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Painting and Decorating Services in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Anthony Kelly Anthony Kelly Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: March 2025 ANZSIC E3244

Revenue

$9.6bn

2025-26

$9.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

55,925

Businesses

23,033

Wages

$X.Xbn

Painting and Decorating Services in Australia industry analysis

The Painting and Decorating Services industry derives most of its revenue from residential construction and home renovation work. More specialised contractors typically work on non-residential construction and maintenance projects, including applying industrial coatings to infrastructure. Low barriers to entry and the threat of competition from do-it-yourself (DIY) homeowners in the home renovation market constrain the industry's long-term profitability. Incremental improvements in paint technology tend to make paints easier to apply and more durable, raising the scope for DIY substitution and reducing the need for repainting.

Trends and Insights

  • Painting and decorating contractors have endured a severe downturn in work on new house construction projects following mortgage interest rate hikes. Favourable trends in non-residential building and infrastructure construction have helped offset the dip in residential building activity.
  • A downwards trend in general internal painting services has accompanied the recent slump in new housing construction. Painting wall and ceiling surfaces on new and existing buildings contributes more than half the industry's revenue.
  • Industry enterprises are skewed towards New South Wales and Victoria, corresponding with these states’ large national building stock and infrastructure share. Sydney and Melbourne are home to much of Australia's non-residential building stock, which requires repainting and refurbishment.
  • Capital equipment requirements for new entrants to the industry are low. Equipment that’s essential to starting a business is inexpensive and includes ladders, paint brushes and rollers. Complex capital equipment can be hired on a project-by-project basis.

Access hundreds of data points and trends

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $9.6bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Mortgage interest rate hikes have slashed painting work on new housing

  • The surge in single-unit house construction to an unprecedented peak in 2021-22 proved a boon for many small-to-medium-scale painters and decorators. Record-low mortgage interest rates and the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder subsidies fuelled housing investment. Many start-up contractors were enticed to enter the industry to capture burgeoning demand for house painting.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Painting and Decorating Services in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

An upswing in housing construction will spark opportunities for small-scale painters and decorators

  • Many small-scale painters are set to benefit from rebounding residential building construction activity, while rising housing prices will encourage spending on home improvements. While much of the upswing in residential building construction through 2029-30 will focus on high-density apartment and townhouse developments, many small-scale contractors will benefit from the modest upswing in single-unit house construction in response to mounting population pressures and some easing in mortgage interest rates.

Biggest companies in the Painting and Decorating Services in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Programmed Maintenance Pty Ltd
385.0
Higgins Coatings Pty Limited
212.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Painting and Decorating Services in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including General internal painting services, General external painting services and Specialist decorating services. General internal painting services is the largest segment of the Painting and Decorating Services in Australia.

Trends and Insights

The housing slump chokes off work on general internal painting services

  • Painting internal wall and ceiling surfaces on new and existing buildings contributes more than half the industry's revenue. Still, this share has decreased with the recent slump in new residential building construction following the completion of buildings subsidised under the Federal Government's HomeBuilder scheme and mortgage interest rate hikes.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in the industry paint, decorate and wallpaper houses and other structures.

What's included in this industry?

Painting housesPainting buildings or other structures Spray painting buildings or other structuresWallpaperingApplying industrial coatingsRemoving and preventing graffiti

Companies

Programmed Maintenance Pty LtdHiggins Coatings Pty Limited

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

TROMPE L'oeilDROP SHEETINDUSTRIAL COATINGSVOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC)ANTIBACTERIAL PAINTPPE

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 3244 - Painting and Decorating Services in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Painting and decorating contractors have endured a severe downturn in work on new house construction projects following mortgage interest rate hikes. Favourable trends in non...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

A downwards trend in general internal painting services has accompanied the recent slump in new housing construction. Painting wall and ceiling surfaces on new and existing b...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Industry enterprises are skewed towards New South Wales and Victoria, corresponding with these states’ large national building stock and infrastructure share. Sydney and Melb...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Capital equipment requirements for new entrants to the industry are low. Equipment that’s essential to starting a business is inexpensive and includes ladders, paint brushes ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No companies have a market share exceeding 5.0% of industry revenue. The industry is highly fragmented; most painting and decorating contractors are small-scale businesses th...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Programmed Maintenance Pty Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Higgins Coatings Pty Limited's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Programmed Maintenance Pty Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Higgins Coatings Pty Limited, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Weaker painting and decorating work in the house construction market has dampened the industry's performance. Mortgage interest rate hikes and the end of the HomeBuilder stim...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Slumping new housing construction and rising input costs have narrowed the industry’s profitability. Inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints have lifted the price...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia is $9.6bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Painting and Decorating Services in Australia industry in 2025?

There are 23,033 businesses in the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 1.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Painting and Decorating Services market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Painting and Decorating Services market in Australia are Programmed Maintenance Pty Ltd and Higgins Coatings Pty Limited

What does the Painting and Decorating Services in Australia include?

Painting houses and Painting buildings or other structures are part of the Painting and Decorating Services industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Painting and Decorating Services in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Programmed Maintenance Pty Ltd.

How competitive is the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Painting and Decorating Services industry in Australia.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.