What the ATO’s small business benchmarks say is normal for painting services, from 2023-24 tax returns, and a checker for your own numbers. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
| Turnover | $50k to $150k | $150k to $600k | Over $600k |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenseskey benchmark | 36 to 51% | 54 to 71% | 74 to 86% |
| Cost of sales | 13 to 19% | 14 to 21% | 14 to 21% |
| Labour | 22 to 35% | 26 to 40% | 36 to 49% |
| Motor vehicle | 7 to 11% | 4 to 6% | 2 to 4% |
Source: ATO small business benchmarks, 2023-24 financial year, updated 16 March 2026, reused under CC BY 2.5 AU.
Each figure is a cost as a share of annual turnover, without GST, for businesses in that turnover band. For painting services the ATO’s key benchmark is total expenses to turnover: the one it says best predicts turnover for this industry. It also publishes cost of sales, labour, motor vehicle.
For example, a business turning over $400,000 with $250,000 of total expenses is at 62.5%, inside the 54 to 71% range for the $150k to $600k band.
The ATO says a business outside its range may have room to improve, and that benchmarks are one of the tools it uses to identify businesses that may be avoiding their tax obligations.
How the industry compares · Cost of sales percentage · Gross profit margin · All 100 industries
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