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Painter Charges in Sri Lanka (2026)
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Hourly Rates
Project Costs
Indicative 2026 rates for Colombo and the suburbs, based on Snapwerks quotes and published Sri Lankan market data. Outstation districts usually run 10-20% lower on labour. Expect the top of each range during the Avurudu rush in March and April and at the start of the monsoon. Always get the scope and the price in writing before work starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much does house painting cost per square foot in Sri Lanka?
Interior emulsion costs roughly Rs 70 to Rs 140 per square foot of wall area including paint, or Rs 25 to Rs 55 per square foot for labour only. Exterior weather-guard coatings run Rs 90 to Rs 190 per square foot. Measure wall area, not floor area: a room is usually two and a half to three times its floor area in wall.
2. What does it cost to repaint a three-bedroom house?
A full interior repaint of a three-bedroom house costs about Rs 120,000 to Rs 320,000 in 2026, depending on wall area, how much putty and crack filling is needed, and the paint grade. Within a new build, painting accounts for roughly Rs 400 to Rs 800 per square foot of floor area.
3. How much does a painter charge per day in Sri Lanka?
A painter (painting bass) charges Rs 4,500 to Rs 7,000 per day in Colombo and the suburbs, and a helper Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per day. Day rates suit small or patchy work; for a whole house, a per-square-foot quote is almost always cheaper and easier to compare.
4. When is the best time to paint a house in Sri Lanka?
Aim for the drier spells between monsoons, and avoid starting exterior work as the southwest monsoon opens in May. January to March and July to September are the usual windows in the west and south. Painters are busiest and dearest in the four to six weeks before Avurudu in April, so book ahead if you want that date.
5. Does the painter price include the paint?
Not always, and this is where quotes stop being comparable. Ask explicitly whether the rate is labour only, or labour plus paint, and which brand, grade and number of coats. Also confirm whether putty, sanding, crack filling and scaffolding are inside the price or billed on top.
6. How do I calculate the wall area for a painting quote?
Multiply the perimeter of each room by the wall height, then deduct doors and windows. A 12 by 12 foot bedroom with a 10 foot ceiling has a 48 foot perimeter, so about 480 square feet of wall, or roughly 445 square feet once a door and a window come off. As a check, interior wall area is usually two and a half to three times the floor area. Ceilings are measured separately and are roughly equal to the floor area.
7. How much of the painting cost is paint and how much is labour?
On interiors, paint is the smaller share. Premium interior emulsion sells at roughly Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,200 per litre and covers 190 to 220 square feet per coat, which is about Rs 11 to Rs 13 per square foot for two coats, against Rs 25 to Rs 55 per square foot of labour. Exterior weather-guard paint costs around Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,300 per litre and covers only 110 square feet per coat, so the paint alone is roughly Rs 40 per square foot. That is why exterior rates sit above interior ones.
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