How to measure a painting job
- Walls are the room perimeter times the wall height. Leave out big openings, but not normal doors and windows; cutting in around them takes time.
- The paint cost per 100 sq ft depends on the paint you use and how many coats. Check the can for coverage.
- Setup minutes cover moving furniture, masking and covering floors.
What this free version leaves out
Repairs, colour changes and high ceilings are where painting bids lose money. This free version only changes speed by hand, so raise the minutes when the walls need work. It also prices every customer the same way, whatever the season, the access or how the first call went. The full CrewBrain pricing engine takes those into account.
For the full method, read how to price painting jobs, or see CrewBrain for painting. To work out what one person-hour really costs you, use the labor burden calculator.
Questions owners ask
How do I estimate a painting job?
Measure the surfaces, work out the hours at your crew speed, add paint and supplies, then apply your margin. The calculator does those steps.
Should I bid painting by the square foot or by the hour?
Bid the job price, but build it from square feet and real speeds. That keeps a slow job from eating your margin.
How much paint do I need?
Divide the area by the coverage on the can and multiply by the number of coats. Put the paint cost per 100 sq ft into the example speeds.
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Open →Or use the general job price calculator, or see all free calculators.