How to choose a painter on the Sunshine Coast: QBCC, insurance, accreditation

Six checks before you hire a painter

Run every painter who quotes through these six checks. Each one takes a quick search or a phone call, and the sections below show how.

1. QBCC licence. Search their name or licence number on the QBCC's licensee register.
2. Insurance. Ask for a certificate of currency for public liability, and ask how their workers are covered.
3. Written quote. It should name the surfaces, the prep, the paint and every cost.
4. Signed contract. Queensland law needs one in writing for jobs over $3,300.
5. Deposit inside the legal cap. On a painting job over $3,300 it's 10 percent or less.
6. Reviews and finished work. Read the low reviews and see how the business replied.

Red flags: no licence number, no paperwork, a big deposit before any work starts, or pressure to sign on the day.

Check the QBCC licence yourself: it's free

A painter needs a QBCC licence to contract for building work valued over $3,300, according to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission. Painting has its own licence class, called painting and decorating. Its scope covers preparing surfaces and applying paint for protective, decorative or technical purposes, including colour matching.

Don't take a number on a flyer or a van at face value. Type the painter's name or licence number into the QBCC's free licensee register. Make sure the licence is current and in the painting class. The QBCC suggests checking that a contractor is licensed and qualified before you accept their quote. Its phone line is 139 333.

Small jobs are different. The QBCC says a handyman doesn't need a licence as long as the job is worth no more than $3,300 and isn't electrical or plumbing work. So a licence isn't a legal must for a one-room touch-up. It's still worth asking about. Our QBCC licence number is 1281728, and you can look it up the same way.

Insurance: ask to see the certificate

Ask every painter for a certificate of currency for their public liability insurance before work starts. That piece of paper shows the policy is active right now, which a quick yes on the phone can't prove.

Workers' compensation is the law for employers. WorkCover Queensland says all employers in Queensland must hold accident insurance, so workers get support if they're hurt or become ill because of their work. Some businesses are licensed to self-insure instead. If a painter turns up with a crew, ask how those workers are covered.

We carry public liability and workers' compensation insurance, and we'll send the certificates when you ask. Our licence and insurance details are also on our about page.

Get a written quote, then a signed contract

A good painting quote spells out the job. The QBCC says a quote is a formal statement of what a contractor will charge, and that once you accept it, in writing or even verbally, it becomes a legally binding contract. So read it properly before you say yes. The QBCC also suggests checking that every cost and fee is shown. A clear painting quote names these things:

• Which surfaces get painted, such as walls, ceilings, trims, eaves or fences.
• The prep steps, written out one by one.
• The paint brand and product for each surface.
• How many coats go on.
• Who moves furniture and covers floors and gardens.
• The total price, with GST shown.

For jobs over $3,300, Queensland law needs a written contract that's dated and signed by everyone, according to the QBCC. Changes along the way need a written variation too. The QBCC says the contractor must give you the variation in writing within five business days of agreeing to it, or before the work starts, whichever comes first.

We quote an exterior after a free site visit, so the price is based on your actual walls. Our quotes list the prep steps in the order we do them. Prices move with size, condition, surface and access, as our house painting cost guide explains.

Keep the deposit inside Queensland's limits

Queensland caps the deposit a contractor can ask for, and the cap shrinks as the job gets bigger. Here are the limits the QBCC sets out.

If a painter asks for more, query it first. The QBCC says you aren't obliged to pay more than the maximum, and that a push for more may be a red flag. It also warns that if you pay more than the lawful deposit, you can't recover the excess under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme if you ever need a deposit refund.

Progress payments have a rule too. They must match the work done. The QBCC's example is that a contractor can't claim more than 50 percent of the price, deposit included, until at least 50 percent of the work is complete. Don't pay the full price until you've checked that all the agreed work is finished.

Accreditation is a good sign, but check the licence anyway

Paint brand accreditation tells you a paint company has looked at a painter. Dulux says its Accredited Painters are selected for their experience, care and attention to detail, and are required to meet guidelines and program standards. Dulux also says it isn't responsible for the work those painters do, and that any workmanship warranty is given by the painter, not by Dulux.

So treat accreditation as one more good sign on top of the licence check. It doesn't replace it. Ask any painter what workmanship warranty they give, and get it in writing.

We're a Dulux Accredited Painter and Taubmans Endorsed. Most of our exterior repaints use Dulux Weathershield or Taubmans All Weather.

Older homes: ask about lead and asbestos before anyone sands

On an older Sunshine Coast house, ask how the painter deals with lead paint and asbestos before you ask about colours. The Queensland Government says a home built before 1970 has probably got lead-based paint on it. It also says lead poisoning can happen when sanders and grinders are used to remove paint, because the dust can be breathed in or swallowed.

Asbestos is the other one. Queensland's asbestos website says that, as a general rule, a home built before 1990 is likely to contain some asbestos materials. A painter who plans to sand old fibro eaves without checking first is a painter to skip.

We hold lead and asbestos qualifications. On an older house we test first, and only then does any sanding start. Read more in our guides to lead paint in pre-1970 homes and painting fibro and asbestos eaves.

Read the reviews, including the low ones

Reviews show how a painter treats people when a job goes well and when it doesn't. The QBCC's own list of things to check before you accept a quote includes reading reviews and seeing examples of past work. Read a few of the low ones and see if the business answered. A calm, specific reply tells you more than a perfect score.

When we last checked in October 2026, our Google profile had 35 reviews with a 4.6 average. Three of those are 1-star, and we've answered all three. One recent reviewer, Ian B., finished with this: "If you need a good painter call Jim." You can read more on our testimonials page and see finished jobs on our projects page.

Last, check they work where you live. We paint homes across the Sunshine Coast, from hinterland towns to the beaches. Here are the suburbs we cover.