How often should a strata building be repainted in Sydney?
A practical guide for strata managers and committees: typical repaint cycles, the signs that paint is failing, and how to plan the work.
The short answer
Many Sydney strata buildings repaint exteriors roughly every 7 to 10 years, and common area interiors on a similar or longer cycle. Those are planning figures, not deadlines. A sheltered, well-maintained building can go longer; a beachfront block facing the weather may need attention sooner.
What shortens a paint system’s life
- Coastal exposure: salt air and wind-driven rain, common across the Northern Beaches and Eastern Suburbs
- Full sun on north and west elevations
- Poor preparation last time, such as paint applied over chalk, dirt or mould
- Water getting behind the paint from failed sealant, cracks or blocked gutters
- Heavy traffic in lobbies, corridors and stairwells
Signs your building is due
- Chalky residue when you rub the wall
- Fading and patchy colour, especially on sunny elevations
- Peeling, flaking or blistering paint
- Hairline cracks opening up in render
- Mould that returns soon after cleaning
- Rust on balustrades, gates and handrails
- Scuffed, stained walls and doors in common areas
Catching these early usually means less preparation and repair, which is where much of a repaint’s cost sits.
Planning the cost
NSW owners corporations must keep a 10-year capital works fund plan, and repainting is one of the larger items in most plans. A condition walk-through a year or two before the planned date gives the committee a realistic scope and price to budget against.
Splitting the work can help: interiors and exteriors in different years, or the most exposed elevations first.
How we can help
We inspect, photograph and write a scope by area, so the committee can compare quotes on the same basis. See strata painting for how we work in occupied buildings.
Related
Common questions
How often should a strata building be repainted in Sydney?
There is no fixed rule. Many Sydney strata buildings plan exterior repaints roughly every 7 to 10 years and common area interiors on a similar or longer cycle, but the condition of the paint should decide the timing, not the calendar.
What are the signs a building needs repainting?
Chalking, fading, peeling or flaking paint, cracks opening in render, mould that comes back after cleaning, rust spots on metalwork and stained or worn high-traffic walls in lobbies and stairwells.
Does the capital works fund cover repainting?
In NSW, owners corporations must keep a 10-year capital works fund plan, and repainting is one of the items it normally provides for. Your strata manager can confirm what your plan allows for.