Home painting services in Singapore start at roughly S$480 for a 3-room HDB full repaint and run to about S$1,300 for a 5-room in 2026, with most quotes covering paint, two coats, light wall prep, and cleanup. Per room, you are looking at around S$150 to S$250 for a feature wall and S$300 to S$600 for a living room. Those headline numbers are real, but they are only the base. The figure that actually leaves your bank account depends on add-ons the cheap quote leaves out: an oil sealer undercoat for a resale flat, stain sealing, premium washable paint, and the 15 to 25 percent surcharge if you stay in the unit while they work. This guide gives you the verified 2026 prices per room and per flat type, the add-on list that turns a S$600 quote into S$1,100, the GST line to check, and a side-by-side of doing it yourself versus hiring a professional painter.
For most HDB owners the best value is a full-unit package from an established painting company, but only after you have an itemised quote that lists the paint line, number of coats, the prep work, and every add-on as its own line. The base package is rarely the final number. A 3-room full repaint advertised from S$480 is realistic for an empty flat with clean walls, but a lived-in resale unit usually needs an oil sealer undercoat and some stain sealing, which can lift the same job past S$900.
Two painters can quote wildly different prices for the same flat and both be honest, because one is pricing a basic single-coat-over-existing job and the other is pricing proper prep plus a washable paint. The only way to compare is to make them quote the same scope. Ask each to specify the paint product, the number of coats, whether the ceiling is included, and what surface preparation is in the price.
If you are repainting as part of a larger reno, fold the painting figure into your overall budget early. Our renovation cost calculator lets you slot a painting line alongside flooring, carpentry, and electrical so the paint job does not blow a hole in the plan, and the renovation checklist keeps the sequencing right so you paint after the dusty trades finish.
The prices below are indicative published rates as of June 2026 from active Singapore painting providers. Treat them as 'from' figures for an empty or near-empty unit with walls in reasonable condition. Older resale flats, occupied units, and any wall that needs real repair will sit at the higher end or above.
Notice how much the price climbs with the paint tier rather than the flat size alone. A 4-room jumps from around S$700 on a super-economical package to roughly S$950 once you move to a premium washable line. The flat size sets the floor; the paint and prep set the ceiling.
If you are weighing a flat purchase and trying to budget the move-in costs, painting sits alongside reno in the same envelope. Our guide to the full HDB and BTO renovation cost puts the paint figure in context against the S$50,000-plus a typical renovation now runs.
| Flat type | Approx. size | Economical package | Standard / washable | What pushes it higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-room / studio | Under ~490 sqft | From S$550 | S$650 to S$750 | Sealer, occupied unit |
| 3-room | ~491 to 900 sqft | From S$480 to S$600 | S$700 to S$900 | Oil sealer undercoat, resale stains |
| 4-room | ~901 to 1,100 sqft | From S$680 to S$700 | S$850 to S$1,050 | Washable paint, ceiling, repairs |
| 5-room | ~1,101 to 1,300 sqft | From S$800 to S$880 | S$1,050 to S$1,300 | Larger walls, premium line |
| 5-room executive / EM | ~1,301 to 1,600 sqft | From S$900 to S$1,000 | S$1,150 to S$1,450 | Two storeys, stairwell height |
You do not have to repaint the whole flat. Many households just refresh the living room, do an accent wall, or touch up the rooms that got marked up. Per-room pricing makes sense when the rest of the flat is still presentable, and it is usually cheaper than a full package if you only need two or three rooms.
Per-room rates are driven by wall area, not the room's label, so a small bedroom and a study of the same size cost about the same. The single biggest swing within a room is whether you want a washable premium paint, which adds roughly S$30 to S$60 per room over a standard emulsion.
One thing to watch with per-room jobs: many painters set a minimum call-out, so a single S$80 touch-up wall is often only economical if you bundle it with other rooms in the same visit.
| Area | Typical size | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| Single-wall touch-up | One wall | From S$80 |
| Feature / accent wall | One wall, statement colour | S$150 to S$250 |
| Small bedroom | ~8 to 10 sqm | S$250 to S$350 |
| Kitchen walls | ~8 to 12 sqm | S$280 to S$400 |
| Master bedroom | ~12 to 16 sqm | S$300 to S$450 |
| Living room | ~20 to 30 sqm | S$400 to S$600 |
This is where a cheap base quote turns into a not-so-cheap final bill. None of these add-ons is a scam; they are real work that a sound paint job sometimes needs. The problem is when the base price hides them so the headline looks lower than a rival who quoted the full scope upfront. Read the line items, then ask which add-ons your specific flat actually needs.
The oil sealer undercoat is the big one for resale flats. Older walls and water-stained patches bleed through a fresh coat unless they are sealed first, and a sealer undercoat can add S$200 to S$550 depending on unit size, or roughly S$250 to S$300 on a 3 to 4-room. If a resale quote looks suspiciously cheap, the sealer is usually what is missing.
The other quiet one is the occupied-unit surcharge. Painting around your furniture and your daily life is slower and riskier for the painter, so many add 15 to 25 percent if you cannot vacate. Whenever you can, paint an empty flat before you move in. It is faster, cleaner, and cheaper.
Nearly every Singapore painter works with Nippon Paint or Dulux, and the real choice is the product line within a brand rather than the brand badge. Both run a Singapore Green Label, low-VOC range, so the gap between them on a standard interior job is small. Where the money goes is the move from a basic emulsion to a washable, anti-bacterial, or anti-mould line.
Nippon's mid-spec Vinilex is the default emulsion many packages quote on. Step up to a washable line such as Nippon Spotless or Dulux Wash & Wear and you get a surface you can wipe clean, worth it in a kitchen, a hallway, or anywhere with kids. Anti-mould and odourless lines cost more again and earn their keep in bathrooms and humid corners.
Insist the painter uses genuine, undiluted paint. Nippon's own professional service promises 'no dilution of paint' and a 12-month warranty against peeling and discolouration; reputable contractors should match that. Diluted paint covers thinner, fades faster, and is the hidden reason a bargain job needs redoing in two years.
Painting a small room yourself is genuinely cheap. Paint, rollers, brushes, tape, and drop sheets for one bedroom land around S$80 to S$150 if you already own a ladder. A professional will charge S$250 to S$450 for the same room, so for a single accent wall or one small room, DIY can save real money.
The maths flips for a full flat. Doing the whole place yourself means buying paint in volume, taking days off, moving and covering furniture, and accepting a finish that is rarely as crisp as a sprayer-and-roller crew. Most people who DIY a full HDB underestimate the ceilings and the cutting-in around edges, which is where amateur jobs look amateur.
Check whether the company is GST-registered. If it is, the 9 percent GST applies on top of the advertised price, so an S$880 5-room job becomes about S$959 nett. Some smaller painters are below the registration threshold and do not charge GST at all, which is a genuine saving, but ask for an invoice either way. The GST line is the single most common reason a final bill comes in above the quote people remember.
Vet the painter before you pay a deposit. Ask for recent HDB or condo references, photos of completed jobs, and a written warranty (12 months against peeling is a reasonable benchmark). Avoid paying the full amount upfront; a deposit with the balance on completion is standard. Watch for a quote that is dramatically below the rest, which usually means diluted paint, a single coat, or skipped prep.
If you live in a condo, factor in the management's rules. Many MCSTs require advance notice, restrict working hours, and may ask for a contractor's insurance details before letting them in. The cost of painting itself is similar to HDB per square foot, but the access logistics differ, and our HDB vs condo comparison sets out the wider ownership cost gaps if you are still deciding between the two.
A 4-room HDB full repaint runs roughly S$680 to S$1,050 in 2026 depending on the paint line and prep. An economical package starts near S$700, while a standard washable-paint job sits around S$850 to S$1,050. Add an oil sealer undercoat (about S$250 to S$300) for resale flats, plus 9% GST if the company is GST-registered.
Often not. Many base packages exclude the oil sealer undercoat, which adds S$200 to S$550 depending on flat size. It is usually essential for resale and lived-in flats because old walls and water stains bleed through fresh paint without it. Always ask whether the sealer is in the quoted price or charged separately, especially when one quote looks far cheaper than the rest.
Before, if you possibly can. Painting an empty flat is faster, gives a cleaner finish, and avoids the occupied-unit surcharge of 15 to 25 percent that many painters add when they have to work around your furniture and daily routine. If you must paint while living there, expect to pay more and to lose access to rooms for a day or two each.
For a standard interior repaint the difference is small, since both run low-VOC, Green Label ranges. What matters more is the product line: a basic emulsion like Nippon Vinilex versus a washable line like Nippon Spotless or Dulux Wash & Wear. Pick washable for kitchens, hallways, and homes with kids, and insist the painter uses genuine, undiluted paint.
This is general financial information for Singapore, not personal financial advice. Figures change — verify current rates against the official sources above before acting. See our full disclaimer.