How to price a painting job

October 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Painting estimates come down to three numbers: surface area, prep time, and paint. Nail the area and the prep, and the rest of the estimate assembles itself. Here's a practical method, with a worked example.

Measure first

Wall area is the perimeter of the room times the ceiling height, minus doors and windows (count each as about 20 sq ft). Ceiling area equals the floor area. For a 12×12 room with 8-foot ceilings:

• Perimeter: 48 feet × 8 feet = 384 sq ft of wall
• One door (20 sq ft) and one window (20 sq ft): 384 − 40 = 344 sq ft to paint
• Ceiling: 144 sq ft

For exteriors, measure per side and subtract windows, doors, and trim separately — exterior siding height and access (scaffolding, ladders) change labor substantially.

Paint and materials

One gallon covers roughly 350–400 sq ft per coat, and most jobs need two coats for even color. Contractor-grade paint typically runs $30–60 per gallon; premium finishes cost more. Count primer as its own coat when you're painting over new drywall, stains, or a dark color. Don't forget consumables — tape, drop cloths, rollers, caulk — a per-job allowance of $20–40 covers them.

Prep time

Prep is where estimates go wrong. Patching, sanding, caulking, and masking a standard bedroom takes 30–60 minutes; damaged walls take longer. If you can see cracks, water stains, or peeling paint at the walkthrough, price them explicitly as line items rather than hoping they're quick.

Labor and rates

Interior repaint labor commonly lands between $1.50 and $4 per square foot of wall in many markets, with ceilings, trim, and doors priced as separate line items. Your market may differ — track your actual hours on finished rooms and back into a rate you can trust. A 12×12 room that takes a day at $50/hour is $400 in labor; if you can paint it in 5 hours, it's $250. Your rate comes from your speed.

A worked example — one 12×12 room

• Walls 344 sq ft + ceiling 144 sq ft ≈ 490 sq ft, two coats ≈ 980 sq ft covered
• Paint: 3 gallons × $45 = $135
• Consumables: $30
• Prep + painting labor: 7 hours × $50 = $350
• Estimate total: $515 plus tax on taxable items

Add trim, doors, or a color change, and each becomes its own line item — visible to the client and to you.

Exterior extras

Exteriors add power washing, siding type (clapboard takes longer than flat panels), working height, and season. Weather can stall a job for days; a contingency of 5–10% is standard practice.

Building the estimate

FieldLog is an Android app for building estimates offline — no account or internet connection required. Add each surface as a line item with its area and unit price, mark paint and labor as taxable or non-taxable, and save your standard rates as catalog items so the next estimate starts pre-filled. Generate a branded PDF with your company details to share with the client. The free plan includes 3 estimates per month.

Related guides

• How to calculate markup on materials and labor
• How to write a construction estimate