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Painting estimate template
The full template below — scope lines, the exclusions that stop free work, terms and a signature block. Copy it, print it, or take the Word version and put your logo on it.
Painting estimate
[Your company name, address, licence and contact]
Estimate no. ________ Date ________ Valid until ________
Prepared for
Job address
Scope of work
- Protect floors, fixtures and furnishings; mask adjacent surfaces
- Prepare surfaces: fill nail holes, sand glossy areas, spot-prime repairs and bare material
- Prime as required by the substrate and the colour change
- Apply the stated number of finish coats in the product and sheen listed
- Cut lines at ceilings, trim and transitions as detailed in the scope
- Daily cleanup, with tools and materials removed from living areas each evening
- Final walkthrough with the owner and touch-up of listed deficiencies
Price
Subtotal ________ Tax ________ Total ________
Deposit due on acceptance ________ Balance due ________
Not included in this price
- Drywall repair beyond filling nail holes; cracks, seam failure and water damage are extra
- Wallpaper removal and the surface repair it always requires
- Lead paint testing and abatement in pre-1980 buildings
- Additional coats required by a drastic colour change beyond the number stated
- Moving of heavy furniture, appliances, pianos, and removal of window coverings
- Staining, sealing or painting of surfaces not listed, including ceilings unless stated
- Exterior work during rain, high wind, or temperatures outside the coating's stated range
Terms
- This estimate is valid until the date shown above; pricing after that date is subject to material cost at the time of order.
- Work outside the scope above proceeds only on a written change order signed by both parties, priced before the work begins.
- Payment is due on the terms shown; overdue accounts carry interest at ____% per month.
- Workmanship is warranted for ____ months from completion. Manufacturer warranties on supplied materials pass to the owner.
- Access to the work area, power and water are provided by the owner during working hours.
Acceptance
The owner accepts the scope, price and terms above.
Signature Printed name Date
How to price the job before you fill this in
Painting work prices per square foot of surface for large areas, per opening for doors and windows, with prep hours priced separately from coating. Whatever unit you use, the price underneath it has to cover three things: the loaded cost of the hours, the share of overhead those hours consume, and the margin you intend to keep. Miss any one and the job looks profitable right up until year-end.
Painting is a prep business that people quote as a coating business. Price prep in hours as its own line, state the number of coats and the exact product, and cap the colour changes — 'two coats' over a dark red with a white finish is three coats and everyone finds out on day two.
If you've never run the numbers, do it in this order: loaded labour rate, overhead per billable hour, then the rate you should charge. It takes about fifteen minutes once.
The parts of this template that do the most work
The exclusions. Every line in that list exists because someone did that work for free. Deleting a line because it seems negative is how you end up back there — read the exclusions guide before you cut any of them.
The change order clause. Priced and signed before the work happens, every time. Verbal agreements on site are collected at the end of the job, if at all.
The expiry date. Material pricing moves and your quote shouldn't be open forever. Fourteen to thirty days is normal.
The signature block. An estimate that gets signed is a contract. An estimate that only informs is a price the customer takes to somebody else.
Send it the same day
Speed closes painting work more reliably than being the cheapest. The homeowner who has just watched you walk their job is more interested in you than they will be tomorrow, and considerably more than in three days. Fill in the scope on site, price it that evening, send it before you go to bed.
Questions contractors actually ask
How do I quote painting without walking every room?
You don't. Photos hide the prep, and prep is the whole job. If a site visit isn't possible, quote a range with a stated prep allowance in hours and confirm the fixed price on arrival.
Should the quote name the paint product?
Always: brand, line and sheen, per surface. It protects you when someone compares your price against a quote using contractor-grade flat, and it prevents the 'I thought it'd be washable' conversation.
How many coats should I quote?
Two over a similar colour, and say so. Then exclude additional coats needed for drastic colour changes, priced per coat per area — otherwise the exclusion is unenforceable.
Can I use this template commercially?
Yes. Use it on your own jobs, put your company name and logo on it, and reuse it as often as you like. Reselling the template itself as a product is not permitted.
Is this a legally binding contract?
Once both parties sign, an estimate with scope, price and terms generally forms a contract — but contract law varies by province and state, and this is general information rather than legal advice. For high-value work, have a lawyer review your standard terms once. It's a one-time cost that covers every job afterwards.
The Word version, plus nine other trades
The Vault includes this template and nine more as editable Word files, the pricing calculator that produces the number you put in it, and pre-written terms for each trade.
Pricing calculator, 10 trade estimate templates in Word, pre-written exclusions and terms, and the 10-minute pricing guide. One payment, no subscription, 30-day guarantee.
Other trades
All ten estimate templates, from roofing to handyman.