Painting Contractor Job Pricing Calculator
Build a paint bid from net paintable area, coats, production rate, prep, paint/sundries, burdened labor, overhead, and true margin — so “won” jobs don’t net zero from eyeballing floor sq ft. For painting business owners and estimators — not DIY room-cost shoppers.
Price this painting job
Starting inputs you can edit — not a recommended bid. Net paintable area = walls/ceilings measured — not floor-plan sq ft.
Self-serve math for painting contractors. Prep multipliers, coverage, and production rates are editable defaults, not market advice or EPA guidance. No consulting or branded proposal service.
Methodology (P2 + painting helpers)
gallons = ceil((area × coats / coverage) × (1 + waste%))paint_cost + sundries → materialCostfor P2effective_production = production_rate / prep_multiplier- Hours scale with coats:
production_hours = (area × coats) / effective_production+ setup hours - Shared P2: contingency → overhead % → margin-on-price → bid
Worked example (fictional interior)
2,400 sq ft × 2 coats, 350 coverage, 10% waste → 16 gallons → paint $720 + sundries $57.60. Effective production ≈ 142.86 sq ft/hr → ≈ 33.6 production + 3 setup = 36.6 hr × $45 ≈ $1,647 labor. After 5% contingency + 12% OH + 20% margin → bid ≈ $3,564 (≈ $1.49/ft²). Illustrative only.
Assumptions
- Net paintable area — not floor sq ft.
- Coats included in both gallons and production hours (documented convention).
- Gallons rounded up to whole cans for display/cost.
- Prep multipliers are defaults for exploration, not PDCA certification.
Common painting bid mistakes
- Bidding from floor square footage instead of wall/ceiling area.
- Cost + 20% when you meant 20% margin on price.
- Underestimating prep and masking.
- Skipping sundries and waste.
- One $/ft² for cabinets and walls alike.
FAQ
How do painting contractors price a job?
Typical cost-up path: measure net area → gallons from coverage × coats → labor hours from production and prep → add materials, overhead, contingency → apply margin-on-price. This tool follows that stack.
Interior vs exterior production?
Often different — use separate production rates (presets are editable starting points, not recommendations).
Markup vs margin on a paint bid?
If you want 20% profit on the sell price, divide cost by 0.80 — don’t just add 20% to cost. See the markup vs margin calculator.
Should I include primer as a coat?
If primer is a full pass, count it in coats or fold primer gallons into your blended $/gal — be consistent. This tool does not advise which approach to use.
How to use burdened labor from the labor-burden tool?
Run P3, take loaded $/hr (or cost per billable hour), and enter it as burdened labor here.
Is this for homeowners?
No — it is for painting contractors deciding what to charge on a bid.