To quote painting jobs well, remember that prep sets the price. The tin is a small part of the job. The hours go into repairs, sanding, masking, protecting floors and getting access. Quote the prep properly and the rest follows.
This article is for painters and for builders who sub out or do their own painting. It covers what to ask, what to measure, where the price moves and how to follow up. For the general sequence, read how to quote a job first.
Questions to ask before you visit
Some of these decide whether the visit is worth doing.
- Is it interior, exterior or both? Which rooms, which walls, ceilings, trims, doors, windows, fences?
- Is the home occupied while you work, with furniture and people in it?
- What is the surface now: bare, previously painted, wallpaper, textured, peeling, stained?
- Are they changing colour a lot, for example dark to light?
- Do they already have the colours chosen, or do they want help?
- Are there other trades on site, such as a renovation, where painting waits for them?
- When must it be finished, and is there a date that cannot move, like a sale or an inspection?
Ask them to text you five or six photos before you book. Wide shots of each room and close shots of anything damaged. You will often price the rough range from the photos and save yourself a trip on a job that is not for you.
What to measure and photograph
Measure wall lengths and ceiling heights, count doors, windows and built-ins, and note which surfaces get a different finish. Do not guess at square metres from the floor area. Painters who guess lose money on rooms with high ceilings and lots of cut-in.
Photograph and note, before you leave:
- Cracks, holes, water stains, mould and peeling areas, close up with a coin or tape for scale.
- Existing damage to floors, benchtops and windows, so you are not blamed for it later.
- Ladder and scaffold access outside: slopes, garden beds, power lines, second storeys.
- Fixtures that need to come off or be masked, such as light fittings, switches and door furniture.
Write the room list into the quote, with the finish for each. A room-by-room scope is easier for the homeowner to read and harder for either side to dispute.
Prep is where the price moves
Two houses with the same walls can differ by days of work. Prep is the reason. Before you price, decide what level of prep the job needs and write it down:
| Prep level | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Light | Sound surface, clean, minor filling, sand, one primed spot-coat |
| Standard | Fill and sand defects, spot-prime stains, mask and protect |
| Heavy | Strip or scrape failing paint, repair substrate, treat mould or damp, full prime |
This is a way to organise your thinking, not an industry standard. Use your own labels. What matters is that the quote says which level you have priced and what happens if you open a wall and find worse.
Say in plain words that you price the visible condition. If you find rot, damp or a failed old coating that was not visible, you stop, show the homeowner and agree the extra in writing before you carry on.
Coats, access and exclusions
Coats. State the number of coats and the products by name or grade. A change from dark to light, or new plaster, often needs a different system than a refresh of the same colour. If the homeowner supplies the paint, say who is responsible if the coverage is poor.
Access. Scaffold, hired lifts, extension poles and second-storey work change time and cost. If access is uncertain, write the assumption into the quote.
Exclusions. Typical ones to consider writing in: moving furniture, removing and refitting fixtures, wallpaper removal, repairs to structural cracks, asbestos or lead-containing materials, and work on surfaces that belong to a neighbour or body corporate. Say what is in, so the quote is not later read as covering everything.
Consumer Affairs Victoria says tradespeople should be clear about what a quote covers, whether it includes materials and labour, and how changes and delays will be handled, and should document the quote and conversations about cost or quality (Consumer Affairs Victoria, giving quotes). The NSW Government says a written quotation should include all work, list the materials and reflect the customer’s specifications (NSW Government, getting quotes). Licensing and written contract thresholds for painting work vary by state. This is general information, not legal advice: check with your regulator or a solicitor for your situation.
Writing the painting quote
One page is plenty for most jobs. Put these in order:
- The address and the date of your visit.
- The room-by-room scope with finishes and number of coats.
- The prep level, and what is excluded.
- The price, and how long it holds.
- The start window, expected duration and how weather affects exterior work.
- Payment stages and what triggers each.
Give one price with clear options, not three prices with no explanation. Options work when each has a plain description: standard prep, or heavy prep with a longer-lasting result.
Following up painting quotes
Painting quotes are compared by price more than most trades, so a quiet quote is common. Call the day after you send it, not to ask if they have decided, but to check they have what they need. Offer to answer any question about the scope. Then use the steps in follow-up email after a quote.
When the other quote is cheaper, find out what it covers. Often it has fewer coats, lighter prep or no masking. Do not argue the price. Explain what yours includes and let them choose. If the job goes cold, reopening quiet quotes covers a second look a few weeks on.
For more on sorting enquiries before you visit, see how to qualify building enquiries, and the quotes page for how a written price is followed up.
Common questions
How do you quote a painting job?
Measure the surfaces, decide the prep level, state the coats and products, list inclusions and exclusions, then price labour and materials. Prep time is usually where the price moves.
How do you estimate painting jobs without measuring on site?
You can give a rough range from photos and room sizes, but say it is a range. Confirm with a site visit before giving a fixed price.
Should I quote per square metre or per room?
Whichever you can defend. A per-room scope with the prep level written in is easier for homeowners to understand. Check your own numbers against jobs you have finished.
How do I get more painting jobs?
Answer enquiries quickly, qualify them on the phone, send a clear quote and follow up the next day. PreBuild Systems does not currently list painting among its trades, but the same quote habits apply.