Servicing Ivanhoe 3079 and the surrounding north-east. No callout fee.
Ivanhoe is a bigger-house, bigger-block suburb, and that changes the job in ways people do not expect until the quote arrives. Weatherboard and brick homes from the interwar and post-war years sit on large blocks with mature trees, often on sloping ground running down toward the Yarra. More exterior surface, more two-storey and split-level work, more access equipment, and a lot more shade than the flat terrace suburbs closer to town — which is exactly where exterior paint gets into trouble.
Melbourne City Maintenance has worked across Melbourne’s north and inner north since 2005, and weatherboard is the part of the business people call us back for. We come to you, look at the property properly, and tell you what it actually needs before anyone quotes a number.
Request a free quote · or call 0403 162 374
- Trading since 2005 across Melbourne’s inner north.
- Licensed and insured — $20 million public liability, WorkCover registered.
- A three-month check-in after every job, to make sure it still looks the way it did the day we left.
We Come to You in Ivanhoe
Coverage. All of Ivanhoe 3079 and the streets around it, including Ivanhoe East and the Eaglemont side. Fairfield, Thornbury, Preston and Northcote are part of the same run for us.
Travel. No callout fee. Ivanhoe sits at the outer edge of the area we work in most weeks, and we are there often enough that you are not charged for us coming out to look.
Timing. We do not take same-day work. We agree a start date with you based on what the job actually needs and what is already booked in. Larger exteriors need a run of settled weather rather than a single day, so the date is set with that in mind. Most enquiries get an answer the same day.
Quoting without a visit. A large exterior cannot be quoted from photographs — the access, the number of storeys and the condition of the timber under the shaded elevations are what decide the price. Handyman and repair work is different: for most of it we can give you a rough guide over the phone or from a few photos, and confirm it on the day.
What Ivanhoe Homes Usually Need
Shade is the recurring theme. Big established trees and larger blocks mean the south and south-east elevations stay damp for most of the winter, and that is where you find the mould bloom, the flaking, and the soft timber behind it. Gutters and fascias under tree cover fill with leaf litter, hold water against the timber and rot from the top down rather than the bottom up — the opposite of what happens on an open block. Washing and treating those surfaces properly before coating is not an optional extra on a house like this; skip it and the new paint fails on the same wall within a couple of years. On sloping blocks there is also the practical question of getting equipment safely to the low side, which is worth sorting out before the job starts rather than on the morning.
What We Do in Ivanhoe
Weatherboard and timber repairs
Rotten and split boards, fascias, barge boards and sills cut out and replaced before painting rather than filled and covered over. More on weatherboard repairs.
Exterior painting
Full exteriors on timber, brick and render, including two-storey and split-level work and the preparation that decides whether the finish lasts three years or ten. More on exterior painting.
Interior painting
Whole houses, single rooms, ceilings and decorative plaster. More on interior painting.
Handyman work
The list of small jobs that never quite gets finished, done in one visit instead of one trade at a time. More on handyman services.
How Pricing Works
Painting and weatherboard work is quoted per job, after we have seen the property. On a larger home the access and the condition of the timber drive the number more than the paint does, so a quote given without looking is a guess.
Handyman and repair work is booked by time. A half day is four hours on site at $90 an hour — $360. A full day is $640, which works out at $80 an hour, and applies once a full day is completed. Materials are charged separately. Prices are for business hours, Monday to Friday.
Quotes are free, and we will tell you if something can wait a season rather than being done now.
Nearby Areas We Cover
Ivanhoe sits at the north-eastern edge of the area we work in most weeks. We also cover:
The full list, and how far we travel, is on our areas we serve page.
Common Questions
Do you charge to come out and quote?
No. There is no callout fee and quotes are free. Painting and timber work is quoted after we have seen the property, because the access and the condition of the timber are what drive the price. Handyman and repair work is different — for most of it we can give you a rough guide over the phone or from a few photos and confirm it on the day.
How soon can you start?
We do not take same-day work. We agree a start date with you based on what the job actually needs and what is already booked in. Most enquiries get an answer the same day, so you will know quickly rather than waiting on a callback.
Why does the paint fail on one wall and not the others?
Almost always because that wall does not dry out. On a shaded south or south-east elevation, particularly under trees, the surface stays damp through winter, mould gets a foothold and the paint film loses its grip from behind. Repainting that wall without treating the cause gives you the same result in two years. The fix is proper washing and treatment first, and dealing with whatever is keeping the moisture there — usually a gutter, a downpipe or a branch.
What will it cost?
Painting is quoted per job after a site visit. Handyman and repair work is booked by time — a half day is four hours on site at $90 an hour, $360; a full day is $640, which works out at $80 an hour and applies once a full day is completed. Materials are charged separately, and prices are for business hours, Monday to Friday.
Get a Quote for Your Ivanhoe Property
On a larger home the useful first step is walking the whole exterior, including the shaded side nobody looks at. It takes about half an hour, it is free, and it is the difference between a quote and a guess.
Request a free quote · or call Melbourne City Maintenance on 0403 162 374.
A friend found reviews of this company on a neighbourhood website so I included MCM in my list when I sought quotes for repairing and painting weatherboards on my house.
