What Should be in a Painting Estimate

Posted on March 17, 2020

Painting jobs come in all sizes and shapes. For your home, you’ll want to make sure you are getting the best service for the best price. The first step in hiring a painter is to have an estimate appointment with several providers. After the appointment, you should receive a written estimate detailing all of the work you discussed. Here is what should be in a painting estimate.

The estimate is a step to allow for clear communication between the painters and the customer about the project. The estimate is a tool to help detail all of the work and business agreements for the job. Here are the things that should be included in a professional painting estimate.

Job Size

For a proper estimate to be given, the preparer needs to understand the size of the job. Getting the size and specifics of a job over the phone, especially for painting, is very difficult. This means looking over the project, taking measurements and understanding any repairs that could be involved.

Job Summary & Plan

The estimate should include a summary of the job to be done with a plan for getting it completed. This includes notes on the job and a proposed schedule and timeline to the best of the estimator’s ability. Sometimes this will include specific dates, other times it would just be an estimate of the amount of days or hours necessary.

Supplies

A painter should provide you an itemized list of supplies they will need to complete your job. This includes paint and additional supplies like brushes, tape, trays, cleaning supplies and anything else they will need. This is also the area where rented machinery should be listed.

Labor

Labor is also a big cost and should be broken out in your estimate. While the estimator might not provide you the per hour, per painter costs, you should have an idea of how much of the estimate is dedicated to the labor on the job.

Payment Specifications

Some painters provide a payment schedule with their estimate, others don’t include this information until you receive a contract. Regardless, expect to pay up to half of the cost up front as a deposit. This allows the painter to secure a crew, dates for your work and gather supplies. You will probably find any payment polices and specifications to ensure proper payment.

Guarantee Of Work

This is another area that some painters include with their estimate, while others wait for an official contractor. This details what to do and what is included if something goes wrong with the paint after the crew is done. Most of the time it only includes failure of the paint for the near immediate future. You will not get coverage if you decide you hate the color.

Contact Information

Lastly, an estimate should have details about who to contact when you’re ready to start the job. This could include an office, a representative or website.

Get Started

If you’re ready to start your painting journey, contact us today. We are happy to provide you with a no-obligation estimate appointment with our representatives.