A fresh coat of paint can transform your home and boost its appeal to potential buyers. It’s also one of the most cost-effective ways to enhance your property’s appearance, giving it a clean, updated, and well-maintained look.

Beyond aesthetics, it can also even protect surfaces from wear and tear, adding value and helping your home stand out in a competitive market. So how do you know if you need to repaint before listing your home?

The first thing you should do is talk to your agent but Renovation Expert Jen Jones says there is likely to be a few indicators that it could be time to give your property a freshen up.

“It depends on a few things. To start with, how long ago it was painted because if it’s white it can discolour over time. You need to look at the quality especially with an old character home because if it was painted five years ago, it potentially could be cracked.”

“The other thing is that if it's full of bold colours then people can struggle to visualise themselves in it. So, taking it to a neutral colour that brings in a little bit of warmth and neutrality can be good to attract buyers.”

As a starting point Jones suggests the first thing you should do is give the walls and the skirtings a good clean.

“Sometimes you can get a great outcome just from cleaning the walls, particularly in those character homes.”

“If you pull out furniture there’s probably cobwebs and mould in the corners and on the skirting boards, so taking a cloth or even a mop and mopping the walls can be enough to give it a refresh.”

But even after a clean if you find the walls need a bit of love, what’s the best way to go about it?

DON’T FORGET THE EXTERIOR

Jones says before you get to work on the interior of your house, she believes it’s important not to overlook the exterior too.

“If you’re going to invest money, you'd probably be better off looking at the exterior first. Most buyers will think that they're capable of picking up a paintbrush and painting the interior, but it's a whole different kettle of fish doing an exterior.”

“In the first instance I'd start with a house wash, which could be all you need on the outside.”

The roof is also a key element in preparing the exterior for sale.

“If a roof looks a bit aged, but it's still got a few years of mileage left in it, giving it an acid wash and painting it can be a really sound investment.”

“The things that people will look at are the things that are going to cost them a lot of money.

These are things like a roof replacement, a re-pile or a re-clad.”

ONE ROOM AT A TIME

If your exterior is still looking fresh but your interior needs a little bit of attention, Jones says using professionals for a full internal repaint can cost up to $20,000 depending on the size of the house. However, she says focusing on specific areas can be a great way to save on time and budget.

“That could be somewhere like the bathroom, if it's particularly damp, cracked, flaking and aged. Or if it’s a bedroom that's got a feature wall and you want to make it more neutral.”

You can also simplify the job by targeting parts of the wall too.

“Sometimes you can just paint the skirting boards and the window frames, because that can actually really elevate the space alone.”

“If the walls are fine, it’s just about focusing on painting over any bold colours or wallpaper, unless it's an arts and crafts house, and that's what people are looking for.”

WHAT COLOURS SHOULD I CHOOSE?

When it comes to picking the right colour for a room Jones believes it’s important to consider the room’s orientation and light.

“You always want to counter what you're getting. So, on the northern side of your house, you've generally got beautiful sunlight, so you’ll want to balance that with a cooler white.”

“But then on the southern side of your house, you’ll want to use a warmer white to bring a little bit of warmth to the space.”

Jones says painting swatches on the wall often isn’t the best way to get an indication of how a colour will settle in a space.

“The best thing to do is paint it onto a big bit of card and put it by the window and see what it looks like by the window at all times of the day.”

The room’s use will also have a lot of influence on colour and tone too.

“You might want something a little bit more muted in an adult’s bedroom, because you want it to be more ambient when you go to wind down. You don't necessarily want a primary colour.”

“But in an office or a bathroom, maybe you want it to be a nice bright white because there's less natural light, or you're doing lots of calls and you want a lighter background.”

As for bold colours, Jones says the only place that may be suitable for any bold colours would be a child’s bedroom.

“But in any common areas, it’s important to keep that relatively neutral so potential buyers can visualise themselves in the space.”

DOES THE TYPE OF PAINT MATTER?

Depending on what the space is used for Jones says it’s also important to consider the type of paint.

“You’ll want to use a semi-gloss enamel in a bathroom, kitchen and on the skirting boards because it's going to be easier to clean and it's going to withstand the demands of those spaces much better.”

“You can use a different type of paint on the walls, because it doesn't need to be as hard wearing. You probably don’t want semi-gloss that's a little bit more reflective on your walls, because that's going to be quite overbearing in terms of bouncing light around the space.”

Jones says there’s a lot of things to think about when choosing the right paint for the right area but says all the right information is readily available whether that’s through a professional, online or at your local hardware store.

CAN I DO IT MYSELF?

Jones says if you’ve got the time, you can easily paint the interior yourself, but it’s important you have the right tools to get the job done.

“Most people think that you can use any paintbrush and any paint, but there is quite a big difference. If you get a cheap paintbrush or a cheap roller, you will be left with bristles and fluff on the walls.”

“There is something to be said for paying a little bit extra and buying the $30 paintbrush and choosing the microfibre roller sleeve instead of the cheap polyester one.”

Once you’re equipped, then it comes down to using the right application method.

“I see so many people just rolling it on with the handle, but that’s going to give you a poor-quality finish. What you should be doing is putting it on a pole and rolling entire sections in longer stretches.”

Jones says not only will it give you a more quality finish, it’s also more time efficient.

“There’s other tips and tricks too. People will often just get a sleeve, put it on their roller and put it straight into the paint, but you’re actually supposed to rinse it first, because it gets all the fluff out, and when it's slightly damp, it picks up and spreads the paint better.”

Jones says there’s a lot of little things that will go a long way, and the best way to make sure you do it right is by spending an hour researching online, or by talking to a professional in a paint store.

HOW MUCH COULD A DIY JOB COST ME?

There are a few things you’ll need to buy in order to do the best job possible. That includes some thick drop cloths, no more gaps for your windows, good quality paint brushes and paint.

“You're probably getting into the $500 to $1,000 range then. After that, it’s just the time it takes to complete the job.

“But if you've got the time and you're prepared to put in the effort, then it can be quite a significant saving.”