First off, if you are paying $4 a tube of caulk, I'm about to load up my truck with cases of caulk, come down to AL, and make a killing. :cheesygri
You should be able to find high-quality painters caulk for $1.50 a tube or so, even better with a case price. Talk to some local paint reps from Ben Moore, Sherwin, Porter, etc and get some good quotes on materials. At least set up a cash account at your local paint store. This will also become a good lead generator.
my question to you is...how did you find your prices?
I don't know if that was to me, but I'll answer.
First, do a complete and thorough take-off.
Take all figures and layout out different substrates (all walls, ceilings, doors/windows, sanding, prep, etc.) and compare to your production rates. Since you don't have these yet, you will have to wing this part.
Next, using the production rates, figure out the times it will take to do these areas.
Total up labor hours.
Figure out amount of materials, and price out.
Add percentage for overhead.
Add percentage for profit.
There is your price.
For example, all hypothetical, these aren't my rates, just easy numbers for example:
Area Bedroom 100 sq ft ceiling, 400 sq ft walls, 40 linear ft trim, 1 door/frame, 1 window/frame, all 1 coat, no prep
Production rates, I look under ceiling, it says 1 man, 1 hour, brush/roll
50 sf of ceiling
I look under walls, it says 1 man, 1 hour, brush/roll
50 sq ft of walls
I look under trim, it says 1 man, 1 hour, brush out
40 lin ft of trim
I look under door/frames, it says 1 man, 1 hour, brush/roll
2 door/frames
I look under window/frames, it says 1 man, 1 hour, brush/roll
.5 windows and frames
By looking at my production rates, I know it will take 1 man
2 hours to paint the ceiling
8 hours to paint the walls
1 hour to paint the trim
.5 hours to paint the door
2 hours to paint the window =
13.5 manhours to complete the job X your hourly rate
Labor 13.5 X $28.75 = $388.13
Materials
1 gallon of ceiling white $20 (you should also have coverage rates for all your materials, matched to different substrates, just like your production rates)
2 gallons wall paint @ $20 = $40
1 gallon trim paint $22.50
Materials $82.50
Labor + materials
$388.13 + $82.50 = $470.63
$470.63 + (your predetermined overhead) 10%
$470.63 + $47.06 = $517.69
$517.69 + Profit 12%
$517.69 + $62.12 = $579.81
$579.81 is the selling price. If you negotitate this down more than $10%, then your profit is gone, and its starting to cost you money to go to work.
And remember, these ain't real prices for that size room at all. I was just making numbers/quantities up on the fly, and trying to make the math easy.
And thats it in a real quick nutshell.