Free Painting Estimate Template

What to put on a painting estimate

A painting estimate should make the prep work visible, because prep is where the hours go and clients always underestimate it. List your business details, the client and property address, an estimate number, date, and validity window, then itemize labor, paint and primer by the gallon, and prep like patching, sanding, and masking. State how many coats are included, because a client who assumed three coats and got two is an unhappy client and a bad review.

Common line items

Painting estimates usually break down like this:

• Labor, by room or by square footage
• Paint and primer, by the gallon
• Prep: patching, sanding, caulking, masking
• Number of coats included
• Trim, doors, and ceilings, if priced separately
• Drop cloths, tape, and supplies

Turning an estimate into an invoice

Collect a deposit to cover the paint order and hold the schedule, then invoice the balance on completion after a walkthrough. State that significant wall repair beyond minor patching is billed separately, since that is the most common reason a paint job runs over the estimate. When the client approves, convert the estimate to an invoice rather than retyping it.

How to win more of the jobs you bid

The paint job that goes sideways is almost always the one where prep was underquoted to win the bid. Quote the prep honestly and explain it, because the client who understands why prep costs what it does is the one who pays without grumbling. A free WaffleInvoice account lets the client approve the estimate online and turns it into an invoice in one click.