4 min read
How to Bid a Painting Job
Painting looks simple to customers, which is exactly why painting bids are so competitive. The painters who make money aren't the cheapest. They measure carefully, know their production rates and spell out the scope. Here's a step-by-step method that works for interior, exterior and commercial jobs.
Step 1: Walk the job or read the plans
For residential repaints, walk every room and the exterior. For new construction or commercial work, read the finish schedule, the specs (often Division 09 91 00) and the room finish legend. Note:
- Surfaces: walls, ceilings, trim, doors, cabinets, siding, soffits, fascia
- Substrates: new drywall, previously painted surfaces, masonry, metal, wood
- Required systems: primer plus two finish coats, sheen, and brand or product if specified
- Access: ceiling heights, stairwells, lifts or scaffolding
- Conditions: occupied space, furniture, working hours
Step 2: Measure surfaces
- Walls: perimeter × height, minus large openings
- Ceilings: length × width
- Trim and baseboard: linear feet
- Doors and frames: count each, priced per opening
- Exterior: wall area by elevation, plus soffit, fascia and trim
On plan sets, take the measurements from the floor plans and elevations. Software can speed this up, but always spot-check the numbers.
Step 3: Figure materials
Divide the area by the coverage rate on the product data sheet (often 350–400 sq ft per gallon per coat for wall paint; check your product), then multiply by the number of coats. Add primer, caulk, patching compound, tape, plastic, rollers and sundries. Many painters add sundries as a percentage of paint cost.
Step 4: Figure labor with your production rates
This is where bids are won or lost. Use your crew's rates, such as square feet per hour for walls, linear feet per hour for trim, and minutes per door. Adjust for:
- Cut-in heavy rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms
- High ceilings and stairwells
- Color changes from dark to light, which need extra coats
- Prep: patching, sanding, caulking, pressure washing, scraping
- Masking and protecting floors and furniture
Multiply the hours by your loaded labor rate, meaning wage plus taxes, workers' comp and benefits. See how to calculate labor cost for a construction bid.
Step 5: Add equipment and other costs
Lifts, scaffolding, sprayers, drop cloths, travel, parking, extra time and supplies for lead-safe work practices on pre-1978 homes (EPA RRP rule), and disposal.
Step 6: Add overhead and profit
Add your overhead (insurance, vehicle, office, software), then profit. Know whether you're applying markup or targeting margin, because they aren't the same. A 25% markup is only a 20% margin. Read markup vs. margin for subcontractors.
Step 7: Write a clear proposal
Your painting proposal should list:
- Areas and surfaces included, room by room or elevation by elevation
- Prep included, and anything excluded such as drywall repair beyond minor patching
- Products, sheens, and the number of coats
- Colors (customer to select, with an allowance for extra colors)
- Schedule, payment terms, warranty, and how long the price is valid
Itemized proposals win more often because the customer can see what they're paying for. See what to include in a contractor bid.
Interior vs. exterior vs. commercial
- Interior repaint: Most of the time goes into prep and protection. Price furniture moving and occupied homes accordingly.
- Exterior: Weather, access and prep such as scraping and pressure washing drive the cost. Build in weather days.
- Commercial new construction: Bid from plans and specs, follow the finish schedule exactly, and expect GC schedule pressure, punch lists and retainage.
Painting bid checklist
- [ ] Every surface on the finish schedule is measured
- [ ] Coverage rates are from the product data sheet
- [ ] Labor uses your production rates
- [ ] Access equipment is priced
- [ ] Prep and repair limits are defined
- [ ] Markup and margin are checked
- [ ] Exclusions are listed
- [ ] The proposal is proofread
Bidding painting jobs faster
If you bid several painting jobs a week, building every proposal by hand eats your evenings. TradeBid's painting estimating software drafts an editable line-item bid from your plans and exports a branded PDF. You review the quantities and rates, and nothing goes out until you approve it. Try TradeBid free for 7 days: every plan starts with a free trial that includes 3 bids and 1 takeoff, with a card on file. Start for $0.00, or see the painting takeoff guide.
FAQ
How much should I charge per square foot to paint? It varies a lot by region, surface, prep and access. Build your price from your own production rates and costs, not from a national average.
How do I bid an interior paint job? Measure walls, ceilings, trim and doors. Calculate paint from coverage rates, figure labor from your production rates, add prep, equipment, overhead and profit, then send an itemized proposal.
How do I bid an exterior painting job? Measure each elevation, price prep like washing, scraping and caulking, add access equipment, plan for weather, and follow lead-safe rules on homes built before 1978.
Should I bid by the room or by the square foot? Use whichever your customer understands. Calculate it internally by square foot and production rate either way.
What's the most common painting bid mistake? Underpricing prep. Prep often takes as long as the painting itself.