How to Estimate Painting Projects
Perhaps you would like to freshen up the dining room with a new color for the season, and address that annoying crack in the wall while you're at it. Maybe you think you can take care of it all in an afternoon with a gallon of paint. Well, you might get lucky, but more likely there are some costs and time investments you are missing. In addition to paint, you may need other materials that you don't keep around unless you tackle these types of projects regularly. Moreover, if you need to prime or repair, the job will take longer.
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Instructions
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Create a comprehensive list of what you want to accomplish. Consider whether the project requires just one coat of paint or -- if on closer examination -- there is preparation and repair involved. Check for cracks in the wall and in the joints near trim, windows and door jambs and decide if or how you want to address them.
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Calculate how much paint you need. Start by measuring the surfaces to be painted, then multiply the length by the height of each wall. Include ceilings if you plan to paint them. Add the figures together to get the total square footage. Figure using at least 1 gallon of paint for each 400 square feet.
Add in the primer, based on the same square footage, if you are painting a light color over a dark color. If you are putting a darker color over a light surface, one coat of paint might do. Some manufacturers offer paints with extra-high pigment loads that can cover almost any wall adequately with one coat, but they are more expensive. Consider that in your time vs. money calculations.
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Make a list of other supplies you will need for the job. At a minimum, you will need roller handles, trays, brushes and dropcloths. Painters' tape is essential for protecting edges and is useful for taping down protective plastic. If you have nice floors or carpeting to protect, lay plastic dropcloths with contractor paper over them. Include caulk, spackling compound, a putty knife and a scraper if there is some repair work in your project.
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Check prices for paint, primer and your other needed supplies at a paint or hardware store. Multiply paint and primer prices by the number of gallons you need. Add up the costs of additional supplies. Total the costs to figure the estimate for your painting job.
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Calculate the time needed for the project. Rolling the paint on is the easy part, and if you have done it before it will go pretty quickly; figure about 20 minutes for each interior wall. Ceilings take more time and energy, so they should be done first. Painting the edges and corners where the roller won't reach ("cutting in") takes as long as the rolling, and much longer if there are complicated windows to paint. Trim and doors should be painted with a brush; the work will go much faster if you have taped off adjacent areas. Don't forget to add time for moving furniture in and out of the room, drying time between coats of paint or primer, and waiting time for repair materials like caulk to dry.
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References
- Photo Credit paint brush image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
