Painting Labour Rates by Region: 2026 Benchmark Guide
Loaded painting labour cost rates in 2026 sit at AUD $42–60/hr in Australia, USD $30–55/hr in the United States, GBP £18–30/hr in the United Kingdom, NZD $32–46/hr in New Zealand, and CAD $30–45/hr in Canada. These are loaded cost rates — what a painter actually costs per productive hour, including statutory on-costs, leave, and allowances. Sell rates run roughly 1.6–2× cost rates depending on target margin.
Labour rate benchmarks by region
Ranges cover employee painters (incl. on-costs). Solo subcontractors run lower. Build your exact rate with the free Labour Cost Calculator.
The numbers below come from Surfacely's industry benchmarks (validated 2026-Q1) and reflect what painting businesses actually charge after on-costs are loaded. A painter who pays a tradesperson AUD $35/hr gross typically runs a loaded cost rate of about $50/hr after super, workers' comp, leave, and allowances are factored in.
| Region | Currency | Cost rate range (loaded) | Default benchmark | Sell rate range (45% margin) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | AUD/hr | $42 – $60 | $50 | $76 – $109 |
| United States | USD/hr | $30 – $55 | $45 | $55 – $100 |
| United Kingdom | GBP/hr | £18 – £30 | £22 | £32 – £55 |
| New Zealand | NZD/hr | $32 – $46 | $40 | $58 – $84 |
| Canada | CAD/hr | $30 – $45 | $35 | $54 – $82 |
The benchmarks vary widely within each country — California, London, Sydney, Auckland, Vancouver and Toronto all run 15–30% above their national averages. Use the regional range as a sanity check; build your own loaded cost rate from first principles.
Cost rate vs sell rate — why they're different
Cost rate is what the painter costs the business for one hour of productive work. Sell rate is what the business charges the client for that hour. The two are linked by the cost-plus formula: sell rate = cost rate ÷ (1 − margin%).
At AUD $50/hr cost and a 45% target margin, the sell rate is $50 ÷ 0.55 = $90.91/hr. At a 35% target margin, the same cost produces $50 ÷ 0.65 = $76.92/hr. The cost rate doesn't change — only the margin does.
Surfacely never stores sell rates. They're always derived from cost + margin. This means: if the painter's gross wages go up next year, you change the cost rate once and every quote in the system automatically charges enough to maintain margin.
What drives rate variation within a region
- Commercial vs residential. Commercial work typically pays 10–20% more per hour due to insurance requirements, after-hours scheduling, and tighter compliance documentation.
- Job complexity. Heritage restoration commands a premium. Repetitive new-build spray work runs at lower rates due to the speed step (Step 7–8 vs Step 4).
- Region. Metro vs regional vs remote. Metro rates carry the cost of CBD parking, traffic, and higher staff turnover.
- Crew composition. A leading-hand-led job (one foreperson + two apprentices) blends to a lower cost rate than three full tradespeople.
- After-hours. Work outside normal hours runs at a multiplier (typically 1.5× or 2×) on both cost and sell, preserving margin %.
After-hours and penalty rates
Surfacely supports an after-hours split on labour. The painter sets a percentage of the job that's after-hours (say 30%) and a multiplier on those hours (typically 1.5× for evening work, 2× for weekend, 2.5× for public holidays). Both the cost and the sell scale by the same factor, so the painter's margin is preserved automatically — the client just sees a higher line total reflecting the premium hours.
Take a 40-hour job with 30% of the work done after-hours at a 1.5× rate. The total cost goes up by 15%. The total sell goes up by 15%. The gross margin stays exactly where it was — 45% in this example. The painter pays the crew the night rate and the client pays for the night rate, with no margin leak in between.
How to set your own cost rate (loaded)
The loaded cost rate captures everything it costs to have a painter productive on the job for one hour. The Surfacely free Labour Cost Calculator builds it from your numbers automatically, using locale-specific defaults. The basic shape: annual cost (gross wages plus statutory on-costs plus leave loading) divided by productive hours (working hours minus paid leave hours minus training hours).
Australian on-cost percentages: 12% super (2025–26 rate) + 5% workers' comp (NSW painting class average) + leave loading at 17.5% on annual leave. Time off: 20 days annual + 10 days personal/carer's + 11 public holidays + 5 training days. The calculator's default Australian inputs produce a loaded multiplier of roughly 1.45× the gross hourly wage — a $35/hr tradesperson actually costs the business around $50/hr by the time everything is loaded in.
UK painters use 15% employer NI (Class 1 secondary, from April 2025) + 3% auto-enrolment pension. Time off is 28 days statutory leave (which already includes bank holidays) + 5 SSP-eligible sick days. The UK loaded multiplier is typically 1.38×.
US painters factor 7.65% FICA + state SUTA (varies wildly, 1–6%) + workers' comp at 10% (painting is a high-risk class). 2 weeks PTO + 8 federal holidays. The US loaded multiplier is typically 1.35×.
NZ painters factor 3% KiwiSaver + 1.5% ACC levy. 4 weeks annual leave + 10 sick days + 11 public holidays. Loaded multiplier 1.25×.
Canada factors 5.95% CPP + 2.32% EI + provincial WSIB (rate group 728 painting ≈ 5%). 2 weeks ESA minimum + 9 federal holidays. Loaded multiplier 1.28×.
Subcontractor rates
Subcontracting structurally differs. The subbie invoices the painter — there's no employer-side statutory load, no paid leave, no training time on the head contractor's books. Surfacely's quick-mode multiplier for subcontractors is 1.00× (i.e. invoice rate = cost rate). The painter still adds margin on top of the invoiced rate, but doesn't apply a labour-load multiplier on the way in.
Related guides
FAQ
How much do painters charge per hour in Australia?
Loaded cost rates AUD $42–60/hr (benchmark default $50). Sell rates AUD $72–110/hr. Higher in metro NSW, VIC, ACT.
How much do painters charge per hour in the US?
Loaded cost rates USD $30–55/hr (benchmark default $45). Sell rates USD $55–100/hr. Significant state variation — California higher than the Midwest.
What is the difference between a painter's cost rate and sell rate?
Cost rate is what the painter costs per productive hour, fully loaded. Sell rate is what you charge the client. Sell = cost ÷ (1 − margin%). Surfacely never stores sell rates.
How do I set my painting labour rate?
Build it bottom-up: gross wage + statutory on-costs + leave + training. Divide annual cost by productive hours. Result is the loaded cost rate. The Surfacely labour cost calculator does this automatically.
Do Australian painters charge GST?
Yes if GST-registered (turnover above AUD $75,000). 10% on top of ex-GST sell price.
What is a foreperson's rate for painting in the UK?
Loaded cost rate GBP £25–32/hr. Sell rate GBP £45–58/hr at 45% margin. London and South East 15–25% above regional average.