Painting & Decorating Custom Rate Sheet and Estimating Guide

What a good one includes

• Base hourly and daily labor rates for both preparation work and finish painting.
• Standardized square-footage and linear-foot pricing models for walls, ceilings, trim, and baseboards.
• A material markup calculator that accounts for paint grades, sundries, and waste percentages.
• Specific surcharges for high-difficulty factors such as vaulted ceilings, extensive plaster repair, or wallpaper removal.
• A client-facing estimate template that clearly outlines the scope of work, material choices, and payment milestones.
• A quick-reference production rate guide detailing how many square feet an average painter can prep and paint per hour.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting to charge separately for the extensive prep work, scraping, and priming that takes up the majority of your project hours.
• Using flat-rate pricing without factoring in the cost of high-quality tape, drop cloths, and brush replacements for each specific job.
• Failing to adjust rates for hard-to-reach areas, stairwells, or heavy furniture moving, which heavily drains your daily productivity.
• Underestimating paint coverage on textured or unprimed surfaces, leading to unexpected, out-of-pocket material runs mid-project.

Frequently asked questions