How estimates work
Most of a painting bill is labor, not paint
Prep, repairs, cutting in and cleanup are most of the bill. That's why two estimates for the same room can look far apart, and why the lowest isn't always the cheapest. An estimate that lists the labor lets you compare like with like. This page says why each of our nine lines is there, and what moves the figure at the bottom.
Written before any work begins
Filled in for each room of your house
Terms and warranty on the page, not in the truck
Why each line is there
The nine lines, and what each one protects you from
- 01
Surfaces and areas
Two estimates for "a living room" can mean walls only, or walls, ceiling, trim and closet. This line says which.
- 02
Repairs
Patching is where the time goes. Listing each repair shows what's being fixed, and what isn't.
- 03
Coats
Two coats of finish is the usual standard. One coat over a darker color usually shows through.
- 04
Products and sheens
The paint line and sheen decide how it wears and how it cleans.
- 05
Number of colors
Each color means more cutting in and more cleanup. The count sets the work.
- 06
Protection and cleanup
What's covered and what's moved is the difference between a tidy week and a dusty one.
- 07
Schedule
A start day and the days on site let you plan around us, and hold us to it.
- 08
Payment schedule
Payments tied to stages mean you never pay ahead of the work.
- 09
Warranty
Written terms say what's covered, for how long, and what isn't.
What moves the figure
Six things that change an estimate
Rooms and surfaces
More walls, ceilings, closets and doors means more hours.
Prep and repairs
Cracked plaster or old flaking paint takes the most time of all.
Coats
A dark-to-light change usually needs primer and a third coat.
Number of colors
Accent walls and two-tone rooms mean more cutting in.
Height and access
Stairwells and tall ceilings need ladders and scaffolds.
Paint grade
The paint line sets the cost of the can and how the wall wears.
The visit
What happens when Ray comes to look
- 01
Step 1: Who comes
Ray, every time. He's the person who writes your estimate and paints the job.
- 02
Step 2: What he checks
Each wall along its surface for cracks and flaking, the ceilings for stains, the trim for old caulk, and how tall the rooms are. He asks the year the house was built.
- 03
Step 3: When you get the number
In writing, with the nine lines filled in. He tells you at the visit when to expect it, and he doesn't quote a figure in the doorway.
Not included
What an estimate leaves out
Repairs found later
Damage behind a piece of furniture or under old wallpaper. We write it up and agree on it before we fix it.
Colors added later
A fourth color after you sign is a new line on the estimate.
Heavy furniture and appliances
We move what's listed. Pianos and refrigerators are yours to move, or a line of their own.
Questions
Questions about estimates
What is in the written estimate?
Nine lines: surfaces and areas, repairs, coats, products and sheens, number of colors, protection and cleanup, schedule, payment schedule and warranty. Each one is filled in for your house, not left as a general phrase.
What isn't in it?
Repairs we can't see until the work starts, colors added after you sign, and moving heavy furniture or appliances unless the estimate lists them. Anything added later is written down and agreed before we do it.
What prep is included?
Covering floors and furniture, filling holes, patching cracks, caulking trim and priming where needed. Bigger repairs, like a section of plaster or a water-stained ceiling, are their own line so you can see what they cost to fix.
How do I pay?
A deposit holds your dates, and each later payment is tied to a stage of the work, as set out on the estimate. Nothing is due for a stage we haven't reached.
What does the warranty cover?
Peeling and blistering from our prep or paint, written on the estimate. Terms, limits and exclusions are in your written warranty.
Want it in nine lines?
Tell us the rooms and Ray will walk through them with a notepad.