When to send a painting quote
Send a quote when you have walked the job and can commit to a price: you know the rooms or sides of the house, the surfaces, the condition, and the paint. If you cannot judge the surface yet, for example siding that may hide rot, send an estimate so the price can change with the customer's approval.
What to include in a painting quote
- Every area and surface, listed separately: “Living room walls and ceiling”, “All interior doors (8)”.
- The paint: brand, product line, sheen, and how many colors are included.
- Number of coats.
- Prep included: patching, sanding, caulking, priming, pressure washing.
- Protection and clean-up you will do.
- Exclusions: wood rot repair, moving heavy furniture, color changes after work starts.
- Timeline and weather clause for exterior work.
- Payment schedule and how long the quote is valid.
- A signature line. The PDF from this tool includes one.
Write a scope the customer cannot misread
| Vague | Clear |
|---|---|
| Paint living room | Living room walls and ceiling: patch nail holes, 2 coats premium eggshell on walls, 1 coat flat white on ceiling; 1 wall color |
| Cabinets | Kitchen cabinets, 18 doors and 6 drawer fronts, both sides: clean, sand, prime, 2 coats cabinet enamel; hardware removed and reinstalled |
| Exterior | Front and two sides of house: pressure wash, scrape loose paint, caulk gaps, 2 coats exterior satin on siding; trim one contrasting color |
With the clear version, a request for a second accent color or the back of the house is obviously extra.
When things change
Customers often change their mind on color, or you find soft wood under old paint. Stop, explain, and send a short change order or new quote for the extra before continuing. A photo of the problem makes the conversation easy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a painting quote and an estimate?
A quote is a fixed price for named areas, coats and paint. An estimate is an informed guess that can change if surfaces turn out to need more prep or repair.
How many colors should a painting quote include?
State it clearly, for example "1 wall color and 1 trim color". Extra colors take extra cutting-in time, so many painters price them separately.
Can the customer change colors after accepting the quote?
Before work starts, usually yes. After painting has started, a color change means repainting, so quote it as extra work.
Is the painting quote template free?
Yes. Make and download unlimited quotes. Free PDFs include a small line at the bottom saying they were made with QuoteToolbelt.