Painting an apartment is a great chance to give it a makeover and make it your own.

Switching up the colour palette can do wonders for your living space and painting is a great way to achieve that. The first step is to measure the square footage of the room you intend on painting and here is when you will usually get the cost. In order to get an accurate price of labour and materials, you'll need this information and also in figuring out how much does it cost per square metre to get the final price. The more basic colours you have in your colour scheme for the paint job, the less complicated it will be to prepare and apply correctly and the less cost to paint. The painting process itself will be much more simple and quick, which can have a positive effect on cost in the house interior. Keep it simple and don't go overboard with a massive hue scheme in the paint job as the cost to paint will also go up like this. Preparation work takes time, so if you have multiple colours or intricate designs in mind, be prepared to pay an extra cost for them. On average, it will cost between $3,000 and $4,000 to completely paint a 2 bedroom apartment for house painting and not all painters will have the same rates per hour. For a quality job you can go over the average price a little but the results will be worth it. For multiple rooms, you can get a quote accordingly.

How long will it take to paint a 2 bedroom apartment?

It should take between one and two days to fully prepare and paint a 2 bedroom apartment house interior or a large apartment painting or high ceilings. For the preparation, it's important to remove everything that can be moved from the room. This will include furniture and any decor that hangs on the wall. The ceiling will also need to be painted.

You'll need to go over every surface and clean it to prepare for house painting. This allows for proper adhesion between your paint coatings which makes it more durable in the long run. Finally, you'll want to make sure there aren't any loose particles on your walls by washing and drying them before going ahead with painting.

This is a labour-intensive part of the process.

After that, it's time to paint! You can expect this to take between one and two days depending on how many coats you require to achieve your desired hue by professional painters for a small two bedroom unit apartment. If you are wondering how much does it cost, the average amount of coats required in apartments is two, with time left to dry between coats.

How do I prepare to paint my 2 bedroom apartment?

Whether you plan on painting a 2 bedroom apartment house or any other type of living space, preparing the area is always important. If done correctly, your finished result will last longer and look better than if it wasn't properly prepared.

After fully cleaning the walls, ceiling and surfaces with soap and water in the house, ensure that there aren't any particles that could cause marks in your paint coatings by wiping them down with a microfibre cloth and soapy water, especially on doors. This job is important to get good results and can determine the cost of painting.

You'll want to remove all furniture from the room and cover the floor with heavy plastic sheeting all over the house. Cover all electric sockets and switches and any other surfaces that you don't want to be painted. If you're getting a painter to do that the cost to paint a house will go up as per the job in the house.

Depending on the paint manufacturer's instructions, you may need to sand down your walls or just wash them to get rid of greasy deposits such as sap, soot and dirt and other materials in the house before the painter begins the work. If so, use a sanding machine with 180-200 grit sandpaper followed by cleaning with soap and water again.

How much do painters cost per hour?

A painter can charge between $35 and $70 per hour on average for a three bedroom house and less for a two bedroom apartment. You should expect to pay extra if the job includes preparation work such as removing furniture and moving objects from the room because that should be a fair price. All painters charge the additional work per square metre.

Painting labour costs will depend on how many walls you need to be painted by the painter in the house and whether or not they require multiple coats or just one coat to achieve the desired colour per square metres. Expect to pay the painters more for bigger rooms with multiple walls, a higher ceiling, greater design intricacies, doors, materials and ceilings. Of course, if you hire a professional painter or painting company, the costs of labour will already be figured into your quote as per their hourly rate and will be as per square metre including all the prep work.

How do painters calculate their rates?

If you are wondering much does it cost to paint, painters typically charge per hour. They will also likely make an estimate of the total number of hours it will take to complete your painting project including preparation work, materials and labour and the cost to paint will go up with the perimeter of the area they will cover. If there are designs involved like ceiling roses, the cost can again go up.

What is the best type of interior paint to use?

The most common type of interior paint is acrylic latex (water-based) paint which can be found at any hardware store to be painted. It's easy to apply and affordable yet has good coverage and adhesion properties even for doors. It dries quickly and is safe to use around children or people with sensitive skin or allergies. Latex paint can last anywhere between 6-12 months under normal conditions without peeling, flaking or chipping before you'll need to repaint again and has low cost of painting. Oil-based paints are known for their durability, glossiness and colour richness even with a single undercoat in an apartment but do require proper ventilation during application due to the strong odour they produce while drying after two finishing coats. This type of paint takes a long time to dry in the apartment. Most painters will tell you that.

How many coats of paint will I need?

The number of coats required will depend on the type of paint you'll be using and whether or not you plan to apply primer. The majority of cheaper paints require two coats, with time allowed for drying before the next coat is applied. If you're applying multiple coats to achieve your desired hue, ensure that each one is fully dry before adding another. Primers are optional but do help cover up imperfections in surfaces such as stains or damage that may appear through lighter-coloured paints above the skirting boards and show a low sheen in the finishing coats. They also improve adhesion between different layers on top of them which makes it last longer especially for exterior painting. Primers usually require 2-3 coats as well.

How do I prepare a wall for painting?

Ensure the area is clean and ready to be painted by removing dirt, dust, grease and any existing loose paint with drop cloths before applying primer if necessary over the skirting boards in both the interior and exterior or wherever the paint needed in one room or many. Remove any nails from the walls and fill holes with spackle. Sand away small bumps or uneven surfaces that will appear through your new paint coatings then wipe down with a damp cloth to remove all sanding dust. Wash the surface again then let it dry completely before you begin painting

Never underestimate preparation work when it comes to preparing a wall for painting as it can make or break the finished result. If done properly, your next step will be easier and look better.

Are you painting a heritage house? Brisbane City Council has a handy guide to the type and colour of heritage paints, but check if this applies to your local area.