How to estimate a painting job
Measure the surface, not the floor. Price exterior work by the square foot of wall, and trim by the linear foot. For interiors, many painters price by the room, but measure the walls once to check that the room price still pays.
Put prep on its own lines. Washing, scraping, sanding, caulking, and priming are often half of the work. When prep is visible, a client understands why your estimate is higher than a quote that skips it.
Say how many coats and which paint. Two coats of a named product line is a different job from one coat of contractor-grade paint. Write the coats, the sheen, and the product, so the client compares like with like.
Plan for the weather. For exterior jobs, say in the notes how rain delays are handled and that the start date can move. It sets expectations before the first wet week.
What a painting estimate should include
The example above has a place for each of these:
- The areas to paint: rooms, walls, ceilings, siding, trim
- Surface prep: washing, scraping, caulking, and priming
- The number of coats, the sheen, and the paint product
- Paint quantity in gallons and supplies
- Protection of floors, furniture, and plants
- Repairs that are not included, and how you price them
- Colour confirmation and the walk-through
- The deposit and the warranty on your work
For a firm price instead of an estimate, choose Quote in the settings panel. Our quote and estimate guide explains the difference.
Estimate templates for other trades
Each template starts with a worked example for its trade. Your business details carry over between them.