Painting is the cheapest visible upgrade in a flat, and the easiest job to get wrong. Preparation is most of the work: patching, sanding and sealing decide how long the finish lasts, not the number of coats.
Full price list
All reference prices are in Hong Kong dollars (HKD).
Every price here is the published starting rate for the work shown, not a quotation. The tradesman prices the job after seeing the site, so parts, transport and access to old buildings can move the final figure.
- Room repaint (with prep) per room
- Local touch-up per patch
- Full-flat repaint per flat
- Wooden door repaint per door
- Waterproof emulsion paint per sq ft
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Common questions
Why do two painters quote so differently for the same room?
The visible part, the paint, is the smallest part of the bill. A room in good condition needs cleaning, patching and two coats, while a room with damp marks, old paint peeling or nail holes needs the surface repaired, sanded and sealed before any colour goes on. Moving the furniture, covering the floor and protecting the fittings are also part of the hours. Ask the quote to state how many coats and what preparation is included.
When a painter quotes a touch-up, how do I know it is only a patch?
A touch-up works when the damage is small and the surrounding paint is still in good condition, so the new paint can be blended into the old. It does not work where the whole wall has faded to a different shade, or where the paint has peeled because of damp. In those cases the wall needs a full coat, and a painter who quotes a patch for a damp wall has not solved the problem. Ask them to look at the whole wall, not just the mark you pointed at.
Why does the painter insist on primer and undercoat?
Primer and undercoat are what make the topcoat stick and what stop the old colour bleeding through, and they are the difference between a repaint that lasts and one that peels within a year. They also matter on surfaces common in Hong Kong flats, such as the cement rendering on an old balcony or a bathroom wall that will get wet. Ask what the painting system is, and ask for the product names on the quote if the work is in a wet area.
What about the smell and the permitted hours for painting?
Paint smell is the reason management offices set restricted hours, and many estates allow painting only on weekdays or in the middle of the day at weekends. The low-odour or water-based options take longer to dry and cost more, but they let you keep the windows open and the rooms usable. Agree the times with the management office and the neighbours before the first coat, and put protective sheets on anything that cannot be moved.
How do I check a painting job before the painter leaves?
Look at the walls in daylight near a window, because a thin coat shows up as a patch in raking light. Run your hand over the wall to feel the texture and check the edges where the wall meets the ceiling, the skirting and the window frames, since missed areas usually show there. Check the colour against the sample the painter showed you before the work started, and look for paint on the floor or the skirting that has not been cleaned.
Who owns the painted wall, and what if the paint fails early?
Paint on the walls normally belongs to the flat, so in a rented home the repainting at the end of the tenancy is usually the tenant cost, unless the tenancy agreement says otherwise. Ask for the warranty period on the work in writing and keep the paint batch or the product name, because a claim about peeling or a colour mismatch is easier to settle with that information. If the wall had damp, a repaint will not last until the damp is fixed.
Before you book
Ask for the number of coats, the preparation work and the paint system to be written into the quote, because these are what separate two prices that look far apart. Confirm the colour with a sample on a small patch of wall, and note that repainting the same wall later is easier if the same product is used. Agree the working hours with the management office and the neighbours, and check the walls in daylight before the final payment.
How the prices work
The reference figures are based on a room of average size in reasonable condition, and they are a starting level. The actual price moves with the wall area, the number of coats, how much patching and sanding the old surface needs, how demanding the finish is, such as a textured wall or a very smooth finish, and whether the furniture has to be moved or covered. A simple repaint of one room sits near the reference figure, while a full flat with heavy preparation does not.