Painters are needed on virtually every construction project — from new housing estates to commercial fit-outs, industrial facilities, and heritage restorations. With Perth’s construction industry booming, qualified painters are in consistent demand.
Here’s your guide to painter jobs in Perth.
What Does a Construction Painter Do?
Construction painters prepare surfaces and apply paint, coatings, and finishes to buildings and structures. The work varies depending on the sector:
Residential Painting
- Interior and exterior painting of new homes
- Preparation — filling, sanding, priming
- Spray painting, rolling, and brushwork
- Applying texture coats and feature finishes
- Painting roofs, fences, and outbuildings
Commercial Painting
- Painting offices, retail spaces, schools, hospitals, and public buildings
- Large-scale spray painting of walls, ceilings, and facades
- Applying speciality finishes and coatings
- Working as part of a larger fit-out team
Industrial Painting
- Applying protective coatings to structural steel, pipework, and industrial equipment
- Abrasive blasting and surface preparation
- Applying epoxy, polyurethane, and intumescent (fire-resistant) coatings
- Working in mining, oil and gas, marine, and heavy industrial environments
How to Become a Painter in Perth
Apprenticeship
A painting apprenticeship in Western Australia takes 3 years and leads to a Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620). You’ll learn:
- Surface preparation techniques
- Applying paint by brush, roller, and spray
- Colour matching and mixing
- Wallpapering and decorative finishes
- Working with different coating systems
- Reading plans and specifications
- Work health and safety
Registration
In Western Australia, painting and decorating contractors performing work valued at $20,000 or more must be registered with the Building Services Board. Individual painters working for a registered contractor don’t need their own registration, but it’s required if you want to run your own painting business.
Painter Salary in Perth
Perth Metro
- Painting labourer/offsider: $50,000 to $65,000
- Residential painter: $65,000 to $85,000
- Commercial painter: $70,000 to $95,000
- Industrial painter/blaster: $80,000 to $120,000
- Painting supervisor/foreman: $90,000 to $120,000
FIFO and Mining
- Industrial painter (mining/shutdown): $110,000 to $150,000
- Blast and paint technician (FIFO): $120,000 to $160,000
Subcontractor Rates
Self-employed painters in Perth typically charge $35 to $55 per hour, or quote by the square metre. Established painting subcontractors with a crew can earn significantly more.
Residential vs Commercial vs Industrial
Residential
The most common sector for painters in Perth. New housing estates in growth corridors (Baldivis, Byford, Ellenbrook, Yanchep, Alkimos) generate constant demand. Residential painting is often piece-rate or subcontracted — speed and efficiency directly affect your earnings.
Commercial
Commercial painting involves larger projects, more coordination with other trades, and stricter specifications. Projects include offices, retail fit-outs, schools, hospitals, and apartment buildings. Commercial painters often work for larger painting companies with multiple projects running simultaneously.
Industrial
Industrial painting is the highest-paying sector. It involves applying protective coatings to structural steel, pipework, tanks, and equipment in mining, oil and gas, marine, and heavy industrial environments. Industrial painters often need additional training in abrasive blasting, confined space entry, and specialised coating systems.
Key Tickets and Requirements
- Certificate III in Painting and Decorating — formal trade qualification
- White card — mandatory for all construction sites
- Working at heights — essential for exterior and commercial painting
- EWP licence — for operating elevated work platforms
- Confined space — required for industrial painting inside tanks and vessels
- First aid — expected by most employers
- Driver’s licence — essential for getting to sites
- Abrasive blasting training — for industrial painting roles
Growing Your Painting Career
Specialise
Specialist painters command higher rates. Consider developing expertise in:
- Industrial protective coatings (epoxy, polyurethane, intumescent)
- Abrasive blasting and surface preparation
- Decorative finishes (marbling, wood graining, faux finishes)
- Heritage and restoration painting
- Spray painting and high-volume work
- Waterproofing and membrane application
Start Your Own Business
Many painters eventually start their own painting business. The startup costs are relatively low compared to other trades, and Perth has strong demand for both residential and commercial painting services.
Find Painter Jobs Through Perth Trades Recruitment
Perth Trades Recruitment places painters in residential, commercial, and industrial roles across Perth and WA. Whether you’re looking for steady work with a painting contractor or FIFO industrial painting, we can connect you with employers who are hiring.
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Contact Perth Trades Recruitment to find painting jobs in Perth.