House Painters in Ravenswood

A farming district that became a suburb

Wikipedia describes Ravenswood as an eastern suburb of Launceston and says it was first settled in the early 19th century as a small farming community. It says the name is believed to come from a property owned by David McGown on Distillery Creek, who acquired 2,030 acres in 1836, and that a flour mill was built nearby in 1857 and demolished in 1932. It adds that many early homes were built from large stone blocks, and that the population reached 2,870 by 1972 and expanded rapidly in the 1970s. The article does not describe the houses of today, their age or their walls, so the rest of this guide uses general sources and says where they stop.

Stone, brick and what gets painted

Yakka Labour says exterior prices depend more on the wall material than on floor area, because the material decides how much gets painted. It gives a single-storey brick veneer home, where only eaves, fascia, gutters, trims and doors are painted, at $3,500 to $8,000, and a rendered home at $7,000 to $14,000. It does not price stone, and we have no source that does. If a house in Ravenswood has stone walls from the early years, ask each painter whether the walls are to be painted at all, since an unpainted stone wall changes the job entirely.

Growth in the 1970s and older paint

Yakka Labour says homes built before about 1970 may have lead-based paint in older layers, especially on trims, windows, doors and exterior weatherboards. Wikipedia says Ravenswood grew rapidly in the 1970s, which puts many of its homes near that line, but it gives no figures and we cannot say which side of it your house falls on. Ask the painter how the paint would be tested if there is any doubt, and ask for the answer in writing. Yakka also says fibro eaves in homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos and that sanding or scraping it is not fine.

Fences, flats and the first coat

For a house on a larger block with a long boundary, ask whether fences, sheds and outbuildings are in the price or excluded. Yakka Labour says a quote should list every surface included and excluded, so that an exterior price is not read as covering the whole property. It gives painting rendered or weatherboard walls at about $15 to $30 per square metre for two coats with standard preparation, and says a single-storey exterior takes one to three weeks depending on material and weather.

Inside the house

For an interior repaint, Yakka Labour gives $6,000 to $12,000 for a three-bedroom single-storey house nationally, and $6,000 to $11,500 for Hobart. The Quote Yard estimates $4,500 to $9,000 for Tasmania. Yakka says walls only usually cost 40 to 55 per cent of a full figure, that many painters charge 10 to 20 per cent more for a furnished home and that a standard bedroom is $500 to $1,100. These are guides, not Ravenswood quotes, so ask each painter to price the same rooms.

Weather at the airport station

The Bureau of Meteorology's Launceston Airport station shows about 617 millimetres of rain a year over about 82 rain days, about 67 days with a minimum of 2 degrees or lower and about 31 days at or below zero. We have no figures for Ravenswood, and the station is at a different site. Yakka Labour says paint should not go on exterior surfaces in rain, heavy dew, strong wind or extreme heat, so ask how the painter plans for damp mornings and what happens to the dates.

Heritage and the first question

The City of Launceston keeps a Local Heritage Register and says routine maintenance is usually exempt from the development application process. Heritage Tasmania says a place on the Tasmanian Heritage Register can need approval for works, and that a minor works approval can be issued for painting. Wikipedia mentions the Ravenswood Gospel Chapel, which began as a hall in front of an early house, but it does not say whether any property in the suburb is listed. Check your own address before choosing a colour.

Experience and a written agreement

Contact House Painters Launceston to discuss the work and request a free quote.

Where does the name Ravenswood come from?

Wikipedia says it is believed to come from a property owned by David McGown on Distillery Creek, and that he acquired 2,030 acres in 1836.

Are the early Ravenswood homes stone?

Wikipedia says many early homes were built from large stone blocks. It does not say how many remain, so check your own house.

Can I get a Ravenswood price from this page?

No. The figures here are national or Tasmanian guides from Yakka Labour and The Quote Yard, not local quotes. Compare at least two written quotes for the same scope.