# Help with Wording for an Estimate?



## kanadaeh (Sep 6, 2005)

Hello all, 
I am currently working on an estimate but I am having trouble with the wording. It is kind of a unique situation that I have never been involved with before. I get a call for touch ups on someone else's paint job. He explains to me that the general for his house was either fired or quit. I go look at the job. He has a three page list detailing touch ups in each room. His lawyer recommended he receives three quotes as he still owes the general half of the total project but had breached his contract by not completing his work, whatever. Anyways, he says that has nothing to do with me as he will be paying me regardless of the situation. I understand because we live in a small community (population 150,000) and for legal reasons he had not told me who did the work I knew right off. Let's just just say they have a growing reputation for this type of thing. Touch ups include: caulking trim properly, patching some terrible patches, sanding paint goobers off the ceiling, missed spots on trim, and they had switched paint brands half way through the job resulting in very noticeable touch ups. After sleeping on it I think the only way I can do this is to estimate for a complete paint job. I can not see myself going in and doing touch ups and how would I even estimate something like that. So I am asking for some help wording this quote so it looks like a business man wrote it and not a painter. Basically I would like to state as many reasons as I can think of why I would rather not touch up and it would make more sense to repaint. I appreciate any help. 
Jason


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Have you considered using a T&M price with a not to exceed price of what a complete re-paint would cost?


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## kanadaeh (Sep 6, 2005)

I had mentioned a T&M price but he was determined to receive a quote. Also I rarely do T&M because I work very fast. I was never cut out for touch ups even when I worked for someone else. I remember one time a larger company payed my boss for painter presence on a site so my boss told me to walk around with a brush and drink coffee, I never made through the first day. I would rather sit home. I`m all about production. Sad really.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Give a fixed price estimate for a paint job with repairs. Include an explanation that because of issues specific to this job, touch up would be more expensive and produce an inadequate product.


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## BBS (Dec 10, 2007)

*Line Item Bid*

Hello Kanadaeh,
First figure what you would have charged in the beginning for a complete paint job.Second take the owners detailed punch list and assign a line item cost to each correction,and compare the cost.I would think charging about 60% of the complete paint job would be safe.If the other painter changed some paint or did not leave adequate touch-up,that makes it easier to justify painting entire rooms.This homeowner sounds like he has a reason to be un-happy.Coming to the rescue of jobs like this can bring you more business than advertising can ever buy.
Good Luck


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## d-rez (May 16, 2007)

Sounds like you have determined that to do a proper 'repair', the solution is a re-paint. So figure what you would charge for painting the whole thing- and that is your price. Forget trying to explain anything in your estimate! JM2C -Chris


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## Davey (Nov 24, 2006)

d-rez said:


> Sounds like you have determined that to do a proper 'repair', the solution is a re-paint. So figure what you would charge for painting the whole thing- and that is your price. Forget trying to explain anything in your estimate! JM2C -Chris


I agree. You do not have to explain why or how you came up with your quote. Just state: We are pleased to provide you a quotation for the following work, 1...2...3.. ( list out what you will do). The work may begin on --- and the work will be complete on ---. Total price $blabla. Remember it is for a lawyer's request and you are not in it to do anyone favours. You can also refuse the work if you don't feel right bout something. Remember money first, then work.


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## FrankSmith (Feb 21, 2013)

There has to be some areas of the house the don't have to be repainted. Closets, ceilings, basement stair well, garage. Three pages is a lot but you have to make some effort to let the owner know you aren't trying to make the job bigger then it needs to be. Beyond the spots that can stay as is, there is surely some areas that could be touched up and not repainted. 

Break it down into areas
-areas to be left as is
-areas to be touched up
-areas to be repainted


Make sure the owner know you are on his side and not trying to make his bad financial situation worse by exploiting the situation. That's why he is getting three proposals. You charge what you need to make it right but make sure you are the guy with the good attitude helping the customer get out of this mess. 

Right a cover letter explaining how you approached pricing the job. Explain in the cover letter how some spots have to be repainted to look right and so forth. DO the explaining in the cover letter and the detailing in the proposal.


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## TimberlineMD (Jan 15, 2008)

Sounds to me you are just helping the lawyer determine the amount to hold back from the original contractor. I would charge for this and refund if I get the job, but I would be hesitant to get involved with a job that has been 'lawyer'd up'. It has never worked out for me.


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