The "Price Gap" Exposed: Why One Painting Quote is $4k and Another is $10k

The Most Frustrating Part of Shopping Around

You’ve finally decided to refresh your home. You call three professional painters in Melbourne, and the quotes come back. Your jaw drops. One guy says he can do it for $4,500. Another says $11,000. It’s the same house and the same number of rooms, so what gives?

At Athans Painting, we believe in "Total Transparency." If you’re currently looking at three vastly different quotes, here is exactly what is happening behind the scenes and why the "cheap" option is often the most expensive mistake a Melbourne homeowner can make.

The "Invisible" Labour: Prep vs. Slapping Paint

In a professional paint job, 80% of the work happens before the lid of the paint tin is even opened.

• The Cheap Quote: This painter is likely planning to "scuff and spray." They’ll fill the obvious holes, but they won't sand the walls back to a level finish, and they definitely won't "rake out" and mesh-tape the cracks in your plaster.

  
  

• The Professional: We spend days on the "Canvas." We use dustless sanding to ensure your walls are mirror-smooth. We treat every crack like a structural repair, so it doesn't reappear three months after we leave. You aren't paying for the paint; you’re paying for the prep.

Materials: Trade-Grade vs. Premium-Grade

There is a massive difference between the "Contractor Grade" paint used in cheap new-builds and the "Premium" paint used in high-end residential work.

• The Cheap Guy: Uses a high-filler, low-pigment paint. It looks okay for a year, but the moment you try to wipe a scuff mark off the wall, the paint comes off with it.

  
  

• The Professional: We exclusively use Dulux Wash&Wear or Taubmans Endure. These are "scrubbable" coatings designed for the chaos of a family home. They stay vibrant for 10+ years because the chemical "binder" is significantly stronger.

The Number of Coats (The "Self-Priming" Myth)

You might see quotes that mention "Two Coats Total."

• The Reality: If you are changing colours or painting fresh plaster, you must have a dedicated sealer/primer followed by two full topcoats.

  
  

• The Shortcut: Budget painters often skip the primer, claiming modern paint is "Self-Priming." In the Melbourne climate, with our humidity shifts, this leads to "delamination" (the paint peeling off in sheets). Always ensure your quote specifies 3 Coats (1 Prime + 2 Top).

Insurance and "WorkCover" Peace of Mind

This is the boring stuff that matters when things go wrong. A "cheap" painter is often a solo operator with no Public Liability Insurance. If they spill a 10L tin of charcoal paint on your $20,000 carpets and they aren't insured, you are the one who pays. Athans Painting is fully insured and compliant, meaning the risk stays with us, not you.