How to price a painting job?

Pricing a painting job can be a challenge so we decided to create a provide you with a few methods to consider when pricing your next project

1 Get a Specification

Talk to the client and get a specification off them in writing for the rooms or areas they want painted

2 Carry Out a Site Survey

Having received a specification, be sure to conduct a detailed site survey and check everything that the client has requested

3 Ask Questions

If some aspect of the specification differs from what you see when conducting a site survey ask the client to provide clarification before you submit the quotation

4 Measure It

Most tradespeople provide a quotation on what’s know as a “time and material” basis. “Time and material” refers the length of time it will take to complete the job plus the cost of material used.

Having a time and material knowledge for each job is essential. However it is always best to measure a room.

Measuring a room establish the square meterage of ceilings, walls or length of skirting that needs to be painted

It is easier to establish the exact amount of paint you need for each room and over time you will be able to establish targets. For example you will figure out how many square meters of ceiling or walls a painter will paint in a day and over time, your pricing will become more accurate

5 Break it down

Most tradespeople provide a lump sum price which might be the cost of painting the interior of a house or the total cost of laying new flooring throughout an office

It is easier and clearer to everybody if you break the quotation up on a room by room basis. Within each room or area provide a break for the cost to paint the ceiling, the cost to paint the walls, the cost to paint the skirting boards and so on

By measuring each room or area as mentioned above, it will be easier to provide a detailed breakdown to customers

6 Set Your Terms

When submitting a quotation it is important to set the terms that you work under. For example some tradespeople request a deposit. Once the deposit is received the job is scheduled into their diary. If a deposit is not received, the job will not be added into the schedule.

Other trades require stage payments during a project.

The terms you set out need to suit you and nobody else. If genuine people work complete they will be happy to pay a deposit or agree to a staged payment.

Another term that’s important to add is the type of paint you plan to use based on the price in the quotation. Painters often allow for Crown or Johnstone’s paint and when the job crops up the client requests a premium brand such as Colourtrend for the same price despite costing double what was allowed.

This can cause some discomfort and at times lead to an unwanted heated exchange. By clearly setting your terms your client will know what to expect and what you have or have not allowed for in your quotation