What are the 7 Steps to Estimate a Painting Job?

Painting a house is one of the most sophisticated projects anybody can attempt. If you want to ensure that your painting job is done correctly and with as few headaches, then you need to hire the best painting company in Las Vegas.

However, suppose you’re new to home maintenance and painting. In that case, knowing exactly how to assess the quality of painters and which contractors are more reliable than others is challenging. Read to know how to estimate a painting project.

Gather Information

Before estimating a painting job, you need to gather some information. It includes the following:

• The size of the area to be painted (in square feet)
• The number of coats required for each surface
• The type of paint or paint treatment
• The type of surface (drywall, wood, etc.)
• The condition of the existing surface you’ll be painting over or around (chips and cracks, if any)
• The type of paint you’ll use (oil-based or latex)
• Whether or not there are any special finishes involved (for example, if the walls need priming before painting)
• If there are any hazardous materials in the space (like asbestos)
• If there will be repairs before painting begins (such as replacing rotted wood)

Estimate Materials

How much paint do you need? That depends on how large the walls are and how many coats you want to apply. For example, you might need one gallon of paint for every 400 square feet of wall space. If you’re painting a small room, say 20 feet by 20 feet, that’s only 1/2 gallon (or about 1 quart). But if you’re painting a large room with high ceilings, such as a living room or dining room, you may need more than one gallon to cover the entire surface area.

The same goes for brushes, rollers, and other tools—you’ll want to account for the size of your project.

Estimate Time

You must understand how long it will take to complete the work. It is where estimating comes in: you’ll need to figure out how many hours your team will take to finish all the tasks required by the project.

Here are some of the factors that affect time:

• The job’s complexity (how many rooms, type of surface, etc.)
• The time of year (if there’s snow on the ground, it will take longer than usual to get equipment into position)
• The condition of the walls/ceilings (i.e., if they’re bare wood or painted wood)
• Your employees’ availability (do they have other jobs on their schedule, or do they need to leave early that day?)
• How many coats of paint do you need to apply

Determine Labor Costs

There are two ways to calculate labor costs: by the hour or square foot. The first method is simple: the more hours you spend on the job, the more it will cost. The second method is a little more complex: calculating how many square feet of space you have to paint and then multiplying that number by an hourly rate.

Estimate Marketing Cost

Ensure you’re not losing money by factoring in the overhead costs of running the business and promoting it. While the information provided here should help you estimate project costs, you must also factor in the price of doing business and attracting new clients. If it takes $2,500 in advertising to find and secure the client, even if you charge $5,000 for the larger painting job, you’ll only make $2,500. Your profit margins will start to decline if you don’t account for these expenses. 

To avoid this, ensure your job-related expenses don’t exceed 10% of the total cost. If your marketing cost is $200, you should charge $2000.

Apply Markup

Markup is the amount of money you add to the cost of materials to cover your overhead expenses, profit, and labor. You can use markup as a percentage or a specific dollar amount.

For example, if an artist charges $100 per hour and they will be working four hours total on this project, then you’ll want your markup to be 30%-50%—that way, the client will pay $130-$150 for the painting job.

Calculate Total Costs

It’s a simple calculation, using the cost of materials, markup, marketing, and labor to estimate the cost. It includes the cost of paint, primer, finish, and additional materials such as sandpaper, brushes, or drop cloths.

Markup Costs +Labor Costs + Materials Cost + Overhead/Marketing Costs = Total Costs

Since there are many variables when estimating a painting job, there is no formula that can accurately predict the exact final cost of your project. That said, you should use our seven-step process to guide you through the most critical factors in determining your project’s cost. By keeping these steps in mind, you will be in the best position to make an accurate estimate for your labor on your next painting job.