How to Estimate a Price for a House Painting Job

Skilled painters can ask for higher prices from homeowners.

Estimating a price for a house-painting job varies from house to house, but the best way to get a feel for the skill is to invite a professional painting company give an estimate for painting of your own home. The estimate should include every room or surface area of the house under consideration for painting. It should also include the cost of materials and labor to do the job. Knowing how much homeowners are willing to pay in a given market is the most important piece of information. If you bid too high, the homeowner will pass. Bid too low and your painting company won't make a profit.

Things You'll Need

• Estimating forms with company letterhead
• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Inspect each room of the house or the exterior and write down how long it will take your painting crew to prepare and paint the surfaces. Multiply those hours by the employees hourly wages to determine the labor costs.

2. Measure each room or surface area to be painted and determine how much masking material and paint will be needed. Write these figures down next to the labor for each room.

3. Add the labor and the materials together for each room or surface area to get the totals. Add these totals together for the subtotal of labor and materials. Make a note of rental costs for special equipment such as pressure washers, paint sprayers and scaffolding. Write down extra costs for special repairs, cleaning required between color changes, taxes and insurance.

4. Add all the costs for a grand total. Give a detailed estimate of the costs by room and list a grand total. Don't put specific extra expenses on the estimate, but be prepared to answer questions if the homeowner wants more information.

Tips & Warnings

• Research the cost of painting materials and paint products before estimating a job to provide a fair-market price to the homeowner.

• Make sure a contract is signed by the painting company and the homeowners specifically outlining the work to be done and the price.