Should you hire a painter, or do it yourself?

To give your home a lift or seasonal refresh, the best option is usually a fresh coat of paint. However, should you fork out money for a professional painter to get the job done, or have a go at doing it yourself? Here, we explore the advantages of hiring an expert.

Advantages of hiring a professional painter

1. Experience

Professional painters have years of experience in the trade meaning that they know everything from how many tins of paint it will take to paint a room depending on its size, how many coats of paint are needed, and if any special measures are needed to prepare a surface for painting.

2. The right equipment

Chances are you won’t have an array of paint brushes, rollers and drop sheets at home. Through hiring a professional home painter you won’t need to waste money and storage space on painting equipment you’ll seldom use.

3. Health & safety

Don’t neglect the idea of safety when painting, especially if your painting job involves heights, ceilings and hard to reach areas. Professional painters have the right type of ladders and harness equipment to paint difficult to reach walls in the home. Painting also involves using chemicals such as solvents to clean up any spillages or paint runs, which can be very dangerous if they make contact with skin or are inhaled.

4. Perfect finish

You may think that the do-it-yourself approach to painting is worth the cost savings of hiring a professional. However commercial painters and home painters are trained perfectionists who will ensure that the job is completed to the highest of standards. It’s certainly worth spending the extra money to achieve a quality finish for your home or business. Professional decorators also know which are the best paint brands and finishes for each type of job, whether you want a matt, gloss, satin or eggshell finish your painter will be able to source the best quality product to achieve the desired look.

Q&A with a professional painter

We spoke to professional painter Hass from DHY Painting And Decorating, based in Mill Park Victoria, to find out more about Australian home painting trends, the most requested painting jobs, popular paint colours and what the best thing is about being a professional painter.

How long have you been painting and decorating for?

Painting is a family trade, my father is a painter, and my great uncle was a painter. I was exposed to painting from a very young age. Every school holiday during high school, I was out with my father and uncle acting as their apprentice.

What are your most requested painting jobs?

My most requested work would be repainting for landlords refreshing their property to release. But we don’t stop there, DHY Painting complete paint jobs for many new homes, repainting for family homes, office repaints, and many other special projects.

What is the most popular colour Australian home owners are painting their walls?

It would definitely be “White on White”.

What sort of paint is best to use for painting exterior walls and fences?

My go-to paint for exterior walls and fences would have to be Taubmans Endure Exterior, or Taubmans All Weather.

What’s the largest paint job you’ve completed?

The largest commercial paint job I’ve ever completed was painting part of the Chadstone Shopping Centre extension, Australia’s largest major shopping centres. The largest domestic paint job I’ve completed was a 100 square metre home in Eden Park, Melbourne.

What colours do you recommend using when painting your home to be sold?

White! A blank canvas is the most appealing to home buyers.

How many days does it usually take you to complete a paint job?

It usually takes me around 2 days to repaint a 2 bedroom unit. A 3 bedroom home can take 3-5 days to repaint.

What is your favourite part of your job?

My favourite part of the job of being a professional painter would definitely have to be handover time. It is such a good feeling, seeing the excitement on my clients face when we transform their property and give it a new lease of life!