A common question that comes up, is whether or not commercial painting is more expensive than residential. Whether you are planning to repaint your home, or renovate your office, this is an important question to consider. Nobody wants to get ripped off, right?
On the whole, commercial painting is more expensive. But that isn’t necessarily because commercial painters charge more per the hour. It is because there tends to be much more involved with a commercial painting project. It all depends on the size and scale of the job in question.
So, if you have a large house with multiple storey’s and bedrooms, then compared to a 60m2 office space, in that case a residential painting gig is going to cost more. However, if you have a large office building and require the entirety repainting, compared to a 2-bedroom flat, then the final costs are going to be very different.
In this article, we are going to look at the going rate for commercial painting, and the differences between painting the interior and exterior of a commercial building, and whether or not the overall cost is affected.
Please note that these figures are not entirely accurate as there are many factors that may influence market price and the going rate that a commercial painting company may quote you. We have tried to keep the figures as true to life as possible with a fair amount of research. However, these figures are intended to give you an idea as to which is more expensive (commercial and residential), as opposed to providing you with a perfectly accurate quotation.
Further to that, each project is unique and will be priced accordingly. Your commercial project might be much larger and complex, with certain factors that could either drive up or reduce your total costs. In any case, read on to find out more about commercial painting vs residential painting.
What is the going rate for commercial painting?
On average, commercial painters in Australia charge between $40 and $60 per hour per worker on average. This is incredibly close to the prices that residential painters charge. So, why are they so similar?
It is largely because the work remains the same. The same concepts, the same level of detail, the same effort goes into both commercial painting and residential painting. The difference is that commercial projects tend to be larger, more complicated, and with plenty of preparation work involved.
Residential gigs on the other hand, tend to be smaller and faster to complete. So, this is reflected in the total cost calculated at the end of the project, including any and all prep work in between.
It is also important to remember that your geographical location may affect the overall cost that a commercial painter quotes you. For example, a commercial painting contractor in Brisbane, may charge differently to one in Perth. Thus, you should be careful to do as much research as possible and shop around a bit before rushing in with the first company that you come across, or rather, assuming that it is a one-price-fits-all across the board. In any case, the commercial painting cost is likely to be higher than residential.
what is the interior commercial painting cost?
On average, commercial painters charge around $2-$6 per square foot, and up to $60-$100 per hour. As briefly touched on above, there are certain factors which will impact how much you pay to paint a commercial building, including its size, labour costs, material costs, and more.
Interior commercial painting is cheaper per square foot. There isn’t a huge difference between the two, but you will certainly end up paying more for commercial exterior painting.
what is the exterior commercial painting cost?
For the exterior of a commercial building, commercial painters charge around $4 to $8 per square foot. This is marginally higher than interior costs due to the danger factor involved. Painting the interior of a building is enclosed keeping the contractor safe from the elements. In most cases, an office interior should have relatively low ceilings, so the use of a latter may not be necessary. Even if it is, it will be a safe enough distance from the ground.
However, exterior commercial painting comes with a number of dangers that must be taken into consideration. For one thing, a commercial office building can span a large number of storeys. In which case, alternative methods will be required to safely and effectively paint the entirety of the commercial building’s exterior. Whether that be a cherry-picker or “elevated work platform”, a large ladder, scaffolding, or any of the other methods used, there is still an element of danger. Further to that, painters will have to work out in the elements, whether it be a blistering hot day, or cold and windy.
Thus, the cost of exterior commercial painting is reflected appropriately, with a slight increase in cost per square footage.
Conclusion
For the most part, commercial painting is more expensive than residential, but not by a country mile. There are slight adjustments depending on the nature of the job, the size of the project in question, and the overall complexity involved.
Your best bet at this stage if you require a commercial painter to assist you, is to go shopping for quotes. Find a reputable painting company like Platinum 3 Painting, and start asking for quotes for your commercial project, and then go from there.
