Understanding Residential and Commercial Painting Estimates in 2024

Whether looking for residential or commercial painting services, ensuring you’re getting a fair quote on your painting project is critical. There are many reasons property owners should leave the painting to professionals. Experienced painters have the proper tools, knowledge, and experience to get the best finish, whether painting interior walls or exterior trim. A homeowner can expect significantly longer service life from their paint job when the correct application tools are used, and the right primers and paints are applied. Best of all, it saves home and business owners the hassle of doing the work themselves. However, all of this comes at a cost. This article will explain painting estimates and how professional painters quote jobs.

Peeling paint on shutters and drab, outdated color schemes in main living areas are hard to ignore. Knowing why it’s helpful to hire a professional painter is not always adequate motivation on its own. Most people do not hire contractors often. While they should hire a highly reputable company that they can trust, the cost is a concern homeowners cannot overlook. That is why, when hiring professional painters, one of the first questions our clients have is about price. At ImageWorks Painting, there are a few things that set us apart from the competition and help shape our unique pricing model.

We go the extra mile when it comes to pricing your home or business painting project by physically going to the site to assess the current conditions of the full scope of the project. ImageWorks Painting does not take unfair shortcuts in our pricing. This approach prevents overcharging and saves you the headache of unnecessary change orders. A change order is anything that changes in the type of work being done or the price that it’s being completed at. It could be as simple as the painter saying, “Well, if you want 2 coats, I need to buy more paint, even though you know the agreement was already for 2 coats.”

We handle all project quotes and services in the same way. Our dedicated customer service representatives assign a skilled estimator to you. The estimator comes to your home to assess your home’s specific needs. Then they write a detailed proposal showing our full scope of work with project details and pricing. This allows owners to determine exactly what they would like to have painted. For example, they can include or exclude crown molding, ceilings, doors, closets, or other areas that don’t need to be repainted to suit exactly their needs.

In-person estimates allow us to see the current condition of your home. This inspection informs us of the specific type of preparation it will need to give you a great paint job that lasts. Painting is 80% preparation, and if a contractor hasn’t put their eyes on the project, you may be in for a large change order once the job begins.

What Should a Painting Quote Include?

When providing a painting quote to a customer, it’s important to include all relevant details to ensure transparency and clear communication. Here are some key items that a painting quote could include:

• Scope of Work: A detailed description of the painting project, including prep work, the areas to be painted and the surfaces involved (walls, ceilings, trims, etc.). Any specific preparation work needed (sanding, filling cracks, priming) before painting.
• Material and Paint: Specify the types and brands of paint, selected by the customer, along with their colors and finishes (e.g., matte, eggshell, satin). Mention any special coatings or treatments, such as waterproof or stain-resistant paints.
• Cost Breakdown: Detailed scope of work of all surfaces to be prepared and painted, including labor, materials, and any additional expenses (such as scaffolding or protective coverings).
• Preparation and Clean-up: Outline the steps the painters will take to prepare the space before painting (covering furniture, protecting floors) and the clean-up process afterward.
• Payment Schedule: Breakdown of the payment structure, including the initial deposit and subsequent payments at various project milestones.
• Contact Information: Provide your business name, address, phone number, and email address for easy communication.

Remember, a well-detailed painting quote should help you understand the project better but also demonstrate professionalism and reliability of the painting contractor. It sets clear expectations and minimizes misunderstandings.

How to Know Your Painting Estimate is Fair

Have you ever had the feeling that a contractor is giving you an estimate based on what they feel you can pay? We will never base the cost of your job on your neighborhood or home value. Our proprietary software uses the square footage method described below to price every job fairly. Location is not a consideration. We assure our clients will pay the same price for their job as anyone else having a similar amount of painting done. 

Each square foot of siding, a linear foot of trim, soffit, facia, every window and door has a price that is exactly the same as every other square and linear foot of the same items on another house. This method is extremely consistent and ensures fair pricing for all customers. 

1. Once your consultation and your home’s examination are complete, our estimators take physical measurements of the areas you’ve decided to have painted.
2. We record square footage of walls, linear footage of any trim work, and we calculate the time needed to move furniture and to prep the areas for painting, then we prepare our estimate based on this information.
3. We add in any special caulking, priming, or even repair work needed and apply any coupons that you may have (check out our coupon page for current deals).
4. We then provide you with the detailed, written estimate with a final price.

Many painters get into a project and find out they underbid a job and will come to you asking for more money. If you decline, they may leave in the middle of the job, never to return. Even worse, when they realize they are losing money, they have no choice but to cut every corner and to give a bad, cheap paint job as their only means to cut their losses.

When you get a price from ImageWorks Painting, we stand behind our pricing unless YOU change the work to be performed.

It is not uncommon for our estimators to have just as many, if not more, questions for prospective clients during the on-site visit as the customer has for them. Getting a complete picture of the task at hand helps us to achieve your overall goal. We are happy to answer any of your additional pricing questions during a free consultation.

FAQs about Painters Prices

Do painter’s quotes include paint?

Painter quotes include the total cost of materials: brushes, coverings, scaffolding (if needed), cleaning agents for prep work, total labor costs, and the cost for paint and primer.

How do I estimate painting a wall?

A gallon of quality paint can cover between 300 to 350 sqft of space. Determine the actual square footage for the wall. For two coats, you would double the sqft of the wall and divide by 300 to 350 to determine how many gallons you would need.

Is exterior painting more expensive than interior painting?

It depends on the project. The preparation required for the project influences the cost. If an interior project requires working with textured walls, painting molding, and painting multiple walls or a ceiling, the time and materials for preparation will increase and affect the cost. For exterior projects, if the paint is peeling, the ground needs to be leveled for scaffolding or setting ladders, or landscaping is obstructing the project area, you’ll also see an increase in cost.

Wrapping Up - Understanding Painting Estimates from Contractors

Remember…

• Only trust quotes done with proper measurements to avoid change orders
• Consistent pricing for every customer ensures a fair deal
• Quotes should include a Scope of Work, materials and paints, preparation and cleanup, payment schedule, and the company’s contact information

Ready to get started with your next painting project but unsure if it is in your budget? Reach out to the expert painting team at ImageWorks Painting to schedule a free consultation and get the fair and professional paint service you deserve