Do You Need an Art Valuation for Probate in Australia?

When managing an estate, a probate valuation is often required to determine the value of assets, including artworks, antiques, and collections.

Why Probate Valuations Are Required

Probate valuations are used to:
  • Establish fair market value at date of death
  • Assist executors and solicitors
  • Ensure compliance with legal and tax requirements

What a Probate Valuation Includes

A professional report typically includes:
  • Detailed inventory of assets
  • Fair market values
  • Photographic documentation
  • Supporting research

Who Needs a Probate Valuation?

  • Executors of estates
  • Solicitors and legal professionals
  • Families managing inherited collections

Sydney Probate Valuation Services

Working with a qualified art valuer in Sydney ensures your report is accurate, independent, and suitable for legal use. Contact Henry Valuers to discuss further.

Henry Valuers’ valuations are undertaken by an AVAA Certified Valuer (CVAu), working within recognised Australian professional standards for independent valuation practice.

FAQ's

Can your report be used in court?

Yes, all reports are professionally prepared and legally defensible.

Typically 1–3 weeks depending on collection size.

Insurance vs Market Value: What’s the Difference in Art Valuation?

When commissioning an art valuation, it’s essential to understand the difference between insurance value and market value.

Insurance Value (Replacement Value)

Insurance value reflects:

  • The cost to replace an artwork
  • Retail market conditions
  • Gallery or dealer pricing

Used for:

  • Insurance policies
  • Asset protection

Market Value (Fair Market Value)

Market value reflects:

  • The price an artwork would achieve at sale
  • Auction or private sale conditions
  • Supply and demand

Used for:

  • Probate and estates
  • Family law
  • Financial reporting

Why the Difference Matters

Insurance value is typically higher than market value because it includes replacement costs.

Using the wrong valuation type can result in:

  • Underinsurance
  • Legal complications
  • Incorrect financial reporting

Choosing the Right Valuation

A professional art valuer like Henry Valuers will advise which valuation type you need depending on your situation.

Contact us

How Much Does an Art Valuation Cost in Sydney?

2026 valuation cost guide

The short answer

There is no single standard fee

For specialist artwork valuation work, a practical planning figure is around $350 per hour. This is not a universal fee, and clients should confirm whether GST is included. A single, clearly identified artwork may instead be quoted at a fixed price, while a mixed collection, deceased estate inventory or institutional assignment may be charged by the hour or as a project.

The intended use matters. An insurance valuation, probate valuation, family-law valuation and market-value assessment can require different valuation bases, effective dates and supporting evidence.

The most useful quote explains what will be inspected, researched and delivered, together with any travel, GST or specialist costs.

Common pricing methods

How professional valuation work may be charged

Fee structure Often suitable for What to confirm
Fixed fee A single artwork or a clearly defined small group Whether research, photographs, GST and the written report are included
Per-item fee Several similar objects with a consistent reporting requirement Whether the fee changes for complex, unidentified or specialist items
Hourly rate Mixed collections, estates, inventories and on-site work Whether travel, administration, research and report preparation are separate
Project quote Large private, corporate, university, government or institutional collections The agreed scope, timetable, reporting format and treatment of additional items

Published Australian examples

What do advertised valuation fees look like?

Published prices vary because the services are not directly equivalent. The following examples were checked in July 2026 and are included to illustrate the market, not to state Henry Valuers’ fees.

Published service example Advertised fee Important limitation
Specialist fine-art and cultural-material valuation $350 plus GST per hour Published as a base rate; the provider states that many single-work valuations can be completed at this minimum rate
Single-work art valuation report $149 per work Desktop service with a defined report format, subject to available information
Specialist artist certificate $250 for the first eligible work, then $125 for additional eligible works Limited to original paintings by members of one artist family
Art, antiques, contents, probate or family-division work $240 plus GST per hour Travel, specialist consulting and other charges may apply
Art, antiques, collectables and household contents $242 per hour including GST Travel and administrative work may also be charged

These figures are published market references, not a recommended price or a quote from Henry Valuers. Fees and service terms can change. Source links appear below.

What changes the quote

Five factors that affect valuation cost

Purpose

Insurance, probate, family law, financial reporting and market advice can require different definitions, evidence and reporting.

Number and type of items

A single painting is a different assignment from a home containing art, furniture, silver, ceramics and jewellery.

Identification and research

Uncertain attribution, limited comparable sales and complex provenance can increase the research required.

Inspection method

Some work can begin with photographs. Other assignments require physical inspection, travel and on-site cataloguing.

Report detail

A formal report with photographs, inventory data, comparable evidence and stated assumptions takes longer than preliminary guidance.

Specialist input

Highly specialised objects or authenticity-related questions may require separate expertise that is outside a standard engagement.

Before you instruct a valuer

What should a professional quote explain?

A written scope helps avoid comparing services that provide very different levels of investigation and documentation.

  • The items or collection being valued
  • The purpose and basis of value
  • The effective valuation date
  • Whether the work is desktop, on-site or a combination
  • The research and documentation included
  • The report format and expected completion time
  • Whether GST, travel and specialist costs are included
  • How additional items or unexpected research will be handled

The process

How to obtain an accurate quote

The clearer the initial information, the easier it is to define an efficient and appropriate valuation scope.

Explain the purpose

State whether the valuation is for insurance, probate, family law, collection management or another requirement.

Describe the items

Provide the approximate number, type, location and any known artist, maker or provenance information.

Share photographs

Include front, back, signatures, labels, inscriptions, dimensions and relevant documents where available.

Confirm the deliverable

Agree on the inspection method, report format, timetable, fee and treatment of additional work.

Remote assessment

Is an online valuation less expensive?

A photograph-led assessment can reduce inspection and travel time when the object is suitable and the client can provide clear images, dimensions, signatures, labels, purchase documents and provenance.

It is not appropriate for every purpose or object. The valuer should explain the limitations and whether physical inspection is required before issuing the final report.

For suitable assignments outside Sydney, read about online art valuation in Australia.

Can one artwork be valued?

Yes. A valuation can cover a single artwork, a small group or a complete collection. Clear photographs and documents help the valuer assess the likely scope before quoting.

Appraisal versus valuation

Why is a free auction appraisal different?

An auction appraisal is generally prepared to help decide whether an item may be suitable for sale and what it could achieve in a particular auction setting.

A formal independent valuation is prepared for a stated purpose and effective date, using an appropriate basis of value and documented research. If the report is for insurance, probate, family law or governance, confirm what form of report the receiving party requires.

Questions

Art valuation cost FAQs

How much does it cost to value one painting?

The cost depends on the artist, available documentation, intended use and research required. A clearly identified work may be quoted at a fixed rate, while uncertain attribution or complex reporting may require additional research.

Do art valuers charge per item or per hour?

Both methods are common. For specialist artwork assignments, a practical planning figure is around $350 per hour, although the final fee depends on scope and clients should confirm whether GST is included. Defined single-item services may instead use a fixed or per-item fee, while estates, mixed collections and on-site inventories may use an hourly rate or project quote.

Does a larger collection cost less per item?

It can. Repeated cataloguing and reporting processes may make a collection more efficient to value, but unidentified, highly varied or specialist objects can still require individual research.

Are photographs enough for an art valuation?

Photographs may be sufficient to begin some assignments, but not every valuation can be completed remotely. The purpose, the object and the available evidence determine whether physical inspection is required.

How long does a valuation take?

Timing depends on the number of items, research complexity, access and report format. Henry Valuers can provide an expected timetable after reviewing the scope.

What is included in a formal valuation report?

The exact content depends on the assignment. A report may include object descriptions, photographs, a stated valuation basis and date, relevant assumptions, market evidence and the concluded values.

Related services

Choose the right valuation pathway

Probate and estates

Independent valuation for estate administration and related requirements.

View probate valuation

Market references

Sources for the published fee examples

Request a valuation quote

Tell Henry Valuers what needs to be valued, how many items are involved, where they are located and why the valuation is required.