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Estimating Paint Jobs

28K views 35 replies 19 participants last post by  perfect 
#1 ·
Been painting since I was a kid, (20 years) and have always done it for money on the side. Now I do it full time. My business is really starting to grow and I'm having trouble giving estimates on larger jobs. Just visited a customer in a large high end house. He wants the following rooms painted, ceilings trim and walls. No prep work, just a few cracks, and painting over the same color, linen white, which is real easy to work with, 2 coats no primer. Here's how I priced it:
10x12 dining room ($300), 10x 15 kitchen with wainscoating and 4 doors ($400), a 20x30 living room/dining room with wainscoating ($600), a foyuer leading into a 20 ft hallway ($300), 2 game rooms 12 x15 with 20 foot cathedral ceilings ($450 each), a 20x30 playroom with 5 doors, ($600) and 3 bathrooms ($600), and yet another 20 foot hallway ($300) total of $4000 plus the cost of paint. i have one guy working for me and he only makes $10/hr and I think we could finish in 2-3 weeks.
I thought I was very generous, am I on the right track?
Also, should prices per room drop when doing large projects like this?
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
 
#2 ·
Re:

Holy ****! First of all, don't be put off if you get some negative responses. Second, your prices are kind of looow. Just from the sound of it your jobcosts here for labor and paint alone are $1500-$2000. I will assume you have liability insurance for about $800/yr. so that isn't a big factor here, but if a job like this could possibly take you 3 weeks you are making $500-$800 per week over a 3 week job. That is without considering any of your other financials. Send me an email and I will be happy to help you as much as I can.
 
#4 ·
Here's how I priced it:
10x12 dining room ($300), 10x 15 kitchen with wainscoating and 4 doors ($400), a 20x30 living room/dining room with wainscoating ($600), a foyuer leading into a 20 ft hallway ($300), 2 game rooms 12 x15 with 20 foot cathedral ceilings ($450 each), a 20x30 playroom with 5 doors, ($600) and 3 bathrooms ($600), and yet another 20 foot hallway ($300) total of $4000 plus the cost of paint. i have one guy working for me and he only makes $10/hr and I think we could finish in 2-3 weeks.
.
:eek: Brother, get out b 4 you start. It's you kind of people who are really putting a damper on the real "Pros". I guess you are asking for advice. Way 2 low man and i don't think you have the experience to bid the job properly. There is a lot more to bidding than just pulling numbers out of your arse.
 
#6 ·
:eek: Brother, get out b 4 you start. It's you kind of people who are really putting a damper on the real "Pros".
That doesn't help.

First...There is never 'NO' prep work, there must be at least some caulking and minor prep that needs to be done. That needs to be accounted for, even if you have a standard 5-10 hours you account for if there is no overly obvious prep to be done. It's your deal though so I don't want to tell you exactly what to do but plug your own numbers into this and see how that works.

Second...I am not sure about other guys on here but I do two coats across the board (except ceilings) bc people are always changing colors even if they say they aren't going to and this makes it a standard that is explained upfront rather than a mid-job problem which most new contractors will eat rather than confront.

Third...you will lose your shirt on this job. It would be best if you are busy, to pass, and re-evaluate these numbers to come up with a more accurate pricing system now that you have dimensions for all kinds of rooms, wainscoating, etc.

(I am not the authority but quick math is this)...Here is some perspective if you want to speak in 'going rate' terms-

Dining Room- $300 does not even cover the walls- before paint

Kitchen w/ wainscoating- $400 covers maybe two coats on the doors incl. paint and maybe some caulking.

LR/DR-$600 will get the ceiling done incl. paint and maybe a little prep work.

Foyer/Hall-$300...ugh, trim and a door? Maybe, hard to tell from the description.

2 game rooms- $450...the ceilings in each not sure what they look like though

Playroom-$600...The doors twice and some prep

3 bathrooms-$300, this is waay too vague

20 foot hallway-$300, maybe if you are cutting them a break on getting the whole house

Actually, after putting these numbers in real terms run!
 
#32 ·
If it took 2 weeks, it would leave me with $3200, making $40 an hour.
This is incorrect
...unless you have absolutely no overhead whatsoever

You have overhead, you are just thinking like a paycheck collector and not thinking like a business owner

First off, how did you get the lead?
If not by advertising, then maybe a referral?
Well...who answered the phone?
The receptionist?
If you answered the phone, then start that time clock ticking
Who paid for the phone?...the phone line?...the paper to write the address done on?
Who met with this customer?
You have to pay the salesman
Even if it's you....you gotta pay (or at least count it)
Same with the estimator...often it's the same person...and even if it wasn't you, you'd have to pay someone...so you have to keep that in mind and pay yourself for that part of the job
Who paid for the gas to get to the sales/measuring/estimate meeting?
Who paid for the truck to get there?
Who paid for the business cards and brochure that you left
Now you still have to get back to the office somehow...
..oh yeah, the office....even if it's your basement workout space with a desk and phone....it's still a business expense...even if it's your cell phone...especially if it's your cell phone...
Now you've got to write up a proposal or contract
Unless it's on extra Wendy's napkins there's that expense
And your time to do so...
Write up a bill...bookkeeper or software expense...
If you are the bookkeeper, still gotta get paid

Well, now, quite a lit of expenses so far...
...and we still haven't even stopped by the paint store to pick up an ounce of paint...
...Hell...WE DON"T EVEN HAVE THE JOB YET
 
#8 ·
Anyway thanks for the input. I'm just getting started with this, my field is accounting ironically enough, and have no idea on how to price jobs. But I think my work is good, ie the pictures above, but have trouble giving estimates. Another thing, as I'm building up a client base, getting references, pictures of my work for future customers etc., shouldn't I expect to bend over on some of these prices for a while? I'm gearing up for a big summer, get about 8-10 calls a week. I just want everything to be in order by then.
 
#17 ·
The problem with bending over at first is every recommndation you get from that job they will know the price and expect the same. When you move up to where you should be they will feel you are ripping them off. Your prices were too low. I get $375 for a 10'X10' bedroom two coats walls only. That price would be too low if it was the only thing getting painted on the job it wouldn't meet the minimum.

Jim
 
#13 ·
1)Prices too low. (You can fix that)
2)Job duration. (Are you for real?)


why in the world would it take that long? I only do re-paints and if you worked for me I would pull my hair out. It would be hard to do anything else, but turn money on that production rate. Are you experienced in repaints or are you mostly skilled in production new construction?
 
#15 ·
i simply paint in the summers as a summer job, have 3-5 employees and even for me, paying no insurance, think that bid is wayyy low. i bid by taking a look at the room, estimate how long it would take for ME to paint it, then add an hour for the kids who paint for me, and multiply by 30 bucks an hour. then pad the job by 15-20% and theres your quote. be picky with your jobs, id rather not do the job than hardly make any cash. peace.
 
#16 ·
mypaintbid gave me the same estimate for a 12x12 as it did for a 26x15 (350) for either room. :eek: Same variables, different sizes. It di d not give me the option of adding for cutting under and over chair rail that was not getting painted nor the fact that one color went above the rail and another under the rail. BY the way the 26x15 came pretty close to what I just charged for one like it, except I had to two different colors and a chair rail to deal with that was not getting painted. Actually came out to about .40 a foot for one coat over the same color/colors, and it was just the walls figured at labor only. Customer was supposed to supply the paint, but I ended up supplying all the paint for the entire project, which I will be reimbursed for. Reimbursed! Yeah, right...plus!
 
#20 ·
mypaintbid gave me the same estimate for a 12x12 as it did for a 26x15 (350) for either room. :eek: Same variables, different sizes. It di d not give me the option of adding for cutting under and over chair rail that was not getting painted nor the fact that one color went above the rail and another under the rail. BY the way the 26x15 came pretty close to what I just charged for one like it, except I had to two different colors and a chair rail to deal with that was not getting painted. Actually came out to about .40 a foot for one coat over the same color/colors, and it was just the walls figured at labor only. Customer was supposed to supply the paint, but I ended up supplying all the paint for the entire project, which I will be reimbursed for. Reimbursed! Yeah, right...plus!
For 1 small room to bid the quote may be a little higher as mypainybid factors in costs for overhead/bidding/purchasing materials, that is spread out for larger/mutiple rooms- look into joining mypaintbid in April 08 for a more flexible "own rate" input for the contractor and other features. It will be a wise "small" investment for you that will payoff very well for you:thumbup:
 
#22 · (Edited)
Well according to Mypaintbid, My rates for wall footage is about right for this area. BUt, if I had repaired all the mud mistakes someone had, I would have been hurting a little. Customer just wanted it painted, so very little prep was involved. This was a breakroom, lobby and bathroom at his auto restoration business, and him being a new customer and me wanting his referrals, I gave him the same rate as I gave him for his walls at home. I also did not change the rate for 10' walls. I may reconsider next time. It was a lesson in why commercial rates differ from residential...and why rates change when the painter supplies the paint. Time spent getting paint tinted, pregnant girl not wanting to smeel paint, and having to paint the lobby on her day off, customers coming in and out, etc.....
 
#31 ·
WHEN QUOTING JOBS I KNOW WHERE I HAVE TO BE ON SQUARE FOOT AND HOW MUCH I CAN DO IT IS JUST TAKING ALL THE VARIABLES AND WORKING THEM IN I DON'T RELY ON ANY ONE OR MACHINE TO QUOT MY JOBS QUALITY AND DEPENDABILITY SELL REFERRAL JOBS I TARGET THE BIG DOLLAR JOBS AND THATS ALL I DO . NO REAL SECRET JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN DON'T WANNA BE 26 YEARS MAKING PEANUTS IN SOME CIRCUS LOL:thumbsup:
 
#36 ·
Wild

[quo I CAN SEE 26 YEARS OF NO EXPERIENCE AND LOW INCOME WILD YOU GO GIRL:no:
te=mrpaintguy;395170]For 1 small room to bid the quote may be a little higher as mypainybid factors in costs for overhead/bidding/purchasing materials, that is spread out for larger/mutiple rooms- look into joining mypaintbid in April 08 for a more flexible "own rate" input for the contractor and other features. It will be a wise "small" investment for you that will payoff very well for you:thumbup:[/quote]
 
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