointed when someone comes to inspect the job and gives a firm quote.

*Costs and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.