Painting Job Budget and Cost Estimate

Calculate the total square footage of the walls, subtract the area of doors and windows, and divide that number by the paint's standard coverage rate, which is typically 350 to 400 square feet per gallon. Always round up to the nearest gallon and add an extra 10% to 15% to your material estimate to account for spills, textured surfaces, and future touch-ups.

Incorporate prep work directly into your hourly labor rate or list it as a separate, dedicated line item based on a thorough pre-inspection of the walls. For standard residential rooms, allocate roughly 25% of your total estimated labor time solely to prep to ensure you do not lose money on repairing damaged drywall.

An estimate is an educated, non-binding approximation of costs based on initial measurements, whereas a proposal is a formal contract detailing exact pricing and terms that both parties must sign. You should always clearly label your initial pricing sheets as estimates to protect your business from unexpected site conditions that arise once work begins.

Determine your yearly operating expenses, such as liability insurance, vehicle fuel, and marketing, then divide that total by your target billable hours for the year to find your hourly overhead rate. Add this specific overhead rate to your hourly labor rate on every estimate to ensure your business expenses are fully covered by your active jobs.