Exterior house painting in Auckland usually costs $5,000 to $15,000 for a single-storey home and more for two storeys, villas and houses that need a lot of repair, going by the published prices of local painting businesses. What you pay for is mostly preparation: washing, scraping, sanding, replacing rotten boards and priming bare timber, before two topcoats go on. Done well, an exterior repaint protects the timber from Auckland's weather for years. For the whole house, see house painting in Auckland.
How much does it cost to paint a weatherboard house in NZ?
Auckland painting businesses publish prices of about $5,000 to $9,000 for a single-storey weatherboard house in reasonable condition, and $7,000 to $14,000 for a two-storey villa or bungalow. Larger homes, poor paint, rot repairs and scaffolding push the price up. Published rates work out at roughly $28 to $70 per square metre of wall, depending on the condition of the boards.
| House | Published Auckland price range |
|---|---|
| Single-storey weatherboard | $5,000 to $9,000 |
| Two-storey weatherboard villa or bungalow | $7,000 to $14,000 |
| 150 square metre, three-bedroom home | $7,000 to $15,500 |
| 250 square metre, two-storey home | $12,000 to $25,000 |
| Scaffolding, two storeys | $800 to $5,000 extra |
| Rot repair | $150 to $400 per board section |
These are ranges only, and the businesses' figures differ. The painter quotes the real price after seeing the house. The house painting cost page has more detail.
Can you paint over old exterior paint?
Yes, if the old paint is sound, clean and well stuck to the surface. Wash it, sand it lightly so the new paint grips, spot-prime any bare timber, and apply two topcoats. Paint that is flaking, blistering or chalky has to be scraped back first, or the new paint fails with it. On heritage homes, check for lead before anyone scrapes or sands.
Signs the old paint needs more than a wash and two coats:
- Paint lifting or peeling in sheets
- Bare grey timber showing through
- A powdery chalk that comes off on your hand
- Soft or rotten boards, especially under windows and at the bottom of walls
Health New Zealand advises presuming that any building from the 1980s or earlier has lead-based paint somewhere in its layers. That changes how it is removed. See lead paint on heritage homes and how to test for lead paint.
When should you not paint the outside of your house?
Don't paint in rain, when rain is due before the paint dries, in strong direct sun or in high wind. Resene's ideal conditions are about 15 to 20 degrees with a gentle breeze. Its rule of thumb: if washing on the line is not drying, the paint won't either. In summer, painters work around the house ahead of the sun so each wall is painted in shade.
Spring and autumn are often the easiest seasons, because the days are mild. Painters work through summer too, starting on the shady side. In winter, short days and dew mean fewer good painting hours, so jobs take longer.
Can you paint a house a dark colour in Auckland?
You can, but dark colours absorb more of the sun's heat, which can make timber move and shorten the life of the paint. Resene recommends care with dark colours on old previously painted timber and in exposed spots, and its CoolColour range reflects more heat in dark shades. Many cladding makers limit how dark you can go, so check with them before you choose.
Light reflectance value, or LRV, tells you how much light a colour reflects. Resene points out that LRV only describes how a colour looks, not how hot it gets, which is why CoolColour versions of dark shades can be accepted where a standard dark colour is not. Your painter or the cladding supplier can tell you the limit for your house. For ideas, see exterior house colour schemes.
What finish should you use on the outside of a house?
Weatherboards are usually painted in a low sheen or matt exterior acrylic, such as Resene Lumbersider, which hides small marks in the timber. Window frames, doors and trims are often done in a semi-gloss or gloss finish, which is tougher and easier to clean. Brick and plaster need a masonry paint made for that surface. Ask your painter for the full paint system, product by product.
A typical system on painted timber in good condition:
- Wash off dirt, salt and mould, and let it dry.
- Scrape and sand loose paint back to a firm edge.
- Spot-prime bare timber with a wood primer, then fill nail holes and cracks.
- Two topcoats of exterior paint.
On new timber, Resene notes that the pre-primer it comes with is only a temporary holding coat and should not be counted as part of the system.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to paint the outside of a house?
Auckland painting businesses publish estimates of about three to seven working days for the exterior of a typical home, not counting weather delays. Large houses, two storeys, lots of repairs or lead-safe preparation take longer. Ask for a start date and an expected finish in the quote, and how the painter handles rain days.
Does exterior painting include the roof?
Usually not. Roof painting is normally a separate job, often done by a roof painting specialist with its own access and safety equipment. An exterior quote usually covers the cladding, windows, doors, trims, fascias, barge boards and often the gutters and downpipes. Check the quote lists each part, so nothing is left out.
What should I ask before I hire an exterior painter?
Ask for a written quote listing the washing, preparation, repairs, primer, products, number of coats, scaffolding and clean-up. Ask how they protect your garden and windows, how they deal with rot they find, and how they handle lead paint on heritage homes. Check whether GST is included and how payments are staged.