Cost guide
Paint is the single best dollar you can spend before selling. Here's what interior and exterior painting actually costs in New Zealand in 2026, and what pushes the number around.
Most painters price off wall and surface area, not floor area. As a 2026 guide:
| Surface | Per m² | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Interior walls & ceilings | $18–$25 | Sound, well-prepped surfaces |
| Interior (with prep/detailing) | $35–$55 | Patching, high ceilings, trim & doors |
| Exterior — minimal prep | $40–$50 | Well-maintained weatherboard |
| Exterior — average | $60–$90 | Typical condition, some prep |
For a standard three-bedroom, ~150m² Auckland home:
For a pre-sale makeover we use fast-cure spray finishes — factory-grade coatings that dry in hours, sprayed through tidy low-mess setups — so we recoat the same day and keep the job moving. That's how a normal repaint folds into a four-week programme without cutting corners.
All figures are indicative ranges for Auckland in 2026 and vary with size, condition, access and finish. Always get a proper scope and quote for your home.
Interior painting runs about $18–$55/m² ($5k–$12k for a typical 3-bed home); exterior about $40–$90/m² ($7k–$15k). Prep and access — not paint — drive the price.
Common questions
Around $5,000–$12,000 for the interior and $7,000–$15,000 for the exterior of a typical 150m² Auckland home in 2026. Condition and access move the number most.
Yes. A fresh, neutral repaint is the highest-return pre-sale spend there is — it lifts how the whole home photographs and shows for a relatively small outlay.
Warm neutrals — soft whites and greige — photograph bright and let buyers picture their own furniture. Save bold colour for after you've sold.
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