# Pricing for painting HELP!!



## Keefer (Mar 14, 2006)

I love this site. Now I need some help if you will. After moving to Texas from California, I found that I could never get anyone to keep an appointment to give me an estimate on any services I needed for my home. Been painting for 20 years for friends, family and self. 
I've started my own painting business. For now I am charging 1.75sf for painting interiors. If I have a 12x15 room,( 180sf) for $315.00 would this be for just painting the 4 walls? Charge extra for the ceiling? Is there an extra charge for the trim in the room?

My biggest need right now is someone wants me to paint just trim as they just had new floors put down. What would the charge be per LF?

I would be so grateful to hear from someone! :clap: 

thank you

Keefer


----------



## lowell5slide (Feb 28, 2006)

ok So I think I got this peice work thing So if I have say a five bedrom house to paint I tell for example two guys that I will pay 100.00 a room so its up to the workers to complete what they want in the time frame they want As oppose to subbing the whole job out to both guys Is that what were talking about


----------



## Paul Burns (Jan 17, 2006)

Keefer said:


> I've started my own painting business. For now I am charging 1.75sf for painting interiors. If I have a 12x15 room,( 180sf) for $315.00 would this be for just painting the 4 walls? Charge extra for the ceiling? Is there an extra charge for the trim in the room?
> 
> My biggest need right now is someone wants me to paint just trim as they just had new floors put down. What would the charge be per LF?
> 
> Keefer


Keefer, sorry, but it looks like the you might be stuck with me for now. Hopefully someone else will explain it better than I can.

We don't price per sq. ft., but it is NOT a bad of doing it, if you customize it a little bit from what I am going to say here.

First of all, if that is a one coat price of 315.00 for the walls only and zero drywall repair needs to be done, or very minor drywall repair, we could live with that number * paint. For us, that would mean that we would pay a painter around 100.00 to paint it.com for us. Most painters that are any good, would be very happy to get 100.00 to one coat that room. They would be hoping that we had at least 2 more just like it for that day! :clap: 

Your next question about linear ft. pricing for trim, as it was explained to me, is basicall the same as sq. ft. for drywall. But when they get to something like a 6 over 6 window, they charge 1 ft per side of mullion (the slender vertical or horizontal usually wooden piece that forms a division between units of a window and helps to hold the glass). So for one pane of glass, that would equal 4 mullions and/or 4 ft. per pane. For a 6 over 6 window, that would equal 48 ft. which equals 84.00 for just the slides. Then you have to add the frame. AND these are assuming they are ground or floor level. For anything that needs even a step ladder, the price goes up. I can't remember what I was told, but 20% for a step ladder, 30% for second floor, and double for anything higher than that, sounds about right to me. If you are outside or anywhere that you might need a manlift, scaffold, walk boards, etc., that would all need to priced seperately and expensively. It can easily take most of a day to paint a couple of dormers on a non walkable roof. I'm talking about the sides of the dormers and all, not just the window. I guess I have been burnt enough on dormers, to give you a little warning about them. They may not look too hard from the ground, but I have yet to encuonter one that I would consider easy. Well, mayber if they are on a roof with just a slight pitch, so that walking and putting down your bucket is not dangerous at all. Otherwise, each dormer over a garage equals something like 4-6 windows. If they are on the roof (usually fake) we charge one arm, and at least half a leg. One day I drove up to one of our jobs and the whole window from a fake dormer was GONE. I prayed real fast that nobody got hurt, and luckily nobody was. When the painter explained what happened, he said as soon as he touched it with sandpaper or caulk gun, it just fell inside the home's attic! Whoever put that window in must of had to use the potty or something before securing it, and then just forgot to go back. Or, they just didn't care. I was surprised that it hadn't fallen sooner, because the house was probably 10 years old.

Oh well, I'll stop babbling now that I answered your question the best that I could. Oh, remember that the height of the window is just one of a thousand things that you may have to adjust for. IOW's, your basic sq, ft. price is for EASY stuff. If you run into anything with lots of prep. heighth or hard to reach over bushes, etc., umm, 3-6 stage crown molding, white trim next to deep base colored walls, just adjust and watch/track your closings and from which lead type. If you start closing over 40% of leads that came from something other than a referral, repeat, or neighbor, jack-up your prices. By tracking everything, you can become a superstar in a short time, AND KNOW that your prices are right, fair, and you are not leaving too much money on the tables. Aunty Mable doesn't like that! Money is worse than elbows when left on tables. :furious: 

If you keep asking questions, you will be leading the pack in no time. 

Good luck, and hangem high! Your prices. Better to have a reputation of being too high than too low. If you are known for being high, they give respect. If you are known for being low, they laugh behind your back.

Pawl


----------



## CoastalCoatings (Oct 5, 2005)

Man, that was one of the best replies I have seen on this board. It wasn't the same old it depends on how much it cost to run my company blah, blah, blah.:thumbsup:


----------



## Keefer (Mar 14, 2006)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keefer
I've started my own painting business. For now I am charging 1.75sf for painting interiors. If I have a 12x15 room,( 180sf) for $315.00 would this be for just painting the 4 walls? Charge extra for the ceiling? Is there an extra charge for the trim in the room?

My biggest need right now is someone wants me to paint just trim as they just had new floors put down. What would the charge be per LF?

Keefer 


Keefer, sorry, but it looks like the you might be stuck with me for now. Hopefully someone else will explain it better than I can.

We don't price per sq. ft., but it is NOT a bad of doing it, if you customize it a little bit from what I am going to say here.

First of all, if that is a one coat price of 315.00 for the walls only and zero drywall repair needs to be done, or very minor drywall repair, we could live with that number * paint. For us, that would mean that we would pay a painter around 100.00 to paint it.com for us. Most painters that are any good, would be very happy to get 100.00 to one coat that room. They would be hoping that we had at least 2 more just like it for that day! 

Your next question about linear ft. pricing for trim, as it was explained to me, is basicall the same as sq. ft. for drywall. But when they get to something like a 6 over 6 window, they charge 1 ft per side of mullion (the slender vertical or horizontal usually wooden piece that forms a division between units of a window and helps to hold the glass). So for one pane of glass, that would equal 4 mullions and/or 4 ft. per pane. For a 6 over 6 window, that would equal 48 ft. which equals 84.00 for just the slides. Then you have to add the frame. AND these are assuming they are ground or floor level. For anything that needs even a step ladder, the price goes up. I can't remember what I was told, but 20% for a step ladder, 30% for second floor, and double for anything higher than that, sounds about right to me. If you are outside or anywhere that you might need a manlift, scaffold, walk boards, etc., that would all need to priced seperately and expensively. It can easily take most of a day to paint a couple of dormers on a non walkable roof. I'm talking about the sides of the dormers and all, not just the window. I guess I have been burnt enough on dormers, to give you a little warning about them. They may not look too hard from the ground, but I have yet to encuonter one that I would consider easy. Well, mayber if they are on a roof with just a slight pitch, so that walking and putting down your bucket is not dangerous at all. Otherwise, each dormer over a garage equals something like 4-6 windows. If they are on the roof (usually fake) we charge one arm, and at least half a leg. One day I drove up to one of our jobs and the whole window from a fake dormer was GONE. I prayed real fast that nobody got hurt, and luckily nobody was. When the painter explained what happened, he said as soon as he touched it with sandpaper or caulk gun, it just fell inside the home's attic! Whoever put that window in must of had to use the potty or something before securing it, and then just forgot to go back. Or, they just didn't care. I was surprised that it hadn't fallen sooner, because the house was probably 10 years old.

Oh well, I'll stop babbling now that I answered your question the best that I could. Oh, remember that the height of the window is just one of a thousand things that you may have to adjust for. IOW's, your basic sq, ft. price is for EASY stuff. If you run into anything with lots of prep. heighth or hard to reach over bushes, etc., umm, 3-6 stage crown molding, white trim next to deep base colored walls, just adjust and watch/track your closings and from which lead type. If you start closing over 40% of leads that came from something other than a referral, repeat, or neighbor, jack-up your prices. By tracking everything, you can become a superstar in a short time, AND KNOW that your prices are right, fair, and you are not leaving too much money on the tables. Aunty Mable doesn't like that! Money is worse than elbows when left on tables. 

If you keep asking questions, you will be leading the pack in no time. 

Good luck, and hangem high! Your prices. Better to have a reputation of being too high than too low. If you are known for being high, they give respect. If you are known for being low, they laugh behind your back.

Pawl 


Mr PaWl

I was amazed when I found this site today, and makes me love technology all the more. I can't thank you enough for your reply to my post. Not only did I come away with valuable information which I am so grateful to you for, but as corny as it sounds, I feel like I have a cyber friend. Now don't panic and think I'm going ot email you every week or 2 weeks! I would never abuse that. It's just nice to see that there are still good people that are willing to help out someone they don't even know.

Thank you for taking the time to "learn" me lol...

Keefer


----------



## Keefer (Mar 14, 2006)

CoastalCoatings said:


> Man, that was one of the best replies I have seen on this board. It wasn't the same old it depends on how much it cost to run my company blah, blah, blah.:thumbsup:


I have to agree with you on Coastal. And much appreciated too! As I said to Paul, it amazes me that there are still people out there willing to go out of there way and help a perfect stranger. Something I thought this country and world had pretty much lost except when something like Katrina hit or any type of disaster!

Thank you Paul:clap: :thumbsup: :thumbup:


----------



## cabair (Feb 6, 2006)

*Great reply to original post!!*

I have a few additional questions;

1) What would you recommend as a percentage or dollar increase if the job was for two coats?
2) The room I am working on is a two story open living room (18' high walls), should that be charged as an additional room?
3) Are there any recommendations you could make regarding prep work costs, I am not painting the trim but there are about 12 windows and 2 French Doors and some lite drywall repair?

Total square footage is roughly 286, which includes the foyer (also 18' high walls.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris


----------



## cabair (Feb 6, 2006)

*Price for painting*

I apologize in my last post I said the square footage was 286, I was think of another job. The actual square footage is 2600.

Thanks,

Chris


----------



## Guardi Pro (Mar 15, 2006)

I agree, Great reply!

Paint it !


----------



## Paul Burns (Jan 17, 2006)

*I'm Blushing*

Thank you all for your kind remarks. I'm not sure they are deserved. Like I said, I was just passing on the way it was explained to me in a five minute conversation. We do it differently, but I have passed it on to a new estimator(s) that we have and might combine it with the unit pricing method that we now use.

I've posted many times that estimating gets to a point to where it is almost a joke. Kind of like how lots of people say, and to some extent it does, "depends on your company" and sometimes "and how much you want to earn" is also added. Well, if that was the case, I want an office on the busiest Main street in town, a chaufer with Limo, 900K salary ....... Does that mean that I would be able to charge more than us normal folk? I don't think so. The market WILL determine your price based on how good you are as long as it is reasonable. And good is not just the paint job. It starts with how they first come in contact with your company, until years after the job. The paint job itself is probably only 30% of the equation, if that! And REASONABLE to me, means anything from 25.00 - 125.00 or maybe 250.00 per hour if it is an emergency, which painting has very few of. But bad companies will normally stay down at the 30.00 per hour mark and good companies will be around the 100.00 per hour mark. That is NOT what they are quoted as, that is wht they are finshed as. BTJMO, and I'm just a regular guy. I could easily be wrong about all of this stuff. Well, maybe not, since we do have lots of evidence to support it.
And to the guy asking to me to estimate for him, I'm sorry, but I am not in that business. YET anyway. I mean if I found there was a market, and I do believe it can be done, and actually had a web-site for awhile named, ummm, paintestimate.com I think. But again, I was just 5 years ahead of our time!! :thumbup: :clap:   

But really, think about it and please don't think that I answer some people and not others. I'm not like that unless you have given me some reason to not like you, and you have NOT. "It's just the old give a man a fish and feed him for one day. Teach him HOW to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime!" IOW's, I have confidence in you that if you think about it a little bit, you won't need my help. You can do it every day, by yourself. 

And always raise your prices by 10% everytime you are booked for more than 3 weeks. You may surprised at how high you can go. Especially if you give outstanding customer service, the best clean equipment, stay in touch with old clients, the list goes on forever. The more you can charge, the better you can look, and the better you look, the more you can charge, and........ Unless you spend your profits on something other than building your business.

Again, thank you for your comments, I am humbled.

Paul


----------

