How do I bid a paint job?

Questions & AnswersHow do I bid a paint job?
Michael asked 10 years ago

I have just started a painting business and would like your help in determining how to estimate a job, is there a formula?

53 Answers
Anonymous answered.

Darren and Karl are the closest answers I've seen on this one. Here's some more to consider and not to be forgotten….
#1 Marketing/sales to sell yourself.

Budget & Profit numbers….
You need to calculate the following:
labor including burden (labor burden about 7.55% CA, Any Employer paid benefits from unions (if any), and don't forget the famous "Work Compensation", In Ca most would average about a total of 22% labor burden.

Take labor hours x $rate of pay x 22%(varies) = labor budget
+
Calculate "job cost" of materials and include waste= mtls budget
+
Figure out what your overhead runs you. Usually smaller/start out companies will be less than 5%.
labor budget + mtls budget x Overhead % = TRUE COST….

Last…what $ range at minimum you are willing to do the job for… anything above your true cost will be your anticipated PROFIT for this job. BUT you must manage the job well. Labor can put you in the hole very fast if it is not run properly.

Anonymous answered.

A really good resource to tell you how long a certain thing is going to take you is the book called RSMEANS Building Construction Cost Data.
That's what I use to bid all my jobs and it always works fairly well. You can always make your notes as to how long it actually took you but its definitely a good starting point. And to answer the question. As a painter starting out 20 per hour probably isn't a bad price maybe a little on the low end. You will want to figure out all your materials. Your labor and then do a markup on the materials.

Anonymous answered.

Linda from Colorado, I think you might be missing the point. "How hungry you are" etc. refer to the feeling that you are worried about actually putting food in the fridge for your family to eat. You are competing for work and this means that if you price too high you might not get the job and therefore starve. If you have missed out on enough bids by coming in too high (say, the kids need dental work this month) you might start thinking you should lower your price to try to get more work, but the conflict here is that you may be shooting yourself in the foot if customers begin to believe that the lower price is the true price. If you think that painters are "untouchables" that are beneath you and therefore don't deserve enough food to survive then I suppose that is your prerogative. But try not to be angry at them, it's bad for your health.

Anonymous answered.

I'm in southern California, I get .70 per square ft interior/exterior for labor (less for good friends) & customer buys all material. No helpers and I average 3 jobs per month. Have steady work. All work is top quality been painting for 30 yrs.

Anonymous answered.

Do not sell yourself cheap. If some guy who gets food stamps and every other govmt. handout wants to do that fine…I don`t play that game or even want those customers he gets. Stop advocating prostitution here. Dental work? Hey–I got it—just don't have so many kids and don`t work for these chincey jerks, they are a pain anyway. Timelines are real…we are all gettin old…. u can either bust yur butt and wear out your body to please bargain bettys or set the proper price for a days work–its hard work you guys…and get customers who are actually going to pay you. There is no reason for working people to work for chump change while pencil pushers make 200/hr, and insurance costs a mint..& "that`s the law"….with no questions asked. Maintenance man, you do your own painting. Don't "vend" since you think its so ridiculous to pay them. But those are their prices. Get over it. These guys need to make a living.