A house repaint is the outside of your home taken back to sound paint and finished again: washed, scraped, repaired, primed where the timber is bare, then two topcoats. On a typical Auckland family home it costs about $12,000 to $22,000 or more and takes three to seven working days with a crew, going by the prices and timings local painting businesses publish. This page covers what the work involves, what makes it last, and what to ask before you choose who does it. For the wider picture, see house painters in Auckland.
What is involved in repainting the outside of a house?
Repainting the outside of a house means preparing every surface so new paint can bond, then applying a paint system that suits it. The painter washes off dirt and mould, removes loose and flaking paint, repairs damaged boards and sills, fills cracks and gaps, primes bare timber, and applies two coats of exterior paint. Most of the time goes into preparation, not painting.
Before the paint
Scaffolding on two-storey homes, a full wash, loose paint scraped and sanded back, windows, roof edges, decks and plants covered.
Repairs
Rotten boards and sills cut out and replaced, nails punched and filled, cracks and gaps sealed so water stays out.
The paint system
Primer on bare timber, then two topcoats in a finish that suits the surface: low sheen on weatherboards, gloss or semi-gloss on trims.
Why does preparation matter more than the paint?
Paint lasts only as long as the surface under it holds. New paint over chalky, flaking or dirty paint lifts with it, often within a year or two. Washing, sanding and priming give the new coats something sound to grip, and repairing rot stops water getting behind the paint. A cheaper quote usually saves time here, and the paint fails sooner.
Resene notes that the thin pre-primer on new timber is only a temporary holding coat, not part of the paint system, so new boards still need a proper primer before the topcoats. On weathered rough-sawn timber, Resene recommends its TimberLock treatment rather than sanding, then two coats of exterior paint.
For how each layer works on timber, see painting brick and weatherboard houses.
How long does an exterior repaint take?
Auckland painting businesses publish estimates of about three to seven working days for the exterior of a typical home with a crew. Large homes, lots of rot repair and two storeys push it longer. Weather sets the pace: paint needs dry surfaces, no rain soon after, and mild temperatures. Resene's ideal is about 15 to 20 degrees with a gentle breeze.
Resene's simple test is that if your washing is not drying on the line, your paint won't either. Winter repaints are possible in Auckland, but short days and dew leave fewer good hours, so the job stretches out. Spring and autumn are usually the easiest seasons to book.
What does a house repaint cost?
Published New Zealand prices put a small single-storey house of about 120 square metres at $7,000 to $12,000 or more, a typical 150 to 200 square metre family home at $12,000 to $22,000 or more, and a two-storey villa or bungalow at $15,000 to $30,000 or more. Large homes, failed paint, rot and scaffolding push it to $45,000 or more.
The biggest extras are scaffolding, which published prices put at $1,500 to $6,000 or more, and rot repair at $150 to $400 or more per board section. See house painting prices in Auckland for the full list and how to compare two quotes.
What about lead paint on an older house?
On a house built before the 1980s, Health New Zealand advises presuming the old paint contains lead until a test shows otherwise. That changes the preparation: BRANZ advises against power sanding, dry abrasive blasting, water blasting and open flames on lead paint, because they spread the dust. Wet scraping, containment and careful clean-up are used instead.
Sound lead paint can be painted over once it is prepared safely. Ask any painter how they test for lead, how they protect the ground and gardens, and how they dispose of the waste. Lead-safe preparation usually adds to the price, and a good quote says so up front.
Questions to ask before you choose a painter
- Is GST included in the price?
- What preparation is included, and what is an extra?
- Which products, and how many coats?
- How do you price rot found once the job starts?
- How do you test for and handle lead paint?
- Who covers the scaffolding, and for how long?
- What happens if it rains for a week?
- How are the payments staged?
FAQs
Is it okay to cut in one day and roll the next?
Yes, as long as the cut-in edges are fully dry and the next coat goes over them in the same conditions. Many painters cut in the edges of a wall one day and roll the walls the next. On a hot or windy day, edges dry fast and can show as lines, so painters work in sections and keep a wet edge.
Should I get the roof painted at the same time?
If the roof is due, doing it at the same time can save on scaffolding, because the same scaffold serves both jobs. Roof painting is a separate trade with its own preparation and coatings, so it is quoted separately. Ask whether the quote covers the roof, the gutters and the fascias, or only the walls and trims.
Do I need council consent to repaint my house?
A like-for-like repaint does not usually need building consent. Some Auckland streets have heritage controls or special character rules that can affect colour changes or work on the outside of a house. Auckland Council has an online check for heritage controls on a property, so look your address up before you change the colour scheme.
What colour should I choose for a repaint?
Most Auckland repaints go with whites, off-whites, pale greys or light taupes, which suit most streets and reflect heat. Darker colours work on modern homes but need care on old timber. Try testpots on two sides of the house before you decide. See modern colour trends for Auckland homes for what is popular now.