Measure paintable walls and ceilings, not only floor area
- Do not rely only on floor area: paintable walls, ceilings and substrate condition drive the job.
- In the BricoDato example with 80 m² of paintable surface, standard finish and a partly furnished home, the reference is about €1,200 with an indicative range of roughly €1,000–€1,530.
- Skimming walls, repairs, strong colour changes and occupied rooms can raise the cost substantially.
What really changes the price
A painting quote is not accurately calculated from apartment floor area alone. The contractor paints walls and ceilings, and two apartments with the same floor size can have very different layouts, heights and openings.
Wall condition, repairs, furniture protection, colour changes, number of coats and paint grade also matter.
An indicative BricoDato example
With 60 m² of walls + 20 m² of ceilings, standard paint, light preparation and some furniture, the estimator gives a usual reference close to €1,200. With job uncertainty and a 10% contingency at the high end, the indicative range is approximately €1,000–€1,530, using 21% VAT in the example.
What a painting quote should include
- Protection for floors, furniture, doors and fittings.
- Minor crack and defect preparation.
- Paint brand, range and finish.
- Expected number of coats.
- Ceilings and special areas clearly listed.
- Final cleaning and removal of protection.
Textured-wall removal, damp, persistent stains or damaged plaster should be separate line items.
How to reduce cost without cutting the wrong things
Partly clearing rooms, using one colour and solving damp problems beforehand can simplify the job. Cutting necessary preparation is usually false economy: paint over dust, wet filler or active damp often leads to repainting.
How to compare quotes properly
Check that both quotes cover the same area, ceilings, repairs, paint quality, number of coats and protection. A cheaper quote may simply include less work.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to paint an apartment?
It depends on area, preparation, coats and whether the home is occupied. Repairs or skimming can extend the job considerably.
Should I buy the paint myself?
It can work if the exact product and quantity are agreed, but responsibility for shortages, batches and compatibility should be clear.
Does a painting price include fixing damp?
It should not be assumed. The cause of damp must be diagnosed and solved before painting; that is a separate task.
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Build an apartment painting budget line by line
An apartment's floor area is not its paintable wall area. Labour, repair of old coatings, access, ceilings, openings and the chosen paint system can change a quote more than a simple square-metre shortcut.
Example to adapt
For an illustrative 70 m² flat, do not multiply 70 by a generic painting rate and call it a full budget. Instead, measure walls and ceilings by room and separate preparation, primer, finish coats and protection. If wall and ceiling areas total 230 m² for two coats, a contractor still needs to specify what preparation and materials are included.
| Quote line | Clarify | Typical omission |
|---|---|---|
| Surface preparation | Fill, sand, repair, clean | Unpriced wall damage |
| Paint system | Primer, coats, product reference | Cheaper coating substituted |
| Finishing and protection | Masking, moving, cleanup | Additional labour after work |
Checks before acting
- Ask contractors to quote the same measured surfaces and scope.
- List rooms and ceilings separately when finishes or conditions differ.
- Confirm VAT treatment, paint brand/gamma and payment schedule in writing.
- Agree how unforeseen substrate repairs are authorised before extra work.
Keep a useful record: Keep room measurements, preparation tasks, coats, material references, inclusions and quote dates.